Membrane proteins play a central role in cellular signaling, stress adaptation and metabolism. However, their study remains particularly challenging due to their strong dependence on a native lipid environment. Conventional detergent-based approaches often disrupt membrane organization and alter protein–protein interactions, thereby limiting our ability to investigate these systems under physiological conditions.
This PhD project focuses on the Translocator Protein (TSPO), a highly conserved membrane protein involved in oxidative stress responses. In the foodborne pathogen Bacillus cereus, TSPO is increasingly recognized as a membrane platform coordinating interactions with soluble partners, particularly under photo-oxidative stress conditions. In parallel, there is a growing need to develop sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based amphiphiles used in membrane protein research. Polymer–lipid nanodiscs have emerged as a promising solution, enabling the extraction and stabilization of membrane proteins in a near-native lipid environment.
This project lies at the interface of polymer chemistry, membrane biophysics, and molecular microbiology, with both fundamental and applied objectives.
