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VICI grant for John Kennis
VU designs tools to control cells with light Biophysicist John Kennis has been awarded Vici grant
One of the great challenges in biology is to control life processes in cells and organs by means of light. In this way, scientists can obtain deep insights in how such processes proceed and they may intervene in cellular processes if so desired. John Kennis, biophysicist at the Physics Department of the Faculty of Sciences at VU University has been rewarded a Vici subsidy to develop, study and improve the tools that enable such cellular control by means of light.
Light-sensitive proteins in plants and animals
Light sensitive proteins – so-called photosensory proteins are found in organisms such as plant, bacteria and algae, but also in animals. They are responsible for specific light-controlled functions: the well-known response of plants to grow towards light, the response of algae to swim towards or away from a light source. Photosensory proteins are increasingly being used for so-called ‘optogenetic’ applications: the control of life processs by means of light. Optogenetics is an emerging field with tremendous potential and has been declared ‘Method of the Year 2010’ by the prestigeous Nature journal.
Controlling neurons by means of light
In optogenetics, photosensory proteins that naturally occur in certain organisms are being engineered to fulfil a certain designed function in a different organism, cell or tissue of choice. For instance, in neuroscience specific neurons in a mouse brain can be brought under light control by expression of a light-gated ion channel that naturally occurs in algae. In this way, scientists can understand neuronal circuits and even control the animal’s behaviour. Yet, little is known about the light-activated function of photosensory proteins that make such novel scientific approaches possible.
How photosensory proteins change their shape after light activation
John Kennis will study the light-activated function of designed photosensory proteins by means of advanced laser techniques: time-resolved two-dimensional infrared spectroscopy and stimulated Raman spectroscopy. In this way, he will obtain a detailed view of how the protein changes it shape after light absorption, and how the protein generates a signal that activates a desired function in the targeted cell or tissue. With the obtained knowledge, photosensory proteins can be improved, or even given new functionalities for optogenetic purposes. In addition, the research will provide, for the first time, a detailed ‘molecular movie’ of functional structural changes in a protein upon stimulation.
Vici-subsidy
The Vici-subsidy of the Netherlands Organization of Scientific Research (NWO) is aimed at experienced researchers that have demonstrated their ability of setting up an independent, innovative line of research and act as a coach for young scientists. The grant involves 1.5 million Euro and is highly competitive. John Kennis will use the grant mainly to appoint young researchers in his research group.
