Research

Our research focuses on structural biology protein complexes and ligand interactions mainly by methods of protein crystallography and molecular biophysics, recently in particular of synapsic proteins of the brain, mainly the adhesion proteins and ligands of neurexin and receptor protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) and other receptor and membrane proteins continuing on the subject of repeat proteins and structural biology of protein complexes (see publications).

We recently have characterized the SALM-family post-synaptic protein and their interactions with PTPs and LRRTM interactions with neurexins (e.g Karki et al 2020, Paatero et al 2016).

Currently the other important research themes include membrane transporters (earlier work with Prof. A. Goldman - structures of membrane integral PPases, Kellosalo et al 2012, Science, Li et al 2016 Nat Communications) and structural studies of neurotrophic factors and their receptors, and protein expression methods and protein engineering as tools for crystallography and structural biology. We also collaborate on various other targets on protein structure and crystallography and other biophysical studies of proteins.