Institute of Experimental Physics
Topic
Molecular Mechanisms of Amyloid Protein Aggregation and Its Inhibition
PhD. program
Biophysics
Year of admission
2026
Name of the supervisor
doc. RNDr. Zuzana Gažová, DrSc.
Contact:
Receiving school
Faculty of Science, P.J. Safarik University
Annotation
Amyloid structures have been associated with neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson´s disease), but it is increasingly accepted that all proteins can form amyloid structures, including food proteins (lactalbumin, lactoglobulin). It is important to identify favorable conditions for the formation of amyloid aggregates and, at the same time, the possibility to prevent or circumvent undesirable health effects by altering the protein. The main aims of this work will be to understand the mechanisms of protein (lysozyme, insulin, lactalbumin and others) amyloid aggregation as well as to identify protein amyloid inhibitors (small molecules, nanoparticles, poly/peptides). Various physico-chemical methods will be used, especially spectroscopic techniques (fluorescence, circular dichroism, ATR-FTIR), atomic force microscopy and PAGE electrophoresis.