Functional assays for membrane protein on nanostructured supports (ASMENA)
ASMENA is part of the EU Seventh Research Framework Programme (FP7). Over three years, the consortium consisting of 15 partners in 7 countries aims to develop new platforms for drug screening and analytical profiling based on in vitro measurements of functional and conformational changes in membrane proteins. Such tools will allow standard profiling and screening also against membrane protein targets that can currently not be screened in these ways. They will shorten time and cost in drug lead development by increased predictability as well as contribute to fundamental understanding of structure-function relationships of membrane proteins.
The partners of the consortium are world leading experts on surface functionalization, membrane self-assembly, biosensing, membrane protein functional measurements and commercialization of the same. Now, their complementary competences can be put together on the European level to create a timely breakthrough in the area.