The scientific collaboration to fight protein aggregation
How VIB's Switch Lab and EU partners tackle protein misfolding through the Twin4Promis project
October 23, 2024
Twin4Promis is an EU Twinning Project that brings together scientists from across the EU to collaboratively tackle protein aggregation. The Switch Lab at the VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research is one of the research groups contributing its expertise and resources to the mission. Two years after the project’s launch, we check in to find out how the partnership has progressed and the impact it has had.
For over two decades, EU Twinning projects have fostered scientific collaboration between EU Member States, enabling universities to exchange knowledge, expertise, and best practices.
In November 2022, the Twin4Promis twinning project was launched. Twin4Promis unites scientists from across Europe in a collective effort to tackle protein aggregation, a biological phenomenon that underlies a range of human diseases. The project’s partners include the Institute of Chemical Biology at the National Hellenic Research Foundation (NHRF) in Greece, the University of Cambridge, the University of Copenhagen, and the Switch Lab at the VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research.
“We decided to join Twin4Promis to contribute our knowledge and expertise in protein folding,” says Joost Schymkowitz, who heads the Switch lab together with Frederic Rousseau. “Our work shouldn’t just stop at our desk; we wanted it to be the building blocks of shared knowledge and collective progress."
This summer, the Switch Lab hosted Effie Karyda, a junior PhD student from the lab of Georgios Skretas, for a three-month research visit. Effie's PhD focuses on the interactions between crystallins – the main proteins in the eye lens, which can lead to cataracts when aggregated – and specific peptides that have been identified in the Skretas Lab.
Through the Twin4Promis exchange, Effie Karyda has benefited from access to the Biophysics unit: a state-of-the-art technology platform providing access to equipment and expertise helping researchers to study protein folding, conformation and stability, as well as interactions between proteins, DNA and other biomolecules. The unit is headed by Valentina Zorzini and hosted by the Switch Lab.
"When I arrived, I had little experience in biophysics experiments," Effie explains. "Valentina taught me everything about the platform and explained how biophysics experiments can contribute to my research. She also gave me the technical training to be able to work independently for the rest of my stay. Both she and the rest of the Switch Lab were always willing to provide a helping hand with troubleshooting and making my stay as comfortable as possible!"
Before this exchange, Effie had not had the chance to conduct research outside of her home country. Funding for short research stays abroad is not easy to come by in Greece, forcing many young talents to leave altogether. "Thanks to the Twin4Promis project, I had the chance to not only work in a lab abroad, but in the Switch Lab specifically. I’m still excited to have had the opportunity to come here and collaborate with them – it feels surreal, especially after following their groundbreaking work for years." Effie's excitement is palpable. "I'm returning to my home lab a totally different person. If more people had the chance to do this, it would be transformative for the landscape of research in Greece. Even though I am sad to leave, I'm also excited to return home and implement the research approach that I’ve gained here."
Several of Effie's colleagues also had the opportunity to visit the Switch Lab for a Biophysics Workshop, which took place earlier this month. The event was tailored to meet the needs of PhD students and postdoctoral researchers from Greece through three days of hands-on, expert-led sessions. Visiting researchers also had the chance to try the new analyses themselves on their own samples.
"The Biophysics workshop has been an exceptional experience, showcasing both high-level scientific content and superb organization. The topics were highly relevant and the labs were an inspiring example of how to establish a successful research environment." Aris Michoglou, a research assistant in the Skretas lab, shares. "Every aspect exceeded expectations. The entire setup serves as a model of excellence, offering lessons that I’m excited to take back and implement."
"The Twin4Promis exchange was transformative for me." Effie Karyda concludes. "I learned how to adapt in a new environment, how to work in a different interdisciplinary team with very diverse expertise and backgrounds, and how collaborations can bring immense value to your work as a young scientist.”
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