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On April 2, 2013, Dr. Kalina Hristova of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering delivered a presentation entitled “Membrane Matters,” as part of the Whiting School of Engineering’s Donald P. Giddens Inaugural Professorial Lecture series.
Dr. Hristova’s lecture focused on how the function of one class of membrane proteins—called receptor tyrosine kinases—is controlled by their interactions in the membrane proteins. The plasma membrane—the protective membrane surrounding human cells—regulates the flow of information and materials in and out of the cell. Dysfunction in receptor tyrosine kinases has been linked to a variety of diseases, including growth disorders and cancer. The presentation was open to the entire Johns Hopkins community, and the audience filled Mason Hall.
Dr. Hristova is internationally recognized for her pioneering studies of protein interactions in biological membranes. Her research is critical to the development of new treatments for cancer and growth disorders.