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Biomembranes: structure and function

Coordenador

Maria João Pedrosa Ferreira Moreno Silvestre

 

The major objective of the group is the understanding of the rules that govern permeability through biomembranes and their function as biological barriers. This includes studies on lipid bilayers and on the interactions of lipids and amphiphilic molecules with membrane proteins. The knowledge is applied on the prediction and control of the pharmacokinetics of active agents, namely their availability in tissues protected by tight endothelia such as the Brain. The homeostasis of lipids is another area of interest, including the development of hypocholesterolemic pharmaceutical agents and food ingredients. The methodologies followed are mostly biophysical, including experimental and computational approaches.