Overview
Proteins control every function of every cell in our body. Proteins, however, never act alone; rather, they interact with many other proteins in what are called protein-protein interactions (PPIs). Gain or loss of PPIs can be the driving force behind disease development. Dr. Igor Stagljar of the University of Toronto is leading a team to develop and implement a novel disruptive genomics technology that can detect and monitor PPIs in human cells. This technology can be used to identify novel proteins as components of many essential cellular processes, leading to greater understanding of the role of specific proteins in our cells. Furthermore, the technology also has the potential to identify drugs that disrupt a defined set of PPIs when the PPIs cause disease.