Julia Smirnova

The research infrastructure on experimental studies and applications of cellular processes aims at gathering national know-how in the field of cell and molecular biology, and aims at setting up an instrumental capability to develop competence and services in the fields of microbial and mammalian cell processes and their applications. The infrastructure will be built up jointly by the University of Tartu, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn University, Estonian University of Life Sciences and the Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics. The vision is to become a know-how and service centre to partner health, biotechnology and environment-focused public sector organisations, medical institutions, biotechnology and pharmacological companies. The focus will be on acquiring and setting up relevant instrumental complexes, development and offering of services, popularisation and dissemination of the field in order to ensure sustainability of researchers and future activities.

Copper is an essential cofactor for more than twenty enzymes crucial for cellular energy production, antioxidative defense, and oxidative metabolism. Free copper ions, however, are toxic and copper metabolism is therefore highly controlled. Dysregulation of copper homeostasis occurs in multiple diseases, including Wilson's (WD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). This project strives to develop a comprehensive understanding of human copper metabolism and tools for its regulation. This will be achieved using a systems biology approach, which we applied earlier to intracellular Cu(I) proteome. We will expand this research to Cu(II) proteome in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid by using a novel LC-ICP MS-based approach. The expected results will substantially advance the knowledge on copper metabolism, and facilitate the search for molecular tools for its regulation. The latter will be tested in cellular and animal disease models and could provide novel molecular tools for WD and AD treatment.

Copper-related compounds were identified in human serum albumin samples with the aim of improving the quality of these products.