Proteins are important, complex biochemicals that serve a variety of purposes in living organisms. Metabolic processes involving proteins play an essential role in our lives, from providing nourishment to fighting disease. In the past decade, rapid growth in protein pharmaceutical use has resulted in the successful application of proteins to insulin, interferons, human growth hormone, and tissue plasminogen activator.
The pharmaceutical industry seeks these pure protein crystals because their purity will simplify Federal Drug Administration approval of new protein-based drugs. Pure, well-ordered protein crystals of uniform size are in demand as special formulations for use in drug delivery. Other potential applications include agricultural products and bioprocesses for use in manufacturing and waste management.
Such research has attracted firms in the pharmaceutical, biotechnological, and chemical industries. In response, the Center for Macromolecular Crystallography (CMC), a NASA Center for the Commercial Development of Space at the University of Alabama in Birmingham, has formed affiliations with a variety of companies that are investing substantial amounts of time, research, and money developing protein samples for use in evaluating the benefits of microgravity.
Structural information gained from protein crystal growth (PCG) activities can provide a better understanding of the body's immune system and aid in the design of safe and effective treatments for disease and infections.
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