# Novel Methodologies for the Preservation (and Recovery) of Proteins at Low Temperature

> **NIH NIH SC3** · HERBERT H. LEHMAN COLLEGE · 2021 · $119,120

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
The goal of this SC3 grant is to develop a novel method for the cryopreservation of proteins
without the use of co-solvents, which are usually employed to limit the structural changes that can
occur during freezing. The method exploits the glass polymorphism of water, i.e., low density
amorphous (LDA) and high density amorphous (HDA) glasses can be produced following specific
cooling/compression pathways. The pathways for storage and recovery of proteins will be studied
using non-equilibrium molecular dynamic simulations coupled to all-atom force fields. The central
hypothesis is that the density of the HDA will limit fluctuations in the solution upon cooling and the
protein will not undergo any significant structural changes when vitrified in HDA. The rationale
for the proposed research is that an understanding of the detailed mechanism by which proteins
are preserved in glassy water, can lead to the rational design of experiments that allow for more
controlled subzero protein preservation. In order to systematically develop this understanding
three groups of systems, with increasing order of structural complexity will be studied: (i) short
peptides with different secondary structures (ii) simple proteins that contain these secondary
structures within their tertiary structures, and (iii) two biomedically relevant proteins. The
information obtained from these studies has the potential to be extended to the storage of
pharmaceuticals, food, and biological cells without the use of co-solvents.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10088682
- **Project number:** 1SC3GM139673-01
- **Recipient organization:** HERBERT H. LEHMAN COLLEGE
- **Principal Investigator:** GUSTAVO E LOPEZ-QUINONES
- **Activity code:** SC3 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $119,120
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-08-02 → 2025-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10088682

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10088682, Novel Methodologies for the Preservation (and Recovery) of Proteins at Low Temperature (1SC3GM139673-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10088682. Licensed CC0.

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