# Core B - Biomolecular tools

> **NIH NIH P01** · MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN · 2024 · $428,027

## Abstract

CORE B SUMMARY
Protein Production and Chemical Biology. The overall goal of this P01 proposal is to elucidate the biological
mechanisms of calcification and their potential role in the onset and etiology of age-related macular
degeneration (AMD) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The proposed projects will investigate calcification at the
molecular, cellular and organismal levels to build a comprehensive view of the participants that are responsible
for this aging-related phenomenon. Central to all these efforts will be the availability of pure and homogenous
protein reagents with defined properties and modifications that can be manipulated in the various assays and
experiments proposed in the projects. The goal of this Core will be to design and prepare these reagents, with
a particular focus on the calcification-associated proteins vitronectin (Vn), Tau and amyloid β (Aβ). The Core
will also aim to develop enhanced tools for the production of modified proteins for structural and imaging
studies. More specifically, the Core will work towards the following goals: 1) Production of Vn, Tau, and Aβ
constructs for structural, biochemical, biophysical and cellular analysis as necessary for all projects in the
proposal; 2) Development of intein-based tools for segmental isotopic labeling of proteins for nuclear magnetic
resonance (NMR) studies as described in Project 1; and 3) Preparation of fluorescently labeled proteins for
biophysical assays and sensor development for all projects. In addition to serving the projects described in this
proposal, we expect that the protocols and reagents developed by the Core will be valuable tools for chemical
and cell biologists, biophysicists and structural biologists studying a wide range of biological problems in health
and disease.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10878723
- **Project number:** 5P01AG081167-02
- **Recipient organization:** MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN
- **Principal Investigator:** Francesca M Marassi
- **Activity code:** P01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $428,027
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-07-01 → 2028-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10878723

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10878723, Core B - Biomolecular tools (5P01AG081167-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10878723. Licensed CC0.

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