Protein Structure and Function: A Molecular Murder Mystery

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LESSON 5 Protein Structure and Function A
Molecular Murder Mystery
PowerPoint slides to accompany Using
Bioinformatics Genetic Research
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Molecular Diagnostics ResearcherJames Ferrenberg
Place of Employment University of
Washington Molecular Diagnostics Lab Virology
Division Type of Work Develop tests to diagnose
different types of viral infections
Discovery is really exciting and there is nothing
cooler (in my job) than designing an assay and
finding it works great and generates important
data.
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Mitochondria The Powerhouse of the Cell

• Present in almost all cells.
• Inner membrane contains the electron transport
  chain.
• Metabolizes sugar and fats into ATP.
• Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA).

Source Wikimedia Commons.
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ATP Comes Out
Food (Sugar and Fats) Go In
Source Roxxychan, Wikimedia Commons.
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3D Structure of the Cytochrome c Oxidase Complex
Intermembrane Space
Inner Mitochondrial Membrane
Matrix
Source Tsukihara et al. 1996. Science 2721136.
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Molecular Diagnostics ResearcherJames Ferrenberg
Place of Employment University of
Washington Molecular Diagnostics Lab Virology
Division Type of Work Develop tests to diagnose
different types of viral infections
Discovery is really exciting and there is nothing
cooler (in my job) than designing an assay and
finding it works great and generates important
data.
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CAREERS IN SPOTLIGHTMolecular Diagnostics
Researcher
What do they do? Develop tests and methods to
identify a disease or the predisposition to a
disease by analyzing the DNA or RNA of an
infectious organism (virus, bacteria, or
parasite). What kind of training is
involved? Associates degree and/or Bachelors
degree What is a typical salary for a Molecular
Diagnostics Researcher? Starting
35,000-45,000/year (17.50-22.00/hour) Up to
55,000-65,000/year (26.00-31.00/hour)
Source Genome Technology Salary Survey 2010