This International Collaboration research program promises to break new ground in the preparation and application of selective membrane transporters for bicarbonate anion (HCO3-). Bicarbonate plays a central role in life. Despite its importance, there is surprisingly little known about the selective transmembrane transport of HCO3- by synthetic compounds. Inspired by bicarbonate's central role in biological and environmental processes, the first comprehensive program aimed at understanding the molecular recognition and transmembrane transport of HCO3- has been planned. This entails the design and synthesis of different types of receptors that are able to selectively bind HCO3- and go on to demonstrate the ability of these compounds to transport HCO3- across lipid membranes - these receptors will include compounds designed to function as transmembrane carriers and ion channels. In addition, we will develop new techniques to assay for the transmembrane transport of bicarbonate.
With this award, the Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry Program is supporting the research of Professor Jeffery T. Davis of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Maryland. This research project is a collaborative effort with the group of Professor Philip Gale at the University of Southampton (UK). Professor Davis' research focuses on the synthesis and application of small molecules that can transport negatively charged species across cell membranes. Identification of compounds that can selectively transport bicarbonate across these membranes may be useful tools for scientists studying models of diseases such as cystic fibrosis. Applying these new transporters directly may lead to a new model system for biomineralization. This international collaborative research project is supported jointly by NSF and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) in the United Kingdom. The study is also supported by the Office of International Science and Engineering (OISE) at NSF.
