Nucleic acid Structure and Recognition - L.J. Maher

Aptamers in Multiple Sclerosis Research

Our lab collaborates with a team of Multiple Sclerosis experts at Mayo Clinic to explore possible new tools for imaging MS lesions, and for promoting cellular remyelination in response to damage. We are asking whether small folded DNA molecules ("aptamers") can be generated with binding affinity for important cell-surface molecules on neurons and MS lesions. The biological properties of such aptamers can then be assessed in comparison to conventional protein antibodies.

Structure of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein, an MS autoantigen