Relationship between Protein Structure and Function
The laboratory focuses on protein and peptide primary structure analysis and mass spectrometry. It has expanded its methodical and thematical repertoire with equal rigor and success to include X-ray crystallography, enzymology and molecular biology. Research topics touch upon a number of subjects including prokaryotic respiratory metabolism, bioremediation, bacterial biofilm formation and metal reduction, protein adaptation in extremophile micro-organisms and protein carbohydrate interactions. The latter two are of particular importance to bio-energy research. Enzymes isolated from micro-organisms that thrive in harsh conditions generally are more robust themselves. Furthermore, the carbohydrate field of research is of ever increasing importance to many fields, including for the use of cellulose-containing substrates as a renewable resource.
The important emphasis of current research is establishing the relationship between protein structure and function in order to gain fundamental insight in biochemical processes. Thorough understanding of biological processes is crucial to successful implementation of biological strategies in new technological concepts.

Department of Biochemistry, Physiology en Microbiology
Ghent University
K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35
B-9000 Ghent
Tel: +32 9 264 51 24
savvas.savvides@ugent.be
www.eiwitbiochemie.ugent.be