Authors: Owen M. McDougal

Affiliation: Boise State University

Title: Deadly Snails, NMR, and the Treasure Valley

Abstract: Peptides isolated from the venom of predatory marine snails of the genus Conus have been found to have tremendous selectivity and potency for binding to a wide variety of receptors.  Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy provides a method for understanding both the three dimensional structure of these interesting peptides and also their interaction with receptors.  The role of NMR in understanding biological systems can be extended to the study of infectious disease.  A sampling of data will be presented to open a discussion for ways that the new NMR Facility at Boise State University can benefit the research community in Idaho.  The mission of Boise State University is to become a "Metropolitian Research University of Distinction."  This presentation will present a movement toward achieving this goal.