Práctica de cristalización de proteínas por técnicas de contradifusión en geles, para estudiantes de Farmacia

Laburpena

The aim of this practice on Biocrystallography is to introduce pharmacy students learning Geology Applied to Pharmacy, in the latest techniques of crystallization of biological macromolecules (especially proteins). Students should improve this practice because the determination of the structures of biological macromolecules and other substances of interest in Pharmacy, are now carried out by Xray diffraction. A first step in this technique is crystallization of these molecules, and this matter is really difficult. We use a GCB devices (Granada Crystallization Box) developed and patented by one of the authors, to perform such experiments easily and inexpensively. This practice was first performed in the period 2009-2010 obtaining a great success and we want to extrapolate our experience to all pharmacy schools participating in this conference. We teach the students the importance of Biocrystallography to know the structures of antibiotics, hormones, proteins and active ingredients of drugs. Many Nobel Laureates in Chemistry and Medicine, with have advanced disciplines such as Molecular and Structural Biology, are crystallographers. The Biocrystallography is therefore a basic discipline to conduct first class research and is also a support for many other important subjects. A Faculty that has not granted obligatorily such studies neglects the education of their students.