Health research that makes headlines often provides society with insight into how to tackle diseases or maintain good health.<\/p>\n
But behind every innovation or discovery is a layer of \u2018fundamental\u2019 research that\u2019s aimed at researchers rather than the general public.<\/span><\/p>\n PhD student Nour Noaman knows this well. The global scholar from Australia is investigating ways to improve how researchers analyze proteins.<\/span><\/p>\n Specifically, Noaman is seeking to improve the process of<\/span> gel electrophoresis<\/span><\/a>, in particular a high-resolution method known as two-dimensional gel electrophoresis.<\/span><\/p>\n Essentially, it\u2019s a laboratory technique that uses electric currents to separate mixtures of protein molecules extracted from a tissue sample and sorts these molecules according to their electrical charge and size.<\/span><\/p>\n Proteins are then stained with a classic blue dye called Coomassie so that they can be seen and further analyzed.<\/span><\/p>\n But the classic Coomassie stain has a reputation for insensitivity, which would suggest it doesn\u2019t reveal the most information possible, explains Noaman.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt is important that a stain be adequately sensitive in order to detect as much of the full complement of proteins as possible,\u201d she says. \u201cThis gives us a complete protein \u2018map\u2019 to enable effective comparisons of protein levels between samples.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Under the direction of Jens Coorssen, Professor of Health Sciences and Biology, Noaman and her lab have developed a new Coomassie staining protocol so that researchers can detect more of the proteins obtained by electrophoresis.<\/span><\/p>\n Noaman and her team published their latest findings last September in the journal<\/span> Electrophoresis<\/span><\/i><\/a>.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n In early May, Noaman had another paper accepted in the journal <\/span>Analytical Biochemistry<\/span><\/i> that highlights an additional application of the new Coomassie stain: the reliable measurement of the total protein content of a sample.<\/span><\/p>\n She says her research data show that her lab\u2019s version of the Coomassie stain is more sensitive and much cheaper than other stains in the market, which will help a range of researchers in their own work.<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s vital for researchers to have as clear a picture of proteins as possible, as these are the molecules central to the body\u2019s biological and chemical functioning.<\/span><\/p>\n Evidence for many diseases is apparent at the protein level. Earlier this year, Coorssen and his research team discovered that the levels of certain proteins found in a mother\u2019s blood during the first trimester of pregnancy can potentially act as early predictors or biomarkers of<\/span> premature birth<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n Noaman has presented her findings at major international conferences in Portugal, Vancouver and most recently in San Diego.<\/span><\/p>\n As part of her PhD program in biochemistry and molecular biology at Australia\u2019s Western Sydney University, Noaman is at Brock under the<\/span> University Mentorship (UM) program<\/span><\/a>, with Coorssen as her supervisor.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cAs a researcher, you want to be showcasing your work, building relationships with other researchers and exploring other work as much as your own. That transdisciplinary approach fuels the best possible research,\u201d says Noaman, when explaining the value of the UM program.<\/span><\/p>\n