Under the supervision of Prof. Juan R. Granja and Dr. Rebeca García Fandiño, Martin Calvelo has recently defended his thesis entitled "Computational methods for the design and applications of self-assembled cyclic peptide nanotubes". We took the opportunity to ask him to tell us about his time as a doctoral student at CiQUS.
What is your research about?
Classical antibiotics are becoming less effective due to an effect known as "Antimicrobial Resistance". Although this is a natural process, during last years it has been accelerated due to the abuse and misuse of these agents. Actually, recent studies suggest that this resistance could cause up to 10 million deaths per year in 2050. In this context, we clearly need new antibiotics to overcome this problem.
In my research group, we are focused on a special type of molecules, called Cyclic Peptides, which have been proposed as potential candidates for such task. However, instead of evaluating them in a lab, in my PhD thesis I studied these systems via Computational Methods. In this way, we can simulate the experiments in a computer, providing useful information with high resolution about these peptides.
What would you highlight from your experience at CiQUS these years?
Apart from the one in which I have carried out my thesis, working at CiQUS has allowed me to collaborate with different experimental groups of international reference. These collaborations enriched my research and substantially help my training. Carrying out my thesis at CiQUS has allowed me to work in a perfect environment for my research and training, not only because of the facilities of the centre, but also because of the personal atmosphere that has been created.