PROTEIN CRYSTAL GROWTH-SINGLE LOCKER THERMAL ENCLOSURE SYSTEM (PCG-STES), NINE
INVESTIGATIONS
Research Area: Macromolecular Crystal Growth
Expedition(s): 2, 4-11
Principal Investigator(s): ● Craig E. Kundrot, PhD, NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Houston,
Texas
● Geoffrey Chang, PhD, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla,
California
● Gloria E.O. Borgstahl, PhD, University of Toledo and University
of Nebraska Medical Center, Toledo, Ohio
● Ronald Kaplan, PhD, Chicago Medical School, Chicago,
Ill inois
● Bill Thomas, Universities Space Research Association,
Huntsville, Alabama
● Barbara L. Golden, PhD, Purdue University, West Lafayette,
Indiana
● Gerald Bunick, PhD, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge,
Tennessee
● Daniel C. Carter, PhD, New Century Pharmaceuticals, Inc,
Huntsville, Alabama
● Aniruddha Achari, PhD, Raytheon, Huntsville, Alabama
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
Protein crystals are grown in a temperature controlled environment.
PCG-STES-IDQC (KUNDROT)
This investigation obtains high-quality crystal for ground-
based research. Study of protein crystals is essential for
visualizing proteins and developing new drugs and
agricultural products.PCG-STES-IMP (CHANG)
This investigation’s primary objective is to grow high-quality
crystals for ground-based research, which are to be used in
understanding the structure of transporter proteins within
cells.PCG-STES-MM (BORGSTAHL)
This investigation’s primary objective is to grow high-quality, large crystals for ground-based
research, which are used in X-ray diffraction studies to discern the function and structure of the
proteins.
Image shows crystals from the
plant protein thaumatin that were
grown onboard the International
Space Station. NASA Marshall
Space Center image.