Yetunde A. Ayinuola

Research Interests

Proteins are the most abundant and arguably the most important biomolecules within a living organism. Hardly will any metabolic process occur without the activity of one protein or the other. Most often, the difference between a health and a disease state could be pinned down to a defect in the function of one protein or another. Consequently, in an attempt to unravel the molecular basis of most diseases, it is important to understand the structure-function relationship of specific proteins, as well as their interactions with other macromolecules and small molecules. Hence, my research interest is focused on the characterization of specific proteome within living organisms and the application of such characteristics in the control, management and treatment of diseases. 

Group A Streptococcus (GAS) also known as Streptococcus pyogenes are a group of pathogenic bacteria that cause mild infection to life-threatening invasive diseases. GAS produce many virulence factors that promote survival in human, the major virulence determinant being M-protein.My current research activities involve the use of biophysical techniques such as isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), surface plasmon resonance (SPR), composition gradient (CG)/size exclusion chromatography (SEC) combined with multi-angle light scattering (MALS), flow cytometry etc., to study the interaction of GAS M-protein with human fibrinolytic and coagulation pathways proteins.