Kelvin Yong

University of Melbourne

Activities and Societies: General Secretary for Biochemist and Molecular Biologist at BIo21 Institute (BAMBII), Graduate student body in Bio21 Institute, University of Melbourne My PhD focuses on the engineering of stabilised G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), specifically α1A- and α1B- adrenoceptors, using a directed evolutionary approach called Cellular High-throughput Solubilisation and Screening, or CHESS. As GPCRs suffer poor stability after purification from the cell membrane, I employed CHESS to stabilise α1A- and α1B- adrenoceptors which generated highly thermal stable and ligand binding capable variants to enable their biophysical and biochemical… Show more My PhD focuses on the engineering of stabilised G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), specifically α1A- and α1B- adrenoceptors, using a directed evolutionary approach called Cellular High-throughput Solubilisation and Screening, or CHESS. As GPCRs suffer poor stability after purification from the cell membrane, I employed CHESS to stabilise α1A- and α1B- adrenoceptors which generated highly thermal stable and ligand binding capable variants to enable their biophysical and biochemical characterisation. Using Saturation Transfer Difference NMR, I elucidated the molecular determinants of ligand subtype-selectivity at α1A-adrenoceptor, providing a step closer to designing more selective and clinically beneficial cardiovascular therapeutic. My PhD also explores the application of CHESS to other soluble proteins which led to the engineering a heat and SDS-resistant GFP valuable for fluorescence imaging. Show less

University of Melbourne

Double major in Pharmacology and Biochemistry & Molecular BiologyHonour's in Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyHonours thesis titled “Investigating the anti-fibrotic properties of novel fusion relaxin peptides in human fibroblast model”

Ngee Ann Polytechnic

Activities and Societies: Life Science and Chemical Technology Group leader In-line skating club leader Certificate of Merit recipient10 Distinctions and 20 A/A+ MP Biomedicals Asia Pacific Prize for Module “Product Development and Commercialisation”Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) ScholarshipDirector’s List for 2 consecutive years

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