The final project for Structural Biochemistry II (BCH659) culminated in an exciting “Shark Tank”-style competition, where student teams pitched innovative biotech concepts to a panel of faculty and student judges. This year’s champion team impressed with a bold approach to addressing neuropathic pain, a condition that remains a major unmet clinical need. Current therapies often treat symptoms rather than root causes and carry significant risks of side effects—an issue that the team set out to change.
Their strategy centered on PLCbeta3, an enzyme within the Phospholipase C family. While most family members share highly conserved structures, PLCbeta3 stands out for its unique autoinhibitory domain, absent in closely related homologs. This distinctive feature offers a promising therapeutic target, and the team’s proposal explored how leveraging this domain could lead to novel, mechanism-based treatments for neuropathic pain.
Team LAMTx, with its name derived from initials of team members Louie, Allie, and Megha, combined rigorous scientific analysis with entrepreneurial vision. Their presentation highlighted not only the structural biochemistry behind PLCbeta3, but also the potential for translating these insights into real-world impact. Congratulations to team LAMTx for an outstanding performance and for exemplifying the innovative spirit of BCH659!