معرفی
Peter Mattjus is a Senior Lecturer in Biochemistry and Docent in Lipid Biochemistry at Åbo Akademi University's Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology. His research focuses on lipid transfer proteins, particularly the glycolipid transfer protein (GLTP), and their role in intracellular lipid transport and membrane biology.
Dr. Mattjus received his M.Sc. in Biochemistry from Åbo Akademi University in 1993, followed by his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the same institution in 1996. He completed postdoctoral research at the Hormel Institute - University of Minnesota in the Membrane Biochemistry Section under Prof. Rhoderick E. Brown.
His research centers on understanding how glycosphingolipids function as recognition sites on cell surfaces, maintaining membrane stability and facilitating cell-to-cell connections to form tissues. The Mattjus lab specifically investigates the intracellular transport mechanisms of glycosphingolipids, with particular focus on the glycolipid transfer protein GLTP. Current research examines GLTP's involvement at ER exit sites, intracellular vesicular trafficking, and its relationship with enzymes responsible for sphingolipid synthesis. The lab also studies the consequences of silencing GLTP on sphingolipid production and identifies proteins that interact with GLTP.
Analysis of Dr. Mattjus's recent publications reveals a consistent focus on lipid transport mechanisms, particularly glycolipid transfer proteins and their role in cellular processes. His work spans fundamental membrane biology to disease-related applications, including cancer research where lipid metabolism alterations have significant implications. The research demonstrates increasing sophistication in methodology, from basic protein characterization to complex cellular and disease models.
- The Per Brahe Prize (awarded December 11, 2007)
Dr. Mattjus has supervised numerous doctoral and master's students throughout his career, with recent supervision including PhD candidates Max Lönnfors, Anders Backman, Henrik Nurmi, and Linda Englund. His research has been supported by prestigious funding sources including the Jane & Aatos Erkko Foundation, Magnus Ehrnrooth Foundation, Medicinska Understödsföreningen Liv och Hälsa, and Svenska Kulturfonden. His current major project, 'The glycolipid transfer protein GLTP - A lipid sorting orchestrator in health and disease' (2019-2024), investigates GLTP's fundamental role in lipid sorting and its implications for human health.
The Mattjus lab, also known as the Lipid Transfer Protein Research group, maintains an active research program with current members including postdoc Max Lönnfors and graduate students Anders Backman, Henrik Nurmi, and Linda Englund. The lab website (http://www.users.abo.fi/pmattjus/) serves as a hub for their research activities and publications.
