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SUMMARY:Mapping and Learning Protein Structural Diversity Across Random Se
 quence Space
DTSTART:20260504T121500
DTEND:20260504T131500
DTSTAMP:20260427T152225Z
UID:349611ef22a2fbaec29935333af8fd2397bfc954f1fbbf4a12ec04da
CATEGORIES:Conferences - Seminars
DESCRIPTION:Prof. Klára Hlouchová\, Department of Cell Biology Charles 
 University in Prague\, Faculty of Science\, Czech Republic\nEPFL BIOE TALK
 S SERIES (sandwiches provided)\n\nAbstract:\nBiological proteins represen
 t only a few tightly clustered families within the vast sea of amino acid 
 combinations. While nature has explored only a fraction of this landscape\
 , the 'dark protein space' offers untapped potential for de novo design an
 d the study of gene birth.\nThrough high-throughput structural screening o
 f large random-sequence libraries\, we show that this space is surprisingl
 y heterogeneous. Beyond disordered or toxic aggregates\, we identified “
 benign” compact architectures that mimic globular proteins and bypass ce
 llular chaperone defenses. By training a neural network on these data\, we
  demonstrate that protein structural potential is predictable and generali
 zes across natural proteomes. This suggests that biology-like folds are fr
 equent in random space\, offering a path to expand generative design far b
 eyond evolutionary priors.\n\nBio:\nKlára Hlouchová studied chemistry at
  Charles University in Prague and was trained as a biochemist at IOCB (PhD
  in 2009). Her postdoctoral research in evolution of metabolic pathways wi
 th Prof. Shelley Copley at University of Colorado Boulder (2011-2013) spar
 ked her curiosity in life’s early origins and the divide between non-via
 ble and viable\, converging with a long-standing interest in astrobiology.
  She started her independent research at Charles University (Department of
  Biochemistry and later Department of Cell Biology) in 2016. Her group of 
 Synthetic Biology explores fundamental questions about the origin and evol
 ution of proteins\, be it in the era of prebiotic Earth\, extant biologica
 l or synthetic life. They also have several projects focusing on what it t
 akes for cells to emerge\, with the aid of proteins and other key life’s
  molecules all playing along. Her research has been supported by standard 
 Czech and European funding schemes but also by several collaborative and i
 nterdisciplinary grants\, such as HFSP and VW Stiftung.\n\n\nZoom link (w
 ith one-time registration for the whole series) for attending remotely: h
 ttps://go.epfl.ch/EPFLBioETalks\n\n\nInstructions for 1st-year Ph.D. stude
 nts planning to attend this talk\, who are under EDBB’s mandatory semin
 ar attendance rule:\nIN CASE you cannot attend in-person in the room\, pl
 ease make sure to\n\n	send Fiorella Ghisays a note well ahead of time 
 (ideally before seminar day)\, informing that you plan to attend the talk 
 online\, and\, during seminar:\n	be signed in on Zoom with a recognizabl
 e user name (not any alias making it difficult or impossible to identify 
 you).\n\nStudents attending the seminar in-person should collect a confirm
 ation signature after the talk - please print your own signature sheet bef
 orehand (69 kB pdf available for download here). IMPORTANTLY: hang on to 
 this sheet as no signature record is being kept by anyone else!\n 
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 n&dim_lang=en&tree_groups=centres_nevralgiques_grp%2Cmobilite_acces_grp%2C
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 ements_grp&tree_group_layers_centres_nevralgiques_grp=&tree_group_layers_m
 obilite_acces_grp=metro&tree_group_layers_restauration_et_commerces_grp=&t
 ree_group_layers_enseignement=guichet_etudiants&tree_group_layers_services
 _campus_grp=information_epfl&tree_group_layers_equipements_grp=&baselayer_
 ref=grp_backgrounds&map_x=2532836&map_y=1152453&map_zoom=14 https://go.epf
 l.ch/EPFLBioETalks
STATUS:CONFIRMED
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