Mendes' Lab

Welcome

Our laboratory was established in 2023 and is part of the Biophysics and Structural Biology Group "Sérgio Mascarenhas" (BBE) at the University of São Paulo (Campus São Carlos / SP). We employ multiple spectroscopic and biochemical approaches to elucidate fundamental biological questions. We are particularly motivated to understand the molecular mechanisms of processes related to protein and peptide secretion pathways and the different cellular strategies for compartmentalising their internal space. Cells possess a highly regulated mechanism for transporting biomolecules that can handle over 30% of the entire proteome under native conditions and stress. The proper functioning of these pathways ensures the existence of what we call life, and the deregulation of these processes is directly linked to the progression of various diseases, such as cancers and neurodegenerative disorders. 

Among the many scientific questions we work on are the so-called Intrinsically Disordered Proteins (IDP) and Intrinsically Disordered Regions (IDR). Despite the growing number of IDPs and IDRs discovered, their characterisation remains a significant challenge in the field of structural biology. Traditional methods, such as X-ray crystallography and Cryo-Electron Microscopy, are unsuitable for studying these dynamic molecules. Instead, a combination of complementary techniques, including Fluorescence Microscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), circular dichroism (CD), mass spectrometry (MS), and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, is necessary for obtaining a comprehensive understanding of the structural and functional properties of IDPs and IDRs. Furthermore, studying IDPs and IDRs has opened up a new field of structural biology, which we refer to as (Un)Structural Biology. This field requires interdisciplinary work that combines expertise from biophysics, biochemistry, computational biology, and other related areas to advance our understanding of the structural and functional properties of these dynamic molecules, potentially leading to the development of new therapies for diseases associated with protein misfolding.

Learn more about us under the "Members" tab and about our research under the "Research lines" and "Publications" tabs.

We are always interested in recruiting motivated and enthusiastic researchers to join our team. If you are a "science lover" like us ("Mission and Ethical Guide") and your academic interests converge with ours, consider being part of our group. We welcome and support anyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, social class or religion. For more information, please refer to the details under the "Opportunities" tab, contact us directly for a non-committal conversation, or visit our department for a complimentary coffee.