Dissertation defence (Chemistry): MSc Negin Gooran
MSc Negin Gooran defends the dissertation in Chemistry titled “Label-free peptide-based tools for detection of oligonucleotide and nuclease” at the University of Turku on 25 September 2026 at 12.00 (University of Turku, Quantum, Auditorium, Vesilinnantie 5, Turku).
Opponent: Dr. Vicente Pelechano (Karolinska Institute, Sweden)
Custos: Dr. Harri Härmä (University of Turku)
Summary of the Doctoral Dissertation:
Genetic material, such as DNA and RNA, plays a central role in all living organisms and forms the basis of many modern diagnostic tests and therapies. Scientists often need to measure them along with the enzymes that process or break them down in order to understand biological processes, develop new medicines, and detect disease-causing microbes. However, many current detection methods require chemical labeling, which can increase costs, complicate experiments, and limit their practical use.
The main goal of this dissertation was to develop new ways to detect genetic material and enzyme activity more easily and accurately. During the research, two new detection methods, called NucleoProbe and Peptide-Probe, were developed. Unlike many existing techniques, these methods do not require labeling of the molecules being studied. This makes the measurements simpler and universal.
The research showed that the new methods can detect a wide range of genetic molecules with different lengths and structures. They can also monitor how genetic molecules change shape and interact with other substances. In addition, one of the methods was successfully used to identify Staphylococcus aureus, a bacterium that can cause serious infections. The detection was based on measuring the activity of a bacterial enzyme, demonstrating the potential of the approach for diagnostic applications.
The findings provide new tools for studying biological processes and evaluating potential medicines. Because the methods are sensitive, flexible, and suitable for handling large numbers of samples, they could help speed up research in biotechnology, drug development, and medical diagnostics. In the future, these technologies may contribute to faster testing methods and support the development of new treatments and diagnostic tools that benefit both researchers and patients.
