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BIOPHYSICAL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER
4
SEPTEMBER
2017
advisor, and there was lack of mentorship,” she
says. “In both cases, I had to take a risk by moving
on. Both times, it was an extremely scary deci-
sion to make but God worked it for my good in
the end. I finally ended up in the Fanucci group,
and it was all worth it. I had the perfect mentor
and work that aligned with my interests. I grew
exponentially thanks to that match.”
Biophysics was a great fit for her, too. “Biophys-
ics makes sense,” she says. “It provides you with
tangible explanations of how biological systems
are able to function. It assembles the puzzle with
such a versatile range of tools, and to me exempli-
fies just how important it is to combine different
fields in tackling important questions.”
Following completion of her PhD studies in
2014, Braide-Moncoeur began at Gordon Col-
lege, a primarily undergraduate institution in
northeastern Massachusetts, as assistant professor
of chemistry. Her lab works on furthering the
mechanistic understanding
of pulmonary surfactant
at the membrane-fluid in-
terface. “Premature infants
with underdeveloped lungs
typically develop respiratory
distress syndrome (RDS)
because their lungs lack the
surfactant lining crucial for
oxygen absorption or have genetically failed to
produce critical components of lung surfactant
(LS) needed for proper function. LS is a complex
mixture of lipids and proteins known to provide a
protective barrier against inhaled pathogens, lower
alveolar surface tension, and promote oxygen
exchange. The functional significance of LS is
clear; however, a detailed mechanistic understand-
ing of how lipids are trafficked to and from the
air-fluid interface for oxygen absorption remains
unknown,” she explains. “Though the bulk of LS
is made up of lipids (~90%), it is non-functional
without the presence of surfactant proteins (SP-A,
B, C, and D), especially SP-B, which is known
to reduce surface tension and closely associates
with lipids in the bulk phase of liquid below
alveoli surface film (hypophase). As SP-B is highly
hydrophobic and structurally complex, challenges
in synthesis and expression of a functionally active
recombinant have led to increased efforts to use
synthetic alternatives in developing novel thera-
peutics for RDS treatment, and to elucidate the
mechanism of function.”
Braide-Moncoeur continues, “Despite several
advances in elucidating structural properties of the
synthetic surfactant peptides, molecular level in-
formation is still pertinent to understanding how
it moderates surface tension reduction and inter-
facial film fluidity in the alveoli, and to elucidate
the mechanism by which lipid trafficking occurs.”
The goal of the project is to further understanding
of fundamental membrane-protein interactions
and of specific LS component functions, using
fluorescence spectroscopy to study localized envi-
ronmental changes in fluidity and lipid dynamics.
At an institution focused on teaching, it can be a
challenge for Braide-Moncoeur to stay current and
active in scientific research, but seeing her students
develop an enthusiasm for research is hugely grati-
fying. “[The most rewarding aspect of my work]
is seeing the passion that develops in research stu-
dents as their work begins to make sense to them,”
she says. “They become so motivated and actually
look forward to sharing their progress in various
settings — local research symposia, conferences,
etc.”
“I am grateful to be able to have a position in
academia because it combines my interests in
teaching and research but I would also like to
play a more active role in mentorship of students
within the STEM field beyond my current place
of employment. I believe there is a need for it,”
she shares. “As for my contribution to biophysics,
I am hopeful that I can continue adding clarifying
pieces to the puzzle of understanding. Our world
is complex and fascinating: it is worth studying.”
Braide-Moncoeur with her
husband Ronald and son
Nathan.
“
[Biophysics] exemplifies just
how important it is to combine
different fields in tackling
important questions
”
— Braide-Moncoeur