Faculty

Sep. 2, 2019

Abraham J. Koo

JA SIGNALING IN WOUND RESPONSE AND INSECT RESISTANCEOur research involves the study of small signaling molecules that cells use to detect extracellular stimuli and to coordinate intra- and intercellular responses. To compensate for their lack of mobility, plants rely heavily on chemical cues to interact with their surroundings. This is one reason why plants are rich sources of pharmaceuticals and provide attractive models for studying chemically mediated cell signaling. We employ highly sensitive mass spectrometry-based methodologies to capture and monitor plants’ chemical signals. The combined approach of mass spectrometry and genomics in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana has allowed us…

Sep. 2, 2019

Gary A. Weisman

Nucleotide receptors (P2 receptors) are present in nearly all cells and tissues where they mediate diverse functions including the regulation of platelet aggregation, muscle contraction, neurotransmission, insulin secretion, epithelial ion transport, wound healing and cell growth. We have isolated the first human P2 receptor gene and expressed it in mammalian cell lines that normally lack this receptor. These expression systems have enabled us to identify and purify the P2 receptor protein and current research is directed towards investigating structural features of the receptor that affect its functions. We have cloned or obtained 11 different P2 receptor subtypes belonging to 2…

Sep. 2, 2019

Thomas P. Mawhinney

Research in our laboratories focuses on a number of interrelated topics. In the area of exocrine defense mechanisms, with special emphasis on chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases in man, a sizable effort has been trained on developing a better understanding of mucous glycoproteins as a primary and secondary macromolecular defense response against lung pathogens and irritants. Structural elucidation is yielding significant insight into altered post-translational modifications of the side chain oligosaccharides from these molecules. With structural elucidation of respiratory mucins via classical chemical methodology and techniques involving lectins, 500 MHZ 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR, and fast-atom bombardment mass spectrometry (FAB-MS), we have…

Sep. 2, 2019

Ritcha Mehra-Chaudhary

Chaudhary obtained her M.Sc. and Ph.D. degree in plant physiology from Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India. After moving to the U.S., she trained as a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Tennessee, Memphis and worked on transcriptional regulation and proteomics of murine muscle cell differentiation. Later on, she trained in the field of protein structural biology (X-ray crystallography) and worked as a senior research specialist for eight years at the Structural Biology Core facility at the University of Missouri, Columbia. She is currently involved in undergraduate education and work as an assistant professor of teaching at the Department…

Sep. 2, 2019

Valeri Mossine

Educational background Ph.D. Bioinorganic Chemistry, Academy of Science of Ukraine M.S. Analytic Chemistry, Kiev State University B.S. Chemistry and Math, Kiev State University…

Sep. 2, 2019

Thomas J. Reilly, PhD

Educational background Ph.D. Veterinary Pathobiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign B.S. Microbiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign…

Sep. 2, 2019

Michael J. Petris

The micronutrient copper (Cu) is essential for several key enzymatic processes involved in energy generation, protection against reactive oxygen species, formation of blood vessels, immune function, and healthy functioning of the central nervous system. This nutrient is able to exist in two oxidation states Cu1+ and Cu2+, and participate in the generation of reactive oxygen species. A delicate balance of copper homeostasis must be maintained to provide sufficient levels of this nutrient, while preventing toxic build up. Copper and Cancer Recent evidence suggests that copper plays a key role in tumor growth because this metal is essential for blood…

Sep. 2, 2019

Brian Mooney

I am particularly interested in protocol and technology development for proteomics and mass spectrometry. We use mass spectrometry for protein identification, protein/peptide quantitation, and mapping sites of post-translational modifications and protein-protein interactions. Metastable Crystallins: Structure and stabilization (NEI-NIH award R01EY023219) Cataract and a host of other diseases result from abnormal interaction of proteins in the cells. The goals of this research are to understand lens protein aggregation in cataract formation and to develop and test lens protein alpha-crystallin-derived peptide as active mini-chaperones capable of suppressing protein aggregation. Understanding the structural changes in mutant proteins associated with cataract can help…

Sep. 2, 2019

Zhentian Lei

My research interests center on metabolomics and its application in biological and biochemical research. Specifically, I am interested in developing mass spectrometry (MS)-based metabolomics protocol and technology, and applying the techniques in profiling changes of metabolism in animals, plants and microbes in response to genetic and/or environmental disturbances. Metabolomics is the systematic identification and quantification of the cellular metabolites (or small-molecules) using advanced technologies combined with multivariate statistical methods for data interpretation. These advanced technologies include high resolution mass spectrometry coupled to gas chromatograph (GC-MS) or ultrahigh performance liquid chromatograph (UPLC-MS), LC-MS-SPE (solid phase extraction)-NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance). Educational background…

Sep. 2, 2019

Xiaoqin Zou

The molecular interactions that drive ligand-protein binding are a key to quantitatively understanding the basis of molecular recognition and to designing therapeutic interventions through rational drug design. Drug molecules usually act by binding to specific target proteins. Drug candidates that have high binding affinities can be identified by their geometric and chemical complementarity to the target in a process analogous to solving a “jigsaw puzzle”, if the target structure is known. An energy model that can give rapid and accurate evaluation of the molecular interaction strength is thus essential for selecting plausible candidate compounds from a chemical database consisting of…