Biochemistry
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
Marcelle A. Siegel
Education BA Biology Haverford College Haverford, Pa. MA Integrative Biology University of California, Berkeley Berkeley, Calif. PhD Science Education University of California, Berkeley Berkeley, Calif. Research Areas Students’ use of scientific evidence, instructional decision making, classroom assessment, English language learners, design of instructional materials. Research Description Dr. Siegel’s current research focuses on a key obstacle and point of leverage for enhancing learning, teaching and equity–assessment. My research program in secondary and postsecondary education is organized along three strands: Designing effective and equitable assessments; Assessing learning and decision making, and; Investigating and supporting teachers’ assessment practices. My research team aims to…
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
Thomas P. Quinn
We have an established research program to develop radiolabeled peptides, proteins and nanoparticles as tumor specific diagnostic and therapeutic agents. Combinatorial peptide and antibody fragment libraries are being employed to identify molecules that preferentially bind tumor antigens. The tumor-avid peptides, antibody fragments and nanoparticles are subsequently engineered to bind the medically important radionuclides into their structures. Finally, the radiolabeled peptides, proteins and nanoparticles are investigated for their abilities to target tumor cells in vitro and in vivo in support of eventual clinical translation. Radiolabeled Melanoma avid α-MSH Peptide Analogs: The goal of this project is to design radiolabeled alpha-melanocyte stimulating…
Sep. 2, 2019
Linda L. Randall, PhD
Education BS Zoology Colorado State University Fort Collins, Colo. PhD Molecular Biology University of Wisconsin Madison, Wis. Research Areas Molecular chaperones in protein export; analysis of protein-protein interactions. Research Description We aim to elucidate the mechanism of protein export in Escherichia coli with emphasis on the interactions of the protein components of the pathway. Translocation of specific, newly synthesized polypeptides across biological membranes is a ubiquitous process that is essential for living cells. Whether the process occurs in eukaryotes or in prokaryotes in almost all cases molecular chaperones are involved. Chaperones are a family of proteins that display the remarkable…
Sep. 2, 2019
Douglas D. Randall, PhD
Education BS Chemistry South Dakota State University Brookings, S.D. PhD Biochemistry Michigan State University East Lansing, Mich. Research Area Metabolism, signal transduction, protein kinases and phosphorylated proteins in plants. Research Description Randall is retired and no longer accepting graduate or postdoctoral students and his research program has ended. Our group studied regulation of metabolism in plants, in particular, the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) as a primary site at which photosynthetic carbon metabolism interacts with mitochondrial respiration and photorespiration. The regulation of this multienzyme complex has several layers including covalent modification by reversible phosphorylation (inactivation/deactivation). The regulation of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex…
Sep. 2, 2019
Joseph C. Polacco, PhD
Education BS Biochemistry Cornell University Ithaca, N.Y. PhD Biochemistry Duke University Durham, N.C. Research Area Nitrogen and nitric oxide metabolism in plants. Research Description Emeritus Professor Joe Polacco has ‘de-emphasized’ research somewhat, but retains ties with labs in Europe and South America. He co-advises Brazilian students at MU or as a visiting professor (e.g. Wiebke-Ströhm et al. 2012), and pursues his long-standing interest in Ni activation (Polacco et al. 2011) of plant (mainly soybean) ureases. Ni roles in plant metabolism remain an interest (Polacco et al. 2013; Fabiano et al. 2015), esp. in economically important coffee and soybean. However, Polacco…
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…