Biochemistry

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

Bruce A. McClure

Research in the McClure lab is focused on understanding how pollen pistil communication controls plant mating. We study S-RNase-based self-incompatibility in Nicotiana and interspecific pollen recognition and rejection between tomato and its wild relatives. The genus Nicotiana is useful because of its ease of experimental manipulation, and the inter- and intra-specific compatibility relationships are well known. For example, N. alatadisplays gametophytic self-incompatibility (SI). Self-pollen and pollen from closely related plants are rejected, thus maintaining hybrid vigor. N. alata also has specific mechanisms for recognizing and rejecting pollen from related species such as N. plumbaginifolia and N. tabacum. Likewise, tomato, Solanum lycopersicum (formerly Lycopersicon esculentum), also has well defined crossing relationships with its…

Sep. 2, 2019

Gretchen Hagen

Education BA Biology State University of New York Potsdam, N.Y. MS Fungal Physiology State University of New York Syracuse, N.Y. PhD Plant Developmental Biology University of Georgia Athens, Ga. Research Area Control of gene expression by plant growth regulators. Research Description The plant hormone auxin plays critical roles in the control of plant growth and development. Several auxin signaling pathways have been described and a number of molecular components have been characterized. Our lab was the first to characterize the ARF transcription factors, which were shown to bind to an Auxin Response Element (AuxRE) found in the promoter of auxin…

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…

Sep. 2, 2019

Shi-jie Chen

Education BS Physics Zhejiang University China PhD Physics University of California, San Diego San Diego, Calif. Research Area Prediction of RNA structure and functions and computational design of RNA-based therapeutic strategies. Research Description We develop computer models for biomolecular structure and function with focus on RNA molecules. Biological molecules are large organic molecules composed of hundreds or thousands of atoms bound together by covalent bonds into a chain-like structure. One of the best known challenges in biology is to understand how biomolecules fold properly into compact structures to perform biological functions and how they misfold to cause disease. We develop…

Feb. 20, 2019

Bill Folk

Educational background Ph.D. Biochemistry, Stanford University Courses taught School of Medicine Preclinical Courses Honors College Colloquia Undergraduate Research Courses…

Aug. 24, 2017

Peter V. Cornish

Research in our laboratory is primarily focused on understanding the complexities of ribosome function using a variety of biophysical methods including NMR and single molecule techniques. One of our projects is in understanding translational regulation in particular the mechanism of recoding where the ribosome shifts reading frame due to the presence of specific structures within the mRNA. Recoding has been observed in all forms of life and has been shown to be essential for the viability of many viruses including HIV-1 and SARS coronavirus. We are also contributing to the ongoing effort of developing antiviral small molecules that specifically target…

Aug. 24, 2017

Donald H. Burke

Educational background Ph.D., Molecular Biology/Biochemistry, University of California, Berkeley B.A., Chemistry and Biology, University of Kansas Research areas Ribozyme mechanism and evolution and the origin of life; antiviral nucleic acid aptamers and the molecular basis of drug resistant HIV-1. Research description Whether we are thinking about the Origin of Life, about the Molecular mechanisms of Viral Pathogenesis, or about RNA-based therapeutics, three kinds of questions underly our work: 1) What can nucleic acids do? 2) How do their sequences and structures relate to their ability to do it? and 3) Can we engineer new biologies by expressing artificial RNAs in…

Jan. 6, 2017

Shari Freyermuth

Education background Ph.D., Duke University B.S., University of Georgia…