Thematic Research Areas:
Structural Biology and Biophysics Research

Structural biology research studies the shapes of biological molecules, how linear polymers such as proteins and nucleic acids fold into their three dimensional shapes, and how the shapes determine biological function. Biophysics research involves the study of the stability of biomolecules and the energetics of their interactions.

At the Health Center, biomolecular structures and dynamics are determined by x-ray crystallography and NMR spectroscopy, using state-of-the-art instrumentation. The biophysical core facility provides access to powerful instruments including calorimeters, laser light scattering, and a mass spectrometer for investigating energetics, stability, and kinetics of biomolecules.

John H. Carson, Professor of Molecular, Microbial and Structural Biology, B.A., Reed College, Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology. RNA transport in cells of the nervous system.

Shlomo Eisenberg, Professor of Molecular, Microbial and Structural Biology, B.S., Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Ph.D., McGill University. Biochemistry of DNA replication in yeast.

Arthur R. Hand, Professor of Orthodontics and Maxillofacial Surgery, Pediatric Dentistry and Advanced Education in General Dentistry, Division of Pediatric Dentistry, D.D.S., University of California, Los Angeles. Study of gene expression in rodent salivary glands during normal growth and development and in various experimental conditions employing morphological, immunological and biochemical methodology.

Bing Hao, Assistant Professor of Molecular, Microbial and Structural Biology, Ph.D., Ohio State University. Understanding how the cell cycle is regulated by ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis using x-ray crystallography as a primary tool.

Christopher Heinen, Assistant Professor of Medicine, B.Sc., Northwestern University, Ph.D., University of Cincinnati. Biochemical and cellular defects of the DNA mismatch repair pathway during tumorigenesis.

Jeff Hoch, Professor of Molecular, Microbial and Structural Biology and Director of Gregory P. Mullen NMR Structural Biology Facility; Ph.D., Harvard. Biophysical chemistry of proteins.

Stephen M. King, Professor of Molecular, Microbial and Structural Biology; Ph.D., University College, London, 1982. Cell Biology, Structure and Function of Molecular Motors, Dynein biochemistry and Cell Biology, Structural Biology.

Dennis E. Koppel, Professor of Biochemistry; Ph.D., Columbia, 1973. Application of biophysical techniques to membrane dynamics; mechanisms by which specialized cell-surface domains are produced and maintained.

Leslie M. Loew, Professor of Cell Biology; Ph.D., Cornell, 1974. Spectroscopic methods for measuring spatial and temporal variations in membrane potential; electric field effects on cell membranes; membrane pores induced by toxins and antibiotics.

William A. Mohler, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Genetics and Developmental Biology. Developmental cell fusion; C. elegans genetics; multidimensional imaging of developmental and cell biological processes.

Juris Ozols, Professor of Molecular, Microbial and Structural Biology, B.S., Ph.D., University of Washington (Seattle). Isolation and primary structure of membraneous proteins.

Justin D. Radolf, Professor of Medicine and Center for Microbial Pathogenesis, M.D., University of California-San Francisco. Molecular pathogenesis and immunobiology of spirochetal infections.

Peter Setlow, Professor of Molecular, Microbial and Structural Biology, B.A., Swarthmore College, Ph.D., Brandeis University. Biochemistry of bacterial spore germination.

Pramod K. Srivastava, Professor of Medicine, Ph.D., Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, India. Heat shock proteins as peptide chaperones, roles in antigen presentation and applications in immunotherapy of cancer, infectious diseases and autoimmune disorders.

Hung Ton-That, Assistant Professor of Molecular, Microbial & Structural Biology, B.S., Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles. Pilus assembly and sortase-mediated anchoring of surface proteins in Gram-positive bacteria.

Zhao-Wen Wang, Assistant Professor of Neuroscience, Ph.D., Michigan State University. Cellular and molecular mechanisms of neurotransmitter release; potassium and calcium channel function; Synaptic localization of potassium channels.

Lixia Yue, Assistant Professor of Cell Biology, Center for Cardiology and Cardiovascular Biology; Ph.D., McGill University, 1999. TRP channels and Ca2+ signaling mechanisms; Physiological and pathological functions of TRP channels in heart, brain, and kidney.