University of Minnesota NIH Training Grant Symposium
Chemical Biology: The Interface of Science and Discovery
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
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Symposium Speakers Keynote Speaker: Michael Marletta, Univ. of CA, Berkeley (Abstract) Working at the interface of chemistry and biology on novel and fundamental biological questions with applications in human health and disease. Research areas include: Nitric Oxide Synthase, Soluble Guanylate Cyclase, Heme Detoxification, Heme Nitric Oxide/ Oxygen Binding Domains, Iron-Dependent Transcription Regulation, Lipoic Acid Biosynthesis, and S-Nitrosation.
Edgar Arriaga, University of Minnesota (Abstract) Our research efforts encompass bioanalytical chemistry, chemical biology, and biomedical engineering. We develop unique methods to characterize the chemical, biochemical, and physiological properties of single biological cells and their subcellular components (organelles). These methods in single cell and subcellular studies are essential to aim to further understand and uncover biological complexity, which presently sets limitations to the research carried out in the biomedical and biotechnological fields.
Kathlynn Brown, University of Texas, Southwestern (Abstract) A significant goal in medicine is the development of methods for cell-specific targeting of therapeutic molecules. While the concept of the "magic bullet drug"was introduced over 100 years ago, medicine has yet to realize this goal. Our laboratory is developing platform technologies to identify targeting reagents that can home to specific cell types in vivo. The current scientific goals of the research group are to 1) develop comprehensive technologies that enable cell-specific delivery of biologically active molecules in vivo 2) map unique cellular features of the cell-surface that can be exploited as recognition moieties for cell-specific delivery and 3) understand how the cell surface reorganizes in response to a disease state. Our approach is multi-faceted encompassing biochemistry, organic chemistry, and molecular and cellular biology.
Jim Maher, Mayo Clinic (Abstract) The Maher lab studies the nucleic acids, DNA and RNA. We are interested in understanding how DNA is bent and looped by proteins, and how this bending is involved in the control of gene expression. These studies involve bacterial, yeast, and mammalian proteins, as well as artificial proteins engineered to test basic principles. We also study how unnatural DNA and RNA molecules can be selected from random libraries for the ability to tightly bind and inhibit proteins in living cells. These studies seek to develop new approaches to artificial gene regulation in cancer and inflammatory diseases. Research interests include: Understanding DNA bending and looping by proteins; understanding the relationship between DNA structure and transcription initiation; exploring small folded RNAs and DNAs as artificial tools for regulating the functions of living cells.
David Kingston, Virginia Tech (Abstract) The research in our group is centered around the chemistry of biologically active natural products, especially those with activity against cancer, with major areas being: 1) Chemistry and Mechanism of Action of Tubulin-binding Anticancer Drugs; 2) Isolation and Structure Elucidation of New Natural Products with Anti-Cancer Activity; 3) Use of Natural Products Chemistry To Promote Biodiversity Conservation, Economic Development, and Drug Discovery in Madagascar.
Student Speaker: Rachel Loeber, University of Minnesota (Abstract)
Lynn Pottenger, Dow Chemical-Toxicology (Abstract)
Recent Papers:
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