BS, Stanford University, 1964 PhD, University of California, San Diego, 1969 NIH Postdoctoral Fellow, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, 1969-1972

Analytical Chemistry/Biochemistry/Biophysical Chemistry/Medicinal Chemistry/Photochemistry/Physical Chemistry/Theoretical Chemistry

Our research group investigates the structure and dynamics of biological macromolecules. With the near completion of the human genome project, attention is turning to the proteins that are encoded by the genome. An important feature of proteins is their structure. Specifically, it is important to understand how protein structure is related to protein function. A better understanding of protein structure and function makes it possible to design better drugs to combat disease. Our laboratory is using fluorescence spectroscopy to understand how protein structure affects protein function.

“Intramolecular Quenching of Tryptophan Fluorescence by the Peptide Bond in Cyclic Hexapeptides. ” Paul D. Adams, Yu Chen, Kan Ma, Michael G. Zagorski, Frank D. Sönnichsen, Mark L. McLaughlin, and Mary D. Barkley, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 124, 9278-9286 (2002).

“RNA Polymerase Alters the Mobility of an A-Residue Crucial to Polymerase-Induced Melting of Promoter DNA.” Biochemistry, 41, 15334-15341 (2002).