Biochemistry & Biophysics

In this research focus area, faculty use approaches drawn fromDr Lee chemistry and physics to ask detailed questions about medically important biological processes. Research in this focus is typically conducted at the level of individual molecules and cells. Students working in this area can develop expertise in enzymology and kinetics, various forms of ensemble and single-molecule spectroscopy, electrophysiology, macromolecular structure analyses, and drug discovery. Disease interests in the Biochemistry and Biophysics focus area span cancer, neurodegeneration, diabetes, organ/tissue damage and repair, and neurotransmission.

 

Faculty Research Interests

* Indicates faculty currently recruiting graduate students

  • Akash Gunjan Ph.D. *** 
    Role of histones in genome stability and cancer.
  • Jerome Irianto Ph.D***
    Cancer mechanogenomics, role of physical stresses on cancer genomic instability.
  • Sanjay S Kumar Ph.D. 
    Synaptic physiology underlying cortical function and epilepsy.
  • Jose R Pinto Ph.D. ***
    Cardiac and skeletal muscle regulation and inherited diseases. Molecular basis of striated muscle contraction.
  • Branko Stefanovic Ph.D. 
    Molecular mechanisms of liver fibrosis.
  • Zucai Suo Ph.D. ***
    Multi-disciplinary research in DNA replication and damage repair, gene editing, and drug discovery.
  • Robert J Tomko Jr. Ph.D. ***
    Multidisciplinary analyses of biomedically important molecular machines; ubiquitin signaling; drug discovery.
  • Yi Zhou Ph.D. 
    Molecular, biochemical and electrophysiological analysis of neuronal ion channel function.

College of Medicine Research