The Evolution of Protein Dynamics and its Contribution to Folding and Function
There are two major biospectroscopy projects in the lab, both of which use novel approaches to study how proteins evolve from a rigorous physical perspective. The goal of the first project is to characterize protein motions that contribute to folding and biological function. For these studies, we use carbon-deuterium bonds as non-perturbative probes of motion that may be followed by IR spectroscopy. The goal of the second project is to characterize the evolution of molecular recognition within antibodies. For these studies, we have raised antibodies to different dye molecules, used modern methods of genetics to determine the specific pathway by which the antibody evolved, and applied different techniques to characterize molecular recognition and protein dynamics as a function of evolution. To learn more about these projects, follow the links below.