Structural Biology

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Kevin L. Schey, Ph.D. - Division Director As we enter the post-genomic era, a major challenge facing scientists is to determine the functional implications of genomic information. With that challenge in mind, structural biologists are poised to lead the next phase of discovery by determining the structures of biomolecules and their complexes. As macromolecular structures are determined a more thorough understanding of structure/function relationships will be established. The MCBP student in the structural biology track will obtain a solid foundation in macromolecular structure, biophysical methods, proteomics, and bioinformatics. Specific methods for structure elucidation include X-ray crystallography, nuclear magnetic resonance, and mass spectrometry. Macromolecular structure/function relationships as they relate to disease processes and therapies will also be studied.

Aquaporin 1

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Structural Biology Course Descriptions

MCBP-736 Introduction to Spectroscopic Methods
This is an introductory course in spectroscopy and exposes the student to the theory, instrumentation and applications of various spectroscopic methods. Techniques to be examined include absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Demonstrations of each technique will be presented. Particular emphasis will be placed on the application of these techniques to biomolecular analysis. This course is directed toward students who will need to use spectro-scopic methods in their dissertation research.
Credits: 3
Director: KL Schey
Participants: Knapp, Corson, Baatz, Rohr

MCBP-733 Biomolecular Structure and Function
This course is anticipated to be an advanced course in structure. The goal is to provide a detailed examination of DNA, protein, carbohydrate and lipid structures. Structures will be examined in the context of structure/function relationships. Methods for structure determination will also be discussed.
Director: C. Davies

Genomics/Proteomics
Students examine genomics, proteomics, bioinformatics theory and methods/technology. Subsequent to each section students undertake a practicum to gain experience in handling and interpreting different types of data.
Credits: 3
Warr, Gross, Schey, Almeida, Chapman

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Structural Biology Faculty

John E. Baatz, Ph.D. Professor Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology Membrane surfactant protein structure and function Craig Beeson, Ph.D. Associate Professor Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences Structure and function of peptide-MHC complexes Erika Bullesbach, Ph.D. Associate Professor Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Molecular recognition of proteohormones and their receptors Craig Crosson, Ph.D. Professor and Vice Chairman for Research Department of Ophthalmology Role of small heat shock protein in the modulation of caspase activity Rosalie K. Crouch, Ph.D. Professor of Ophthalmology and Biochemistry Rhodopsin as a model for G-protein receptors Christopher Davies, Ph.D. Associate Professor Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 1)Structural studies of proteins involved in bacteria cell wall synthesis and pathogenesis. 2) Structural studies of Archaeal enzymes. Thomas A. Dix, Ph.D. Associate Professor Pharmaceutical Sciences Rational drug design Andrew Gelasco, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Assembly and activation of renal NADPH oxidase Yusuf A. Hannun, M.D. Ralph F. Hirschmann Professor and Chairman Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Structure and function of enzymes of lipid metabolism Daniel R. Knapp, Ph.D. Professor of Cell and Molecular Pharmacology Director, MUSC Proteomics Center Mass spectrometry; protein structure and function, proteomics

Masahiro Kono, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Department of Ophthalmology Structure and Function of G protein-coupled receptors Harold D. May, B.S., Ph.D. Associate Professor Microbiology and Immunology Halogen cycling, PCB's, microbial diversity, biodegradation, microbial biocatalysis, dehalogenases and halogenases Paul J. McDermott, Ph.D. Professor Department of Medicine Cardiac hypertrophy, protein synthesis, and translation Donald R. Menick, Ph.D. Professor Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology Structure and function of membrane transport proteins Besim Ogretmen, Ph.D. Professor Department of Biochemistry Structural analysis of telomere binding proteins Kevin L. Schey, Ph.D. Professor Cell and Molecular Pharmacology Proteomics, protein structure & modification Adam J. Smolka, Ph.D. Professor Department of Medicine Structure/function of membrane transporters Eleanor K. Spicer, Ph.D. Professor Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Crystallography of reg A protein/RNA complexes Stephen Tomlinson, Ph.D. Associate Professor Microbiology & Immunology Role of complement & complement inhibitors in tumorigenesis and immune response to cancer Structure and function of complement inhibitory proteins William R. Tyor, M.D. Professor Department of Neurology Brain pathology of HIV encephalitis in mice

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