Teru Nakagawa Presents MBTP/CSB Seminar on 2/26/2013

Terunaga Nakagawa, M.D., Ph.D., presents the RCR Special Session: "How reproducible is your experiment?" on Tuesday, February 26, at 12:30pm-1:20pm in MRBIII, Room 1220.

Chuck Sanders Wins Protein Society Award

Congratulations to CSB researcher Chuck Sanders, Ph.D., on winning the 2013 Hans Neurath Award from The Protein Society. He shares the honor with Jennifer Doudna, Ph.D., of the University of California, Berkley.

The award recognizes individuals who have made a recent contribution of exceptional merit to basic protein research, including - but not restricted to - the chemistry, design, folding, structure or biological function of proteins.

Chuck has made numerous contributions to membrane protein structural biology and the application of NMR to the study of membrane protein structure and function. His work is epitomized by the 2012 paper published in Science on the amyloid precursor protein and its avid binding of cholesterol.

The award will be presented during the 27th Annual Symposium of The Protein Society in Boston, Massachusetts, taking place July 20-24, 2013.

Read more in the VUMC Reporter.

CSB Research Spotlight - Galina Lepesheva

CSB researcher Galina Lepesheva, Ph.D., and colleagues have been featured in the VUMC Reporter for their recent findings on the Trypanosoma cruzi protozoan parasite which causes Chagas disease. The deadly tropical infection is transmitted by biting insects called “kissing bugs� and is spreading around the world.

Although there is no cure or vaccination for the chronic form of the disease and the existing drugs for the acute form are toxic, the study reports curing both forms of the infection in mice with a small molecule, VNI.

About 8 million people have been infected with T. cruzi, mostly in Latin America, but kissing bugs have been found across the southern United States. The finding in mice opens new opportunities for a potentially curative treatment.

Read more about the T. cruzi research in the Aliquots section of the Reporter.

CSB Researchers Discover Genes Involved in Heart Rhythm Disorders

Walter Chazin, Ph.D., and colleagues have discovered two new genetic mutations in two unrelated infants that cause recurrent cardiac arrest. The findings, published in the journal Circulation, add to the causes of the life-threatening condition in early infancy and may lead to expanded treatments.

The two cases from the study – one in Italy and one in Chicago – suffered from early and repeated cardiac arrests although both infants had healthy parents with no symptoms or family history of the condition. In each infant, researchers discovered de novo mutations in two of the three genes coding for calmodulin, a calcium-binding protein essential for intracellular signaling in multiple tissues including heart.

Dr. Chazin and Christopher Johnson, Ph.D., of the Chazin Lab, investigated the impact of the mutations on calmodulin function. They found that all of the mutations impaired the ability of calmodulin to bind calcium. They are now exploring how dysfunctional calmodulin affects electrical activity in the heart, causing arrhythmias.

Other CSB contributors to the Circulation paper include Chazin Lab members Michael Feldkamp, Ph.D., and Subodh Rathi. Read the complete article in the Reporter.

William Wan Presents MBTP/CSB Seminar on 2/19/2013

William Wan, of the Stubbs Lab, presents the MBTP/CSB Seminar: "Insights into prion polymorphism from the fungal prion HET-s" on Tuesday, February 19, at 12:30pm-1:20pm in MRBIII, Room 1220.

ASBMB Student/Postdoc Hill Day: Call for Applications

If you would like to be a part of the debate over the importance of research funding, then complete an application for the next Student/Postdoc Hill Day on March 18-20, 2013. The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology brings together young researchers from across the country to meet with their Congressional leaders in Washington, D.C.

Congressional leaders rely on input from their constituents when making decisions. The Student/Postdoc Hill Day is a fully funded program that gives participants the opportunity to highlight the importance and successes of research, discuss the impact of government-funded research on human health and establish a personal connection with Congressional representatives.

Hill Day begins Monday, March 18, with an orientation session for participants. On Tuesday, March 19, participants convene on Capitol Hill to meet with members of Congress before departing on Wednesday, March 20. The ASBMB provides transportation, lodging and meals during the event.

Anyone interested in participating should complete and submit a Hill Day application form. The application deadline is Feb. 8.

For more information, please contact ASBMB Science Policy Fellow Chris Pickett.

Gregor Neuert presents MBTP/CSB Seminar on 2/5/2013

Gregor Neuert, Ph.D., presents the MBTP/CSB Seminar: "Quantifying dynamic signal transduction and gene regulation in individual cells with single molecule resolution" on Tuesday, February 5, at 12:30pm-1:20pm in MRBIII, Room 1220.

John Christodoulou presents CSB Special Seminar on 2/12/2013

John Christodoulou, Ph.D., invited speaker from University College London, presents the CSB Special Seminar - "Protein Folding on the Ribosome" on Tuesday, February 12, at 12:30pm-1:30pm in MRBIII, Room 1220.

Dr. Christodoulou, former member of the Chazin Group, is a Reader at the Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology at University College London and Birkbeck College, University of London. He is also the Director of the Biological NMR Center at UCL.

His postdoctoral training has taken him from The Scripps Research Institute to Vanderbilt University to Cambridge University. He has received a HFSP Young Investigator award and recently became a Wellcome Trust Investigator. His research interests involve the use of NMR Spectroscopy to understand structure and dynamics, and in particular focus on protein folding on the ribosome during biosynthesis.

CSB Research Spotlight

CSB researchers Walter Chazin, Charles Sanders and Tina Iverson have been featured in the VUMC Reporter for their recent findings on the DNA processing "hub" and light receptor's interactions.

Walter Chazin, Ph. D., and colleagues have combined small-angle x-ray and neutron scattering with dynamic molecular modeling to determine now the structure of RPA responds as it engages DNA. Their findings, published in Nucleic Acids Research, provide a new framework for understanding how RPA functions in DNA processing machines.

Charles Sanders, Ph.D., Tina Iverson, Ph.D., and colleagues have used solution NMR spectroscopy to explore the interaction of arrestin-1 with different forms of rhodopsin. Their paper, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, highlights the nature of receptor-induced structural changes in arrestins which can be targeted for therapeutic purposes.

Read more about the RPA research and the Arrestin research in the Aliquots section of the Reporter.

Paul Barrett presents MBTP/CSB Seminar on 1/22/2013

2013 Karpay Award Winner Paul Barrett presents "Where is my doughnut? A link between cholesterol and Alzheimer's Disease" on Tuesday, Jan. 22, at 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm in MRB III, Room 1220. The award presentation and reception will follow.

Read more about Paul and the Karpay Award here.

Sanders & Iverson/Gurevich Labs Collaborate on Arrestin Paper

The Sanders Lab and the Iverson/Gurevich Lab have jointly published the paper, "Involvement of distinct arrestin-1 elements in binding to different functional forms of rhodopsin," in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, USA.

The project was led by Tiandi Zhuang, postdoc student in the Sanders Lab, and Qiuyan Chen, graduate student in the Iverson/Gurevich Lab and VISP/Pharmacology graduate programs.

The paper includes the first ever NMR spectra of an arrestin bound to a full-length G protein-coupled receptor. It also suggests the nature of the structural change that takes place in the arrestin when it becomes activated to stimulate intracellular signaling upon binding to active and phosphorylated receptors.

The paper is currently available online and will be available in print soon. Read the entire paper at PNAS.

Brian Weiner presents Chemistry Seminar on 1/14/2013

Brian Weiner presents the Chemistry Seminar - "BCL::MP-Fold: Folding Membrane Proteins through Assembly of Trans-Membrane Helices" on Monday, January 14, at 4:00pm-5:15pm in 5211 Stevenson Center.

Paul Barrett receives Karpay Award

Congratulations to Paul Barrett for being named the 2013 recipient of The Anne Karpay Award in Structural Biology. “It is a great honor to be selected for the Karpay Award,� Barrett said.

Barrett is a member of the Sanders Lab and began his career learning how to perform NMR experiments. From there he became involved in studies investigating the ability of the C99 protein to bind Gamma Secretase Modulators (GSMs) in the treatment of Alzheimer ’s disease and determining the 3D structure of C99 using NMR spectroscopy.

Since completing his structural studies in 2012, he has collaborated with Vanderbilt researchers Dr. Bruce Carter, Professor of Biochemistry, and Dr. Anne Kenworthy, Associate Professor of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, to create new hypotheses regarding the function of C99.

Barrett presents “Where is my doughnut? A link between cholesterol and Alzheimer’s Disease� on Tuesday, Jan. 22, in 1220 MRB III as part of the MBTP/CSB seminar series. The seminar begins at 12:30pm with a reception and award presentation to follow.

The Karpay Award was established in 2010 to honor the memory of Dr. Anne Karpay who died after a four-year battle with breast cancer. It recognizes one senior graduate student who is a well-rounded colleague and scientist, who is collaborative and collegial and who has performed exceptional research in the field of structural biology. Karpay exemplified each characteristic and demonstrated a passion for science, for friendship and for life in general.

“Although I did not have the pleasure of knowing Anne, I have heard only amazing things about her from faculty members as well as close friends she had at Vanderbilt,� said Barrett. “This award is very special.�

The Karpay Award is funded entirely by donations to an endowment managed through the Development Office of the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. Make donations to the fund through the Vanderbilt Gives website. Contact Karen D. Davis in the CSB for more information or assistance in making a donation.

Daniel Putnam - Masters Thesis Defense on 1/14/2013

Daniel Putnam, of the Meiler Lab, defends his Masters Thesis: "BCL::SAXS - Small Angle X-Ray Scattering Profiles to Assist Protein Structure Prediction" on Monday, January 14, at 1:00 pm in PRB, Room 206.

CSB co-sponsors The Flexner Discovery Lecture Series on 1/10/2013

Brenda A. Schulman, Ph.D., presents The Flexner Discovery Lecture Series: "Twists and Turns in Ubiquitin Conjugation Cascade" on Thursday, January 10, at 4:00 pm in Light Hall, Room 208.

This lecture is co-sponsored by Department of Biochemistry and Center for Structural Biology.

Stephen Fesik presents MBTP/CSB Seminar on 1/8/2013

Stephen Fesik, Ph.D., presents the MBTP/CSB Seminar: "Cancer drug discovery using fragment-based methods" on Tuesday, January 8, at 12:30pm-1:20pm in MRBIII, Room 1220.

CSB Makes a Leipzig Connection

Vanderbilt University and the University of Leipzig have established a research connection thanks to Jens Meiler, associate professor of chemistry and primary investigator in the Center for Structural Biology. It began in 2007 when Meiler was invited to give a guest lecture at his alma mater while visiting family in Germany.

His talk stirred up interest and opened a path for faculty members and graduate students from each university to spend time visiting, collaborating and studying at the other campus.

Since there is a common research bond, the administrations of the two universities have signed a five-year memorandum of understanding that allows and encourages academic exchanges, facilitates joint research programs, student programs and a cultural exchange program. Meiler and his colleagues have also received a grant from the National Science Foundation Office of International Science to develop this collaboration between the institutions.

The Leipzig connection demonstrates how grassroots efforts of individual Vanderbilt researchers have led to formal relationships extending across many fields.

Read the full article on the Research News at Vanderbilt website.

Jens Meiler Presents MBTP/CSB Seminar on 12/18/2012

Jens Meiler, Ph.D., presents an RCR Special Session: "Peer review of papers and proposals - how to prepare a constructive, fair, unbiased, effective review" on Tuesday, December 18, at 12:30 pm - 1:20 pm in MRBIII, Room 1220.

Albert Beth and Hassane Mchaourab elected AAAS fellows

Center for Structural Biology core faculty members Albert Beth, Ph.D., and Hassane Mchaourab, Ph.D., have been elected fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

Dr. Beth, professor of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, is honored for the development of high resolution spin label probes and for their utilization in determining the dynamics and structure of membrane proteins. Dr. Mchaourab, professor of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, is acknowledged for pioneering contributions to the development of biological electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy and to membrane protein structural biology.

Dr. Beth and Dr. Mchaourab are among seventeen Vanderbilt University faculty members and 703 scientists nationwide to be elected fellows this year. They will be recognized on Feb. 16 at the 2013 AAAS annual meeting in Boston.

To see a complete list of the Vanderbilt University faculty members selected and their achievements, read the full article in the Reporter. The Reporter is a weekly publication of Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

CSB Investigators featured in Journal of Biological Chemistry

F. Peter Guengerich, Ph.D., Martin Egli, Ph.D., and colleagues were featured on the cover of the Oct. 12 Journal of Biological Chemistry. Their publication documented how specific adducts, resulting from exposure to known carcinogens, may cause DNA errors that spur cancer formation.

Read more about the research and publication in the Aliquots section of the Reporter.

Terunaga Nakagawa Presents MBTP/CSB Seminar on 12/04/2012

Terunaga Nakagawa, Ph.D., presents the MBTP/CSB Seminar - "Exploring the diversity and mechanism of AMPA receptor modulation by auxiliary factors" on Tuesday, December 4, at 12:30pm-1:20pm in MRBIII, Room 1220.

Jessica Mazerik Presents MBTP/CSB Seminar on 11/13/2012

Jessica Mazerik, of the Tyska Lab, presents the MBTP/CSB Seminar - "Using single molecule approaches to probe Myosin-1a membrane binding dynamics in cells" on Tuesday, November 13, at 12:20pm - 1:20pm in MRBIII, Room 1220.

Rosetta Workshop 2012

The Meiler Lab will host the 2012 Rosetta Workshop at Vanderbilt University November 14-16, 2012. The 3-day workshop will cover introductory exercises in the Rosetta protein modeling suite. Please visit the website for detailed information about the workshop.

The registration fee for academic/non-profit participants is $200 and $1000 for industry participants. The registration fee includes select meals, snacks and registration materials. Limited spots are available, so register soon.

Those interested in attending should complete a registration form and return it to c.fortenberry@vanderbilt.edu.

Nicholas Reiter Presents MBTP/CSB Seminar on 11/06/2012

Nicholas Reiter, Ph.D., presents the MBTP/CSB Seminar - "Structural mechanisms of the ribonuclease P enzyme: Insights into the RNA world past and present" on Tuesday, November 6, at 12:30pm - 1:20pm in MRBIII, Room 1220.

Richard Armstrong, Ph.D., Presents MBTP/CSB Seminar on 10/23/2012

Richard Armstrong, Ph.D., presents MBTP/CSB Seminar: "Ethical Obligations in the Publication of Science" on Tuesday, October 23, at 12:15pm - 1:15pm in Light Hall, Room 208.

Daniel Huster, Ph.D., Presents VICB Seminar

Daniel Huster, Ph.D., visiting professor from the University of Leipzig, presents the VICB Seminar - "Solid-state NMR Methods to Study Challenging Biological Systems: Membrane Proteins, Amyloids, Tissue" on Tuesday, October 9, at 12:15pm in MRBIII, Room 1220. The seminar is co-sponsored by CSB. For more information, contact: anne.b.lara@vanderbilt.edu.

Kathryn McCulloch, Ph.D. Presents MBTP/CSB Seminar on 10/16/2012

Kathryn McCulloch, Ph.D., of the Iverson Lab, presents the MBTP/CSB Seminar - "Investigation into the Basis of Orthoester Bond Formation in Everninomicin" on Tuesday, October 16, at 12:30pm - 1:20pm in MRBIII, Room 1220.

Lacy promoted to Associate Professor with tenure

Congratulations to Borden Lacy on her promotion, which was just approved this week by the Board of Trust!

Mchaourab to lead Chemical and Physical Biology program

Congratulations to Hassane Mchaourab, Ph.D., professor of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics, Physics and Chemistry, who has been named the new director of the Ph.D.-granting Chemical and Physical Biology (CPB) program at Vanderbilt University.

Read the full article in the VUMC Reporter.

Desiree Benefield Presents MBTP/CSB Seminar on 9/18/2012

Desiree Benefield, of the Lacy Lab, presents the MBTP/CSB Seminar - "Portrait of a killer: A microscopy study of the botulinum neurotoxin complex" on Tuesday, September 18 at 12:20pm - 1:20pm in MRBIII, Room 1220.

Gordon Lemmon – Dissertation Defense, 09/18/2012

Gordon Lemmon of the Meiler Lab Presents, "Development of Methods for Docking and Designing Small Molecules within the Rosetta Code Framework" on Tuesday, September 18 in MRBIII, Room 3131 at 10:00 am.

Melanie Ohi Presents MBTP/CSB Seminar on 9/11/2012

Melanie Ohi, Ph.D. presents "RCR Special Session" on Tuesday, September 11 at 12:30pm - 1:20pm in MRBIII, Room 1220.

Charles Sanders Presents MBTP/CSB Seminar on 9/4/2012

Charles Sanders, Ph.D. presents the MBTP/CSB Seminar - "What Should PhD Students and Postdoctoral Fellows Expect From Themselves" on Tuesday, September 4 at 12:30pm - 1:20pm in MRBIII, Room 1220.

Anne Kenworthy Presents MBTP/CSB Seminar on 8/7/2012

Anne Kenworthy, Ph.D. presents "Role of glycolipid binding toxins in the assembly and function of membrane domains" on Tuesday, August 7 at 12:30pm - 1:20pm in MRBIII, Room 1220.

Hitoshi Kurumizaka Presents MBTP/CSB Seminar on 8/14/2012

Hitoshi Kurumizaka, Ph.D., Professor, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan will present - "Structures of human nucleosomes containing histone variants, and their functional versatility" on Tuesday, August 14 at 12:30pm - 1:20pm in MRBIII, Room 1220. Dr. Kurumizaka host is Melanie Ohi, Assistant Professor in Cell and Developmental Biology.

Richard Armstrong named a Fellow of the American Chemical Society

Congratulations to Richard Armstrong, who has been named a Fellow of the American Chemical Society. Richard is the third Vanderbilt faculty member to be named an ACS Fellow, joining Fred Guengerich (2009) and Larry Marnett (2010). This is truly a significant honor that recognizes sustained contribution to the discipline of chemistry, an award that is richly deserved. Bravo Richard.

For more information, read the Reporter article.

Steve Damo Presents MBTP/CSB Seminar on 7/17/2012

Steve Damo, Ph.D. presents the MBTP/CSB Seminar - "Molecular basis for the broad spectrum antimicrobial activity of calprotectin" on Tuesday, July 17 at 12:30pm - 1:20pm in MRBIII, Room 1220.

Brandt Eichman & James Goldenring Presents MBTP/CSB Seminar on 6/26/2012

Brandt Eichman, Ph.D. and James Goldenring, M.D., Ph.D. presents the MBTP/CSB Seminar - “Guilty Until Proven Innocent: The Realities of Research Ethics" on Tuesday, June 26 at 12:30pm - 1:20pm in MRBIII, Room 1220.

Yuanli Song Presents MBTP/CSB Seminar on 6/19/2012

Yuanli Song, Ph.D., presents the MBTP/CSB Seminar - "Molecular Insights into the Roles of C99 and Cholesterol in Alzheimer’s Disease", on Tuesday, June 19 at 12:30pm - 1:20pm in MRBIII, Room 1220.

Matthew Lang Presents MBTP/CSB Seminar on 6/5/2012

Matthew Lang, Ph.D., presents the MBTP/CSB Seminar - "Measuring unfolding and translocation by an ATP-fueled proteolytic machine" on Tuesday, June 5 at 12:30pm - 1:20pm in MRBIII, Room 1220.

Sanders Lab Clarifies the Relationship of Cholesterol to Alzheimer's Disease

While more than 1500 papers have been published on cholesterol and Alzheimer's disease, why cholesterol promotes the disease remains murky. In an article published in the June 1 issue of Science Chuck Sanders and his co-workers in the Center for Structural Biology have shed light on this issue by showing that cholesterol forms a direct complex with the amyloid precursor protein (APP), from which the toxic agent of Alzheimer's disease, amyloid-beta, is derived. Drugs that prevent binding of cholesterol to APP may help to avoid the production of amyloid-beta, which might help to prevent or even treat Alzheimer's.

Read the full article at sciencemag.org.

Also read the article in the Vanderbilt Reporter

Michael Waterman Receives an Academic Enterprise Faculty Award

Michael Waterman was presented with John H. Exton Award for Research Leading to Innovative Biological Concepts at the spring faculty meeting on May 17, 2012. He was recognized for his outstanding contributions to research. Congratulations Dr. Waterman.

Symposium on Frontiers in Biomolecular NMR on 5/5/2012

The Vanderbilt University Center for Structural Biology will host this symposium as a re-dedication of the Biomolecular NMR Facility, marking a series of major upgrades, including installation of a new 900 MHz NMR spectrometer. This will be held on Saturday, May 5, 2012 from 9:00am - 5:00 pm. Please visit the link below for details. http://structbio.vanderbilt.edu/nmr/Symposium_2012/program_symposium.php

NMR Workshop sponsored by Bruker BioSpin on 5/4/2012

NMR Workshop to be held on May 4, 2012 from 9:30am - 4:00 pm. Please visit the link below for more information. http://structbio.vanderbilt.edu/nmr/Symposium_2012/program_workshop.php

Borden Lacy Presents MBTP/CSB Seminar on 5/1/2012

Borden Lacy, Ph.D., presents the MBTP/CSB Seminar - "Structure and Function of Clostridium difficile Toxins A and B", on Tuesday, May 1 at 12:30pm - 1:20pm in MRBIII, Room 1220.

Nathan Alexander – Dissertation Defense, 04/24/2012

Nathan Alexander of the Meiler Lab Presents, “Protein Structure Elucidation from Computation Techniques and Sparse EPR Data� on Tuesday, April 24 in MRBIII, Room 1220 at 2:00 pm.

Gage Matthews Presents Chemical & Physical Biology Program Special Seminar on 4/18/2012

Gage Matthews of the Beth Lab, presents "Structural Determination of Local Movements of the FG-Loop and Alpha-Helix of Sodium-Calcium Exchanger NCX1.1 Upon Binding of Calcium Ions" on Wednesday, April 18 at 2:00pm - 3:00pm in PRB, Room 206.

Stephen Fesik to receive 2012 AACR Award for Outstanding Achievement in Chemistry in Cancer Research

Stephen Fesik, Ph.D., Professor Biochemistry, Pharmacology and Chemistry will receive the 2012 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Award. He is receiving the special recognition for his use of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to discover novel, potent small molecules capable for use as cancer therapeutics. Fesik will receive the award and will deliver a special lecture at the AACR Annual Meeting in Chicago, IL. Congratulations to Professor Fesik!

Julia Koehler Leman - Dissertation Defense, 4/11/2012

Julia Koehler Leman of the Meiler & Sanders Labs presents, "Method development for membrane protein structure determination using NMR spectroscopy and computational techniques" on Wednesday, April 11 in PRB, Room 206 at 2:00pm.

Kristin N. Parent Presents MPB/CSB Faculty Candidate Seminar on 4/2/2012

Kristin N. Parent, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow, from the University of California, San Diego presents "Cryo-EM studies of viruses and bacteriophage: Past, present and future directions" on Monday April 2 at 10:00am - 11:00am in PRB, Room 206. Dr. Parent host is Hassane Mchaourab, Professor in Molecular Physiology and Biophysics.

Michael Waterman Awarded the 2012 Schroepfer Medal

Michael Waterman, Natalie Overall Warren Distinguished Professor of Biochemistry, has been awarded the 2012 Schroepfer Medal by the American Oil Chemists’ Society (AOCS) for his contributions to the steroid/sterol field. Waterman will receive a medal and honorarium, and will give an award lecture at the AOCS Annual Meeting in Long Beach, California. Congratulations to Professor Waterman!

Paul Bock Presents MBTP/CSB Seminar on 4/3/2012

Paul Bock, Ph.D., presents the MBTP/CSB Seminar - "The staphylocoagulase family of zymogen activators and adhesion proteins (ZAAPs)" on Tuesday April 3 at 12:30pm - 1:20pm in MRBIII, Room 1220.

Sam DeLuca - MBTP/CSB Seminar, 3/20/2012

Sam DeLuca of the Meiler Lab presents "Design of native-like proteins through an exposure-dependent environment potential" on Tuesday, March 20, 2012 at 12:30pm - 1:20pm in MRBIII, Room 1220.

Michael Waterman Presents Molecular Toxicology Seminar on 03/19/2012

Michael Waterman, Ph.D, presents the Molecular Toxicology Seminar - "Unusual Properties of the Cytochrome P450 Superfamily" on Monday, March 19 at 12:00pm - 1:00pm in Light Hall, Room 512.

Linda Columbus – Chemistry Colloquium Series, 03/19/2012

Linda Columbus, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, University of Virginia presents, “Membrane protein structural biology: from micelles to bacterial invasion� on Monday, March 19 at 4:15pm in Stevenson Center 5211. Dr. Columbus host is Jens Meiler, Associate Professor in Chemistry.

International Hybrid Structural Biology Conference 2012

The conference aims to illustrate the power of combining state of the art methods to tackle important and challenging biological problems and to identify limitations and gaps in currently practiced hybrid methods. The central premise is that gaining a comprehensive understanding of the highly sophisticated complexes, machines, and organelles of the cell requires the coordinated application of complementary biophysical approaches hybrid methods). This will be held at Granlibakken Conference Center, Lake Tahoe from 8:00am - 12:00 pm on Wednesday March 14, 2012.

Michael Waterman - “Unusual Properties of the Cytochrome P450 Superfamily�

Michael Waterman, Ph.D, presents “Unusual Properties of the Cytochrome P450 Superfamily� on Tuesday, March 6 at 12:30pm - 1:20pm in MRBIII, Room 1220.

Mirko Hennig - Chemistry Colloquium Series

Mirko Hennig presents "RNA-protein interactions involved in microRNA biogenesis" on Monday, February 20 at 4:15 - 5:30pm in the Stevenson Center Room 5211.

Hassane Mchaourab, Ph.D. MBTP/CSB Seminar, 02/07/2012

Hassane Mchaourab, Ph.D. presents, "Conformational Dynamics of Membrane Proteins. The View from Spin Labeling and ERP Spectroscopy" on Tuesday, February 7 at 12:30 1:20pm in MRBIII, Room 1220

Ezelle McDonald – Dissertation Defense, 02/14/2012

Ezelle McDonald of the Mchaourab Lab Presents, “The Role of the N-terminal Domain in the Dynamics of Hsp27 Equilibrium Dissociation� on Tuesday, February 14 in Light Hall, Room 208 at 10:00a. Reception will be held in MRBIV, 7th floor Atrium at 2:00p.

Mary Carroll wins Vanderbilt’s first Damon Runyon Fellowship

Mary Carroll, Ph.D., a postdoctoral research fellow in Biochemistry, (Fesik lab) was recently named one of 18 Damon Runyon Fellows by the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation. The three-year, $156,000 award provides independent funding for outstanding postdoctoral scientists to pursue innovative projects. Carroll is the first postdoctoral fellow from Vanderbilt to receive this award.

Elitza Tocheva - Faculty Candidate Seminar - 1/12/2012

Elitza Tocheva, of the California Institute of Technology, Department of Biology presents "Electron Cryo-Tomography of Bacterial Endospore Formation", on Thursday January 12th at 10:00 am in 512 Light Hall.

William Heller - MBTP/CSB Seminar, 1/10/2012

William Heller of the Biology and Soft Matter Division of Oak Ridge National Laboratory presents "Neutron Scattering for Investigating the Structures of Biological Systems" on Tuesday, January 10, 2012 at 12:30pm - 1:20pm in MRBIII, Room 1220.

Christina K. Williams - Dissertation Defense, 12/21/2011

Christina K. Williams of the Chazin Lab Presents, "Biochemical and Structural Analysis of SV40 Large T Antigen: Insights Into Chaperone Mediated Inactivation Of Retinoblastoma Tumor Suppressor Protein" on Wednesday, December 21 in MRBIII, Room 1220 at 9:00am.

Meiler Student, Sam DeLuca, wins fellowship

Sam DeLuca, graduate student in the Meiler laboratory, wins an "Informatics" graduate student fellowship from the Phrma foundation. Sam's research focuses on computational modeling of protein-small molecule interactions for drug discovery.

Brittany Allison - NSF Graduate Research Fellowship

Brittany Allison, a chemistry student in the Meiler laboratory, received a prestigious National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship. Brittany works on computationally engineering proteins that bind small molecules. Her research has implications for understanding the fundamentals of protein-ligand interaction, engineering enzymes, and protein therapeutics. Brittany will start her fellowship after completing her training on the Chemical Biology Training Program, an NIH-funded initiative of Vanderbilt's Institute for Chemical Biology and the Chemistry Department.

2012 Karpay Award Winner

Congratulations to the 2012 Karpay Award winner Chris A. Brosey.

Home Lab SAD phasing with HKL3000: From data collection to refined models in less than an hour.

Jim Pflugrath, Ph.D., presents Home Lab SAD phasing with HKL3000: From data collection to refined models in less than an hour. This will be held in MRB III, Room 5131 from 10:00am - 11:00am. All are invited to attend and pre-registration can be done via http://www.rigaku.com/protein/webinars.html or you can just attend the webinar without pre-registering.

"Structural mechanisms for excision repair of DNA alkylation damage"

Brandt Eichman, Ph.D., presents "Structural mechanisms for excision repair of DNA alkylation damage" on Monday November 14, 2011 in the Stevenson Center, Room 5211 from 4:00pm until 5:30pm.

Alan Bentley - “The tangled web of inventorship and patenting of academic technologies�

Alan Bentley, Assistant Vice Chancellor, Center for Technology Transfer and Commercialization presents “The tangled web of inventorship and patenting of academic technologies� on Tuesday, November 15 at 12:30pm - 1:20pm in MRBIII, Room 1220.

Graduate Student Spotlight - Daniel Putnam

Daniel Putnam, graduate student in the Meiler laboratory, received 2nd place for his oral presentation at the American Medical Informatics Association 2011 annual symposium for his presentation "Exploring Schizophrenia Drug-Gene Interactions Through Molecular Network and Pathway Modeling". He completed the project during his research rotation with the Zhongming Zhao laboratory.

Laurel Hoffman - Dissertation Defense, 10/25/2011

Laurel Hoffman of the Machaourab Lab presents, “Investigation of CaMKII Activation: A Model of Self-Regulation� on Tuesday, October 25 at 10:00am – 11:00am in Light Hall, Room 208.

New protein architectures involved in genome maintenance

Brandt Eichman, Ph.D. is holding a seminar on Monday, October 17, 2011 at 512 Light Hall from 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm on "New protein architectures involved in genome maintenance".

Ulrike Krug - MBTP/CSB Seminar, 10/18/2011

Ulrike Krug, visiting student in the Meiler Lab, presents "Crystallographic and Spectroscopic Studies (EPR,NMR) on the Domain Motion of Nucleotidases from Toxoplasma Gondii and E. Coli" on Tuesday, October 18 from 12:30-1:20 in MRB III, Room 1220.

Presentation by John P. Wikswo, Ph.D.

John P. Wikswo, Ph.D., Gordon A. Cain University Professor, Department of Physics & Astronomy, will be presenting on Tuesday, October 4, from 12:30-1:20pm in MRB III, Room 1220.

Nils Woetzel - Dissertation Defense, 09/28/2011

Nils Woetzel of the Meiler Lab presents, "A Novel Approach to De Novo Protein Structure Prediction using Knowledge-based Energy Functions and Experimental Restraints" on Wednesday, September 28 from 2:00-3:00pm in the Stevenson Center, Room 5502.

Martin Egli, Ph.D. – Center in Molecular Toxicology Seminar, 09/19/2011

Martin Egli, Ph.D. presents, “The Steric Hypothesis for DNA Replication – Revisited in Light of New Structural Data� on Monday, September 19 at 12:00pm in Light Hall, Room 512.

Paul Barrett – MBTP/CSB Seminar, 09/20/2011

Paul Barrett of the Sanders Lab presents, “Untangling Alzheimer’s Disease: What can structural biology tell us about disease regulation?� on Tuesday, September 20 at 12:30 – 1:20pm in MRB III, Room 1220.

Thomas Ellenberger, DVM, Ph.D. – Biochemistry Fall Seminar, 09/19/2011

Thomas Ellenberger, DVM, Ph.D., Professor and Head of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Washington University School of Medicine presents, “Cellular Responses to DNA Damage” on Monday, September 19 at 4:00pm in Light Hall, Room 512. Dr. Ellenberger host is Fred Guengerich, Professor and Interim Chair of Biochemistry.

Brandt Eichman, Ph.D. – VICB Seminar, 09/07/2011

Brandt Eichman, Ph.D., presents, “New Twists and Grooves in DNA Base Excision Repair� on Wednesday, September 7 at 12:15p in MRB III, Room 1220.

Brandt Eichman honored with faculty award

The Chancellor’s Awards for Research were presented at the fall faculty assembly on August 25, 2011. Brandt Eichman was honored this year. Brandt was one of six recipients of the Chancellor’s Award for Research that recognizes excellence in research, scholarship, or creative expression.

This marks the second consecutive year that CSB faculty have been honored by this award, and the fifth recognition since 2003 (Chuck Sanders - 2010, Walter Chazin - 2006, Hassane Mchaourab - 2006, Martin Egli - 2005).

Congratulations to Professor Eichman!

Chris A. Brosey – Dissertation Defense, 08/31/2011

Chris A. Brosey of the Chazin Lab presents, “Investigating the Architectural Basis of RPA Quaternary Remodeling upon Binding ssDNA� on Wednesday, August 31 at 1:00 – 2:00pm in Light Hall, Room 214.

Mert Karakas - Dissertation Defense, 09/01/2011

Mert Karakas of the Meiler Lab presents, “BCL::Fold-De novo Protein Structure Prediction by Assembly of Secondary Structure Elements" on Thursday, September 1 at 1:00 – 2:00pm in Light Hall, Room 202.

Tina Iverson, Ph.D. – MBTP/CSB Seminar, 09/06/2011

Tina Iverson, Ph.D., presents, “How to select, express, and purify a membrane protein for structural studies: tips and tricks from 7 case studies� on Tuesday, September 6 at 12:30 – 1:20pm in MRB III, Room 1220.

Rory Pruitt - Dissertation Defense, 09/6/2011

Rory Pruitt of the Lacy Lab presents, “Structural Analysis of Clostridium Difficile Toxins A and B� on Tuesday, September 6 at 3:00 – 4:00pm in MRB III, Room 1220.

Collaboration with Meiler Group shows how G proteins get ‘turned on’ by receptors

The structure of G proteins was solved nearly 20 years ago, but exactly how they are "turned on" by their G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) has remained a mystery until now.

Read more

Accepting application for 2011 Karpay Award in Structural Biology

The Karpay Award was established in 2010 to recognize one graduate student each year who has both made outstanding contributions to structural biology (broadly defined) and exhibits a well-rounded and collegial character. The award is contingent upon presenting a seminar in the MBTG series during January and consists of a $1500 honorarium. The name of the recipient will be added to a plaque housed in the CSB. Applications will be accepted by email to tina.iverson@vanderbilt.edu until 5PM on September 1.

Click here for Application Instructions

Congratulations -- Edward W. Lowe

The National Science Foundation awards a fellowship of $240,000 to Edward W. Lowe, post-doctoral fellow in the Meiler lab, for support of the project, "PROPMAP: A Novel GPU-accelerated Structure-Property Relationship Mapping Algorithm Utilizing Volunteer Computing."

Michael P. Stone, Ph.D. – Center in Molecular Toxicology Seminar, 08/15/2011

Michael P. Stone, Ph.D. presents, "Chemistry in the Major Groove of DNA" on Monday, August 15 at 12:00pm – 1:00pm in Light Hall, Room 512.

Scott Collier – MBTP/CSB Seminar, 08/16/2011

Scott Collier of the Ohi Lab presents, "Structural and functional characterization of Cdc5, an essential splicing factor" on Tuesday, August 16 at 12:30 pm – 1:20 pm in MRBIII, Room 1220.

Kelli Kazmier, a graduate student in the Mchaourab laboratory, received a National Research Award.

Kelli Kazmier received a T31 individual predoctoral fellowship from the National Institute for Mental Health to fund her thesis research entitled "Conformational Changes Underlying Intracellular Gating of the Leucine Transporter". The award is for two years and began in August, 2011 with the fellowship providing funds toward tuition, fees, and stipend with some additional funding for travel and lab resources. Congratulations Kelli Kazmier!

Darren Mushrush - Dissertation Defense, 08/04/2011

Darren Mushrush of the Lacy Lab presents, "Mechanistic Details of the pH-Dependent Association of Botulinum Neurotoxin with Membranes", on Thursday, August 4th at 3:00 - 4:00pm, in Preston Research Building Room 206.

Brandt Eichman Ph.D. - MBTP/CSB Seminar, 08/02/2011

Brandt Eichman, Ph.D., presents, "Structural mechanisms for excision repair of DNA alkylation damage" on Tuesday, August 2, 2011 at 12:30 - 1:20 pm in the MRB III, Room 1220.

Lauren Jackson - The Biological Sciences Seminar, 08/01/2011

Lauren Jackson from the University of Cambridge, UK, presents “Structural basis for endocytic cargo recognition at the plasma membrane� on Monday, August 1st, 2011 at 4:10 pm - 5:00 pm in the MRB III, Room 1220.

Steven Combs – MBTP/CSB Seminar, 07/19/2011

Steven Combs of the Meiler lab presents, “Engineering Proteins with Rosetta� on Tuesday, July 19 at 12:30 pm – 1:20 pm in MRB III, Room 1220

Chuck Sanders receives prestigious award

Chuck Sanders is the recipient of 2012 Anatrace Membrane Protein Award from the Biophysical Society. This award recognizes his groundbreaking work on both discovering new methods for stabilizing membrane proteins and using NMR to understand the structure and dynamics of membrane proteins. The award will be presented to Dr. Sanders on Tuesday Feb. 28, 2012 during the Awards Symposium at the Annual Biophysical Society Meeting in San Diego, CA.

Melissa Ann Fischer (Steapleton) – Dissertation Defense, 7/8/2011

Melissa Ann Fischer (Steapleton) of the Armstrong Lab presents, “The Characterization of Myeloid Translocation Gene 16 in Hematopoietic Progenitor and Stem Cell Functions�, on Friday, July 8 at 1:00 pm in PRB, Room 898-J.

Ileana Alers -- Masters Dissertation Defense, 6/28/2011

Ileana Alers of the Chazin Lab presents, "NMR analysis of the RPA dimer core RPA32D/14", on Tuesday, June 28 at 12:30 pm – 1:20 pm in MRB III, Room 1220.

Matthew Tyska, MBTP/CSB Seminar - 7/5/11

Matthew Tyska, Assistant Professor, Cell and Developmental Biology presents: “Studying molecular motors in live cells using single molecule TIRF microscopy� on Tuesday, July 5 at 12:30 pm – 1:20 pm in MRB III, Room 1220.

Mike Shell – MBTP/CSB Seminar, 06/21/2011

Mike Shell of the Chazin lab presents, “DNA Damage Recognition in the Nucleotide Excision Repair Pathway� on Tuesday, June 21 at 12:30 pm – 1:20 pm in MRB III, Room 1220.

Megan Waddington Branch – Dissertation Defense, 06/22/2011

Megan Waddington Branch of the Armstrong Lab presents, "Exploring New Structural and Functional Space in the Glutathione Transferase Superfamily from Escherichia coli K-12", on Wednesday, June 22 at 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm in Light Hall Room 512.

Chuck Sanders and Michael Waterman honored with faculty awards

The Vanderbilt University Medical Center Academic Enterprise Faculty Awards were presented at the spring faculty meeting on May 25, 2011. Two CSB faculty members were honored this year. Chuck Sanders was presented with the Sidney P. Colowick Award for Research that Serves as a Platform for Discovery in Diverse Areas. Michael Waterman received the F. Peter Guengerich Award for Mentoring Postdoctoral Fellows or Residents in the Research Setting. Congratulations to Profs. Sanders and Waterman!

Read the full Reporter article here.

SBGrid Hosts Webinar, "Advances in Structural Biology Computing"

On Friday, June 24th, 2011, SBGrid will webcast a special one day symposium for members of the SBGrid community. Several key software developers will present their latest tools for solving structures by X-ray crystallography. Joel Harp will host the webcast in the CSB conference room (5131 MRBIII). Click the link below for a detailed agenda.

Advances in Structural Biology Computing

Huge New Magnet to Enhance Cancer Drug Discovery Efforts

A shattering champagne bottle christened the delivery of a $5 million, 7.5-ton magnet to Vanderbilt University's Center for Structural Biology.

The magnet is the main part of an ultra-high field, 900 megahertz nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer that will help researchers solve the mysteries of cancer, Alzheimer's disease and other diseases.

Standing 9.5 feet tall, the nearly six-foot wide white cylinder was gingerly lowered by crane through an opening in the roof of the Biomolecular NMR Facility - with just four inches of clearance.

Once it's up and running this summer, the powerful spectrometer will be one of about 10 in the United States, but its intended use at Vanderbilt in cancer drug discovery may be unique, faculty members said.

Read the whole Reporter article here

Jessica Vey, MBTP/CSB Seminar - 5/24/11

Jessica Vey presents: “Structure-function studies of nitrososynthase: using protein rational design in biotechnology�, MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Congratulations to Dr. Jens Meiler

The CSB would like to congratulate Dr. Jens Meiler for his recent promotion to Associated Professor with tenure.

Recognition for the Stewart Lab

Robert Kim and Justin Flatt in the Stewart laboratory have both been selected to give talks at the 2011 Microscopy and Microanalysis meeting in August, hosted by the Microscopy Society of America (MSA). In conjunction with this, Robert Kim was also selected as one of the 2011 MSA Presidential Student Awardees. The award includes an awards ceremony at the meeting, invitation to the Presidents' reception, fully paid registration for the meeting, and travel and lodging stipends.

Vanderbilt University Receives 900MHz Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Instrument

On Saturday, May 7, 2011, at approximately 8:00 a.m., Vanderbilt University will receive its new, ultra high-field 900 MHz Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectrometer. The 7-1/2 ton instrument will be delivered to the Vanderbilt campus by crane, which will then hoist the 9-1/2 foot tall instrument and lower it through a 72 inch opening in the roof of the Biomolecular NMR Facility on campus. The addition of this instrument is key to maintaining Vanderbilt’s established position as the leading international center for biomolecular NMR research.

Ralf Mueller - Dissertation of Defense, 05/04/2011

Ralf Mueller of Meiler Lab presents, "Machine Learning Algorithms for Prediction of Biological Activity and Chemical Properties", at the Stevenson Center, Room 5502, 3:15 pm - 4:15 pm.

Shane Hutson, MBTP/CSB Seminar - 05/03/2011

Shane Hutson Ph.D., presents “Measuring the cell-level mechanics that drive tissue-level morphogenesis�, in the Medical Research Building III, Room 1220, at 12:30 pm.

Chemistry Symposium - April 28, 2011

The University of Melbourne and Vanderbilt University will host a joint Chemistry Symposium on April 28, 2011. It will be held at the Scarritt Bennett Center. No FEE to attend the symposium however Registration is required. To register and for information contact Rachel Poss via email, rachel.e.poss@vanderbilt.edu. Registration deadline is April 14, 2011.

Click here for a the agenda (PDF format).

New Graduate Course Announcement, CHEM 337 - Fall 2011

Jens Meiler will be teaching a new graduate course CHEM 337 - "computational structural and chemical biology" in Fall 2011. The course covers theoretical and practical aspects of protein sequence alignments, secondary structure prediction, comparative modeling, protein-protein and protein-ligand docking. Further it includes structure-based drug design, virtual screening, quantitative structure activity relations, cheminformatics, and pharmacophore mapping in therapeutic development. This is a 4-credit course with a laboratory section where students are trained in the practical application of respective software tools. Undergraduate students wishing to take CHEM 337 for credit must complete CHEM 231 - "biophysical chemistry" first.

Dr. Jeanne Hardy - Guest Speaker, Micro and Immunology Seminar Series

This Tuesday, April 5th, Jeanne Hardy will be giving a seminar in the Micro and Immunology Seminar Series entitled Suicidal Shape Shifters: Conformational control and real-time monitoring of caspase proteolytic activity. The seminar, which is co-sponsored by the Center for Structural Biology, will describe efforts to understand and engineer the activity of caspases involved in apoptosis. Dr. Hardy is an Assistant Professor of Chemistry at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. She has an interesting background in structural biology, protein engineering, and design. In addition to the science, students may be interested in Dr. Hardy's training path - she did post-docs both in Japan and industry. The seminar will be held in MRB3 1220 at 3PM and all are welcome to attend.

Andrew Morin - Dissertation of Defense, 04/25/2011

Andrew Morin of Meiler's Lab presents, "Computational Design of Protein-Ligand Interfaces for Protein Therapeutic Discovery", at Medical Research Building III, Room 1220, 2:00 - 3:00 pm.

Stephanie Hirst, MBTP/CSB Seminar - 04/19/2011

Stephanie Hirst - Meiler Lab presents RosettaEPR: An Integrated Tool for Protein Structure Determination from Sparse EPR Data, Medical Research Building III, Room 1220, at 12:30pm.

Mike Stone, MBTP/CSB Seminar - 04/05/2011

Mike Stone presents, "DNA Damage Arising From Reactive Aldehydes", in the Medical Research Building III, Room 1220, at 12:30 pm.

Julia Koehler, MBTP/CSB Seminar - 03/29/2011

Julia Koehler presents: "Challenges in method development for membrane protein structure determination", in the Medical Research Building III, Room 1220, at 12:30 pm.

David Nannemann - Dissertation Defense, 03/25/2011

David Nannemann of Meiler's Lab presents, "Directed Biosynthesis of the Nucleoside Analog Drug Didanosine", at the Stevenson Center, Room 5502, 2:00 pm.

William Schief, MBTP/CSB Seminar - 3/22/2011

William Schief presents: “Structure-based Immunogen Design� MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Dr. Jens Meiler, Ph. D., DBMI Seminar - 03/16/2011

Dr. Jens Meiler, Ph. D., Assistant Professor of Chemistry, will review a new protein folding algorithm that predicts the structure of large and complex proteins through assembly of secondary structure elements. Dr. Meiler will introduce a method for the simultaneous prediction of membrane protein secondary structure and transmembrane segments. Also, Dr. Meiler will combine both techniques for membrane protein folding de novo and guided by sparse NMR distance restraints. In addition, Dr. Meiler will discuss de novo high-resolution protein structure determination from sparse spin-labeling EPR data and atomic-detail protein structure prediction for proteins of up to 250 residues guided by cryo-EM density maps.

Kyle Nordquist - Dissertation Defense, 03/22/2011

KYLE ANDREW NORDQUIST,DEPARTMENT OF BIOCHEMISTRY VANDERBILT UNIV. SCH. OF MED., presents, " Structural and functional analysis of the U-box domain of the E4B ubiquitin ligase�, on March 22, 2011, 512 Light Hall, 1:00 pm

Identification of glaucoma gene brightens future for therapies

A team of investigators from Vanderbilt University and the University of Florida has identified a new candidate gene for the most common form of the eye disorder, primary open angle glaucoma (POAG). The Reporter indentified Dr. Tina Iverson, one of the CSB Core Faculty members, as one of the collaborators in this research project. For more information, go to http://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/reporter/index.html?ID=10261

Paul Barrett, MBTP/CSB Seminar - 3/15/2011

Paul Barrett of the Sanders Lab presents: "Exploring Alzheimer's Disease From the Membrane Up; A Structural Biology Investigation using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy" MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30 pm

Chemistry Symposium Coming Soon!!!

University of Melbourn Australia and Vanderbilt University will host a joint Chemistry Symposium April 28, 2011. More information coming soon. Please mark your calendars, as many talks are likely to be of general interest to CSB members.

Martin Karplus, Ph.D., MBTP/CSB Seminar - 03/21/2011

Martin Karplus, Ph.D., Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University and Laboratoire de Chimie Biophysique, ISIS, Université Louis Pasteur, presents:"How Proteins Work: Insights from Simulations" Martin Karplus is known for pushing forward the frontier of theoretical chemistry while at the same time keeping close contact with experimental developments. He enhanced our understanding of nuclear spin-spin coupling. The well-known Karplus equation, which deals with the angular dependence of vicinal proton coupling in NMR specta, has been important for conformational analysis of organic molecules and of the secondary structure of proteins. In another area, he was among the first to apply classical dynamic calculations to gas-phase chemical reactions, particularly relevant to the study of crossed molecular beams. His later research deals with theoretical studies on molecules of biological interest. Among these are calculations on the ground and excited states of the visual pigment retinal, on motional processes in proteins including side-chain rotations, opening and closing of active site clefts, and entrance and exit of oxygen from the binding site of myoglobin, and on nucleic acids. He has published over 500 articles.

Aliquots — research highlights from VUMC laboratories

Dr. Martin Egli was feature in the Reporter 2/17/2011, Fluorine aids gene silencing RNA interference (RNAi), a cellular mechanism for regulating gene expression found in nearly all organisms, can be exploited for research and medical purposes. Synthetic double-stranded RNA molecules called short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are used in such applications to silence gene expression, but the therapeutic potential of siRNAs is limited because the molecules are not “drug-like.� Martin Egli, Ph.D., and colleagues are investigating how chemical modifications affect the efficacy of siRNAs. In papers published recently in Angewandte Chemie and Nucleic Acids Research, they report on the promising properties of siRNAs modified with fluorine (2’-F siRNAs). To read more, http://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/reporter/index.html?ID=10232

Al Beth, MBTP/CSB Seminar - 3/1/11

Al Beth presents: “Structure and Dynamics of the Ca2+ Binding Domain of the Cardiac Na+/Ca2+ Exchanger� MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Julia Koehler, MBTP/CSB Seminar - 03/29/11

Julia Koehler presents: "Challenges in method development for membrane protein structure determination", MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Heidi Hamm, MBTP/CSB Seminar - 2/1/11

Heidi Hamm, Ph.D. presents: "Receptor-mediated G protein activation" MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Grant Bolsters Pancreatic Cancer Research

CSB would like to recognize Dr. Stephen Fesik of Biochemistry, Pharmacology and Chemistry in receiving a $2.5 million grant to fund research to develop drugs for treatment of pancreatic cancer. For more information, http://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/reporter/index.html?ID=10108

William Wan, MBTP/CSB Seminar - 1/25/11

William Wan presents: “Structural Polymorphism of the Fungal Prion HET-s" MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

AAAS honors seven Vanderbilt faculty members

The VUMC Reporter reported the AAAS honors seven Vanderbilt faculty members. We would like to recognize, Stephen Fesik, Ph.D. and Michael Stone, Ph.D., both are CSB Core Faculty Members from the Biochemistry Department. Read more at, http://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/reporter/index.html?ID=9999

Emily Rubinson - Dissertation of Defense 01/28/2011

Emily Rubinson of the Eichman's Lab will present, " Structural and Biochemical Studies of Alkylpurine DNA Glycosylase AlkD" on January 28, 2011, Medical Research Building III, Room 1220 at 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Dave Piston, MBTP/CSB Seminar - 1/4/11

Dave Piston, Ph.D. presents: “Imaging the Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Glucose-Stimulated Insulin Secretion� MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Kelsey Constance Duggan - Dissertation Defense 12/06/2010

Kelsey Constance Duggan from Dr. L.J. Marnett's Lab, presents "Structural and Functional Analysis of Cyclooxygenase-2 Inhibition by Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs", Monday, December 6, 2010, at 1:00 p.m., Preston Research Building, room 206

Daniel Liebler, MBTP/CSB Seminar - 12/7/10

Daniel Liebler, Ph.D. presents: “Discrimination of cancer phenotypes by proteomic technology platforms�, MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Grant bolsters study of human B cells

Dr. James Crowe Jr., M.D., is recognized in the Reporter for winning a five year, $5.3 million NIH grant to study the human B cell and to find new approaches to designing vaccines. Both Dr. Jens Meiler, Ph.D., and Dr. Ben Spiller, Ph.D., will collaborate and contribute to this project. Their expertise is in computational modeling and x-ray crystallography. To read more, go to http://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/reporter/index.html?ID=7796

Congratulations to Richard Armstrong - The Repligen Award in Chemistry of Biological Processes

Professor Richard Armstrong is the recipient of the 2011 Repligen Award in Chemistry of Biological Processes. We want to recognize Professor Armstrong's contributions of specfically understanding structure, function and mechanism detoxification enzymes within a cell. In addition, Professor Armstrong will present a lecture as part of a symposium, in the Fall 2011 ACS National Meeting. To read more, http://www.divbiolchem.org/awards/recipients

Sylvain Le Marchand - Dissertation Defense - 12/7/2010

Sylvain Le Marchand, mentored by David W. Piston, presents “Mechanisms of glucagon secretion in mouse pancreatic α-cells�. On Tuesday, December 7, 2010, 10:00 am, Light Hall, Room 208

Sarah Soss, MBTP/CSB Seminar - 11/16/10

Sarah Soss presents: "Who's the Boss in Ubiquitination?" MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Thomas Tomasiak - Dissertation Defense

Catalysis and inhibition in menaquinol:fumarate oxidoreductase". Location: 206 Preston Research Building on 11/23/2010 from 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM.

Niels De Jonge, MBTP/CSB Seminar - 11/2/10

Niels De Jonge presents: "Imaging tagged proteins in whole cells with liquid and 3D STEM" MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Leipzig-Vanderbilt Collaboration

On November 10th, at 1:30pm, in 208 Light Hall there will be a "Special Symposium Leipzig Vanderbilt Collaboration". Eight faculty from Leipzig University will be visiting and present their research.

Dewight Williams, MBTP/CSB Seminar - 10/26/10

Dewight Williams presents: "EM imaging reveals assembly states of a cyanobacterial protein, a nano-clock that drives circadian gene expression" MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Steffen Lindert - Dissertation Defense - 11/22/2010

Steffen Lindert will present "CryoEM guided de-novo protein folding" at 2:00pm, MRBIII, RM-1220, on Monday, November 22, 2010.

Dr. Brandt Eichman and Emily Rubinson in the Reporter

Dr. Brandt Eichmand and Emily Rubinson were featured in the Reporter on October 7, 2010 for their contribution to "New mechanism for DNA repair discovered." Tucked within its double-helix structure, DNA contains the chemical blueprint that guides all the processes that take place within the cell and are essential for life. Therefore, repairing damage and maintaining the integrity of its DNA is one of the cell’s highest priorities. To review this article, http://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/reporter/index.html?ID=9551

Timothy Panosian Dissertation Defense - 11/12/2010

TIMOTHY PANOSIAN of Tina Iverson’s lab, will present "A structural foundation for utilizing Bacillus cereus phosphopentomutase in the synthesis of didanosine" at 10:00 am, Light Hall, room 512, on Friday, November 12, 2010.

Yoana Nantcheva Dimitrova Dissertation Defense - 10/13/2010

Yoana Nantcheva Dimitrova of Dr. Chazin Lab will present, "Biochemical and Structural Analyses of TBL1: Insights into the Function of a Transcriptional Regulator" at Light Hall, Room 214, Wednesday, October 13, 2010 at 2:00 pm.

Andrej Sali, Invited Speaker - MBTP/CSB Seminar 10/12/10

Andrej Sali, Ph.D., Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences-UCSF, presents: "Computational Integration of Diverse Structural and Kinetic Data for Visualizing Macromolecular Assemblies and Processes" MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Latest published articles from the Eichman's Group in Nature

Congratulations to Dr. Brandt Eichman and Emily H. Rubinson for their contribution in the latest published article entitled, “An unprecedented nucleic acid capture mechanism for excision of DNA damage�. DNA glycosylases that remove alkylated and deaminated purine nucleobases are essential DNA repair enzymes that protect the genome, and at the same time confound cancer alkylation therapy, by excising cytotoxic N3-methyladenine bases formed by DNA-targeting anticancer compounds. The basis for glycosylase specificity towards N3- and N7-alkylpurines is believed to result from intrinsic instability of the modified bases and not from direct enzyme functional group chemistry. Here we present crystal structures of the recently discovered Bacillus cereus AlkD glycosylase in complex with DNAs containing alkylated, mismatched and abasic nucleotides. Unlike other glycosylases, AlkD captures the extrahelical lesion in a solvent-exposed orientation, providing an illustration for how hydrolysis of N3- and N7-alkylated bases may be facilitated by increased lifetime out of the DNA helix. The structures and supporting biochemical analysis of base flipping and catalysis reveal how the HEAT repeats of AlkD distort the DNA backbone to detect non-Watson–Crick base pairs without duplex intercalation. For more information, http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nature09428.html

Jens Meiler, MBTP/CSB Seminar - 10/5/10

Jens Meiler, presents: “Protein Structure Determination from Sparse Experimental Data- and -Design of a Sequence-Symmetric TIM Barrel Protein� MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Dr. Stephen W. Fesik receives NIH Director's Pioneer Award

As was announced in the Reporter (http://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/reporter/index.html?ID=9245), Dr. Stephen W. Fesik will be introduced as a recipient of the NIH Director's Pioneer Award (first from Vanderbilt) at the Sixth Annual NIH Director's Pioneer Award Symposium next Thursday, September 30, 2010 in Bethesda, MD. The introduction of the 2010 Pioneer awardees will take place at the start of the symposium at about 8:30 a.m. EST (7:30 a.m. CST). A live videocast will be available at http://videocast.nih.gov. A day or two after the symposium, the event will also be available for viewing on the videocast archive at http://videocast.nih.gov/PastEvents.asp.

Kelli Kazmier, MBTP/CSB Seminar - 9/21/10

Kelli Kazmier presents: "EPR Restrained Computational Modeling: Developing a Restraint Selection Algorithm" MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Congratulations to Dr. Richard Armstrong

The Center for Structural Biology would like to recognize and congratulate Dr. Richard Armstrong for being the recipient of the 2011 Repligen Award from the American Chemical Society.

Congratulations to Dr. Charles R. Sanders

Dr. Chuck Sanders received one of the five 2010 Chancellor's Awards for Research on Thursday,August 26, 2010. Dr. Sanders published the structure of diacyglycerol kinase, an integral membrane protein, in a Science paper last year using solution NMR spectroscopy. This was the largest membrane protein structure solved by NMR to date.

‘Glue grant’ to enhance study of membrane proteins

The Reporter quotes Dr. Hasssane Mchaourab, “This is a tremendous opportunity to combine the expertise of experimentalists and theoreticians to take on the 'grand challenge' of defining the mechanisms through which conformational dynamics impart function to key membrane protein classes�. Read More at http://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/reporter/index.html?ID=9278

John McLean, MBTP/CSB Seminar - 9/7/10

John McLean presents: "Advanced structural mass spectrometry for systems biology – pulling the needles from haystacks" MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Primase structure gives insight into DNA replication

The Reporter recognized Dr. Walter Chazin, Ph.D., Dr. Sivaraja Vaithiyalingam, Ph.D., and Dr. Brandt Eichman, Ph. D. for their efforts of studying a protein that helps initiates DNA replication. See More http://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/reporter/index.html?ID=9246

Congratulations to Dr. Stephen Fesik

Dr. Stephen Fesik has received the National Institutes of Health Director's Award. Read more: http://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/reporter/index.html?ID=9245

Suraj Adhikary, MBTP/CSB Seminar 8/17/10

Suraj Adhikary presents: "Structural insights into DNA damage selection" MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Congratulations to William Wan

At the annual meeting of the American Crystallographic Association in Chicago last week, William Wan (CPB program graduate student in Gerald Stubbs’s lab) received the Margaret C. Etter Student Lecturer award for his presentation in the Fiber Diffraction Special Interest Group session.

Edward Prage, MBTP/CSB Seminar 8/3/10

Edward Prage presents: "Location of inhibitor binding sites within the inducible PGE synthase, MPGES1" MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Walter Chazin, MBTP/CSB Seminar - 7/13/10

Walter Chazin presents: “What's all the excitement about SAXS?� MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Kristian Kaufmann Dissertation Defense - 6/30/2010

Kristian Kaufmann presents, "Computational Prediction of Small Molecule Protein Interfaces Using Rosetta", June 30th, 2010 at the Stevenson Building, Room 5502, 2:00 pm.

Kelly Ann Gangwer Dissertation Defense - 7/1/2010

Kelly Ann Gangwer, Graduate Student From the laboratory of Dr. D. Borden Lacy

7/1/2010 1:30pm 1220 MRBIII

“Structural, Functional, and Phylogenetic Analysis of the Helicobacter Pylori Vacuolating Cytotoxin (VacA)� Helicobacter pylori is a gram-negative bacterium that contributes to the pathogenesis of peptic ulcer disease and gastric cancer. A key virulence factor for the organism is vacuolating cytotoxin A (VacA), a pore-forming toxin that causes multiple alterations in human cells. The toxin is secreted by an autotransporter pathway as an 88 kDa protein which can be divided into two structural domains; a 33 kDa domain (p33) responsible for pore formation and a genetically diverse 55 kDa domain (p55) associated with receptor binding. We hypothesize that structural, functional and phylogenetic analyses will allow us to assess the mechanism by which VacA interacts with host cells. Using X-ray crystallography, we found that the VacA m1 p55 domain adopts a β-helix fold, a feature that is characteristic of autotransporter passenger domains but unique among known bacterial protein toxins. Notable features of VacA p55 include disruptions in β-sheet contacts that result in five β-helix sub-domains and a novel C-terminal domain. The elongated β-helical structure of VacA presents a unique opportunity for studying the pressures of positive and negative selection in a structural context. We have demonstrated that amino acid substitutions in the VacA p55 domain are under strong, diversifying selection. Docking the p55 structure into a 19 Å cryo-EM map of a VacA dodecamer allows us to propose a model for how VacA monomers assemble into oligomeric structures capable of membrane channel formation. We have recently been able to reconstitute this activity from a mixture of p55 and p33 added together in trans. This advance provides a tractable avenue for future studies aimed at obtaining high resolution structural information for VacA p33.

Martin Egli, MBTP/CSB Seminar - 6/15/10

Martin Egli presents: “Temperature Compensation in the KaiABC Clock� and “Unique Properties of 2'-Fluoro Modified siRNAs� MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Bruker Announces Major Multi-Systems NMR Order from Vanderbilt University

Billerica, Massachusetts, May 20, 2010 – Bruker, the leader in analytical magnetic resonance instrumentation, announces a major multi-systems NMR order from Vanderbilt University, including an ultra-high field AVANCE™ III 900 US2 NMR spectrometer. This purchase was made possible in large part by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Vanderbilt will use these NMR instruments for a broad range of biophysical and structural analyses in biomedical research, as well as for cancer drug discovery using fragment-based approaches and structure-based drug design. For more information, http://www.bruker-biospin.com/pr100520.html

Jessica Mazerik, MBTP/CSB Seminar - 6/1/10

Jessica Mazerik presents: “Dissecting the mechanism of myo1a membrane binding� MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Meningitis protein structure reveals immune response ‘spark’

Dr. Tina Iverson's latest research on the Meningitis protein structure is featured in the Vanderbilt Reporter. Please click here for more info : <a href="http://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/reporter/index.html?ID=8790">http://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/reporter/index.html?ID=8790</a>.

Volker Dötsch, Guest Speaker, MBTP/CSB Seminar - 5/4/10

Volker Dötsch presents: “Combination of Cell-free Expression and NMR for the Structure Determination of the c-Terminal Domain of presenilin� MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Latest paper from the Iverson group in PNAS

Congratulations to Tina, Mikio and Crina for getting their recent work published in PNAS!! Structural basis for solute transport, nucleotide regulation, and immunological recognition of Neisseria meningitidis PorB Mikio Tanabe, Crina M. Nimigean, and T. M. Iverson PNAS April 13, 2010 vol. 107 no. 15 6811-6816

Anne Kenworthy, MBTP/CSB Seminar - 4/20/10

Anne Kenworthy presents: “Quantitative analysis of molecular dynamics and binding kinetics in living cells by fluorescence recovery after photobleaching.� MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Join us for "Naturally Obsessed"- A Laboratory Science Documentary 5/21/10

Naturally Obsessed: the making of a scientist opens a penetrating view of what it takes to become a scientist. Drawn from three years of filming in a single laboratory, the film focuses on a group of irrepressible graduate students working towards the PhD degree, and their mentor, a tough but genial young professor. MRBIII, Room 1220, 3:00-4:30pm

Steffen Lindert, MBTP/CSB Seminar - 4/6/10

Steffen Lindert presents: “BCL::EM-Fold: Protein Folding into medium resolution density maps� MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Eric Hustedt, MBTP/CSB Seminar - 3/23/10

Eric Hustedt presents: "Lessons learned from site-directed spin-labeling of the cytoplasmic domain of band 3 protein" MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Rajalakshmi Nambiar, MBTP/CSB Seminar - 3/2/10

Rajalakshmi Nambiar presents: “Control of Membrane Tension by a Molecular Motor� MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

CSB investigators to speak at structural biology symposium

Our very own Brandt Eichman and Martin Egli will be giving an invited lecture at the Advances in Structural Biology symposium at the Danforth Center in St. Louis in September. For more information check the website at: http://www.danforthcenter.org/fallsymposium2010/flyer.htm

Ryoma Ohi, MBTP/CSB Seminar - 2/16/10

Ryoma Ohi presents: “Motor function during mitosis and meiosis� MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Charles Day, MBTP/CSB Seminar - 2/2/10

Charles Day presents: “Probing mechanisms of plasma membrane microdomain formation by Cholera Toxin� MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Galina Lepesheva publishes Paper of the Week in JBC

The current issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry contains a paper by Galina Lepesheva and co-authors on the structure of Trypanosoma brucei sterol 14alpha-demethylase. The paper was chosen Paper of the Week. The structure also graces the journal cover. Papers of the Week are chosen by the journal Associate Editors and Editorial Board members and represent the top 1% of all reviewed papers. Galina is Research Associate Professor in the laboratory of Michael Waterman.

Larry Marnett, MBTP/CSB Seminar - 1/19/10

Larry Marnett presents: “Four Thousand Years of Studying NSAIDs and We Might be Making Some Progress� MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Siva Vaithiyalingam, MBTP/CSB Seminar - 1/5/10

Sivaraja Vaithiyalingam presents: “Towards a structural mechanism for DNA priming in higher eukaryotes: Insights from the structure of the unique DNA primase 4Fe-4S domain� MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Charles Sanders, MBTP/CSB Seminar - 12/15/09

Charles Sanders presents: "Explaining The Cholesterol-Alzheimer's Disease Connection: A Biophysically-Derived Hypothesis" MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Gordon Lemmon, MBTP/CSB Seminar - 12/1/09

Gordon Lemmon presents: “Improved modeling of molecular flexibility leads to more accurate predictions of protein/small molecule interfaces� MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Stephen Fesik, MBTP/CSB Seminar - 11/17/09

Stephen Fesik presents: "Discovery of IAP inhibitors for the treatment of cancer" 1220 MRBIII, 12:30pm

Gail Fanucci, Guest Speaker, MBTP/CSB Seminar - 11/10/09

Gail Fanucci, University of Florida presents: “Pulsed EPR Studies of Protein Flexibility: Applications to HIV-1 Protease� 1220 MRBIII, 12:30pm

CSB Gathering and Poster Session 10/30/09

A special Friday afternoon gathering and poster session hosted by the Center for Structural Biology. Please join us for refreshments and poster presentations by CSB laboratories. 2:30-5pm, Fifth Floor MRBIII

Center for Structural Biology OPEN HOUSE 10/30/09

SPEAKERS: Billy Hudson, Ph.D., Director of the Center for Matrix Biology Departments of Medicine, Pathology, and Biochemistry “Kidney Filtration Apparatus and the Discovery of the Sulfilimine Bond� Craig Lindsley, Ph.D., Director of Medicinal Chemistry and Vanderbilt Specialized Chemistry Center for Accelerated Probe Development Departments of Pharmacology and Chemistry “Probe Development� Commons Center Room 237, Peabody Campus, 1-2:30PM

Megan Wadington, MBTP/CSB Seminar - 11/3/09

Megan Wadington presents: "Discovery of Enzyme Function in the Glutathione Transferase Superfamily from Escherichia coli K-12" MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Stubbs lab study on prions featured in VU Exploration

The Stubbs lab study on prions is featured in the most recent VU Exploration online magazine: http://www.vanderbilt.edu/exploration/stories/prions.html .

Andrzej Krezel, MBTP/CSB Seminar 10/20/09

Andrzej Krezel presents: "Structural Biology of Transcription in Helicobacter pylori" 1220 MRBIII, 12:30pm

Gerald Stubbs, MBTP/CSB Seminar 10/6/09

Gerald Stubbs presents: “Natural and synthetic prion structure from X-ray fiber diffraction� MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Jessica Vey, MBTP/CSB Seminar - 9/15/09

Jessica Vey presents: "Structural Basis for Glycyl Radical Formation by Pyruvate Formate-lyase Activating Enzyme" MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Wade Van Horn, MBTP/CSB Seminar - 9/1/09

Wade Van Horn presents: "Solution NMR Structure of Membrane-Integral Diacylglycerol Kinase" MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Patrick Robertson, MBTP/CSB Seminar 8/18/09

Patrick Robertson presents: “Solution NMR Structure of the C-Terminal Domain of Xenopus laevis Mcm10 Reveals a Novel Zn2 DNA Binding Motif� MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

CSB News Now Available via Twitter!

Follow "VanderbiltCSB" to have CSB news sent directly to your Twitter timeline.

Ben Spiller, MBTP/CSB Seminar 8/4/09

Ben Spiller presents: "VirA, Shigella, and the Host Cytoskeleton" MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Christina Williams, MBTP/CSB Seminar 7/21/09

Christina Williams presents: "Structural and Dynamic Analysis of SV40 J domain Interactions� MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Mariena Silvestry Ramos, Dissertation Defense, 7/9/09

"Insight into Adenovirus Programmed Disassembly From CryoEM: The Structures of Ad2ts1 and the Ad35f+Defensin HD5 Complex" Thursday, July 9, 2009, 10:00 a.m. 202 Light Hall

Major breakthrough for the Sanders Lab

Chuck Sanders and his group have completed the solution NMR structure of DAGK. The work is published in the latest issue of Science. See the press release at: http://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/news/releases.php?release=940 Congratulations on this wonderful achievement!!

Andrzej Krezel, MBTP/CSB Seminar Series 7/7/09

Andrzej Krezel presents: "Structural Biology of Transcription in Helicobacter pylori" MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Sarah Musser, MBTP/CSB Seminar 6/16/09

Sarah Musser presents: "Structural Investigations of Stereoisomeric N3-deoxyuridine DNA Adducts Arising from Butadiene Monoepoxide" MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Borden Lacy, MBTP/CSB Seminar Series 6/2/09

Borden Lacy presents: “Bacterial protein toxin entry into host cells: Mechanisms of pore formation and translocation” MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Tim Panosian, MBTP/CSB Seminar 5/19/09

Tim Panosian presents: “Move it move it; the structure and mechanism of a phosphopentomutase” MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Andrew Link, MBTP/CSB Seminar Series 5/5/09

Andrew Link presents: “Systematic Proteomic Analysis of Eukaryotic Translation Complexes” MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Diane Kanter, MBTP/CSB Seminar Series 4/21/09

Diane Kanter presents: “The role of Dpb11 in DNA metabolism” MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Tina Iverson, MBTP/CSB Seminar Series 4/7/09

Tina Iverson presents: "The outer membrane protein PorB from Neisseria meningitidis: from structure to function to disease" MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Dalyir Pretto, MBTP/CSB Seminar Series 3/17/09

Dalyir Pretto presents: "Investigating Domain Flexibility and Intersubunit interactions in Replication Protein A" MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Phoebe Stewart, MBTP/CSB Seminar Series 3/3/09

Phoebe Stewart presents: "Visualizing the Structures and Conformational Changes of Biological Nanomachines with CryoEM" MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Emily Rubinson MBTP/CSB Seminar Series 2/17/09

Emily Rubinson presents: "A New Architecture for Locating and Excising Alkylpurines from DNA: The Crystal Structure of DNA Repair Protein AlkD" MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Eichman wins Sigma Xi’s Young Investigator Award

Brandt Eichman was named the winner of the 2008 Sigma Xi Award to recognize research excellence within ten years of earning his or her highest degree. See link at: http://sitemason.vanderbilt.edu/news/releases/2009/01/29/vanderbilt-biochemist-receives-2009-sigma-xi-award.71862

Laura Mizoue, MBTP/CSB Seminar Series 2/3/09

Laura Mizoue presents: "In search of: hidden domains in the transcription factor HoxA11" MRB III, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Katie Germane MBTP/CSB Seminar Series 1/20/09

Katie Germane presents: “Structural and Functional Analysis of Shigella flexneri Virulence Factor VirA” MRB III, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Symposium in Memory of Anne Karpay - 1/23/09

Symposium in Memory of Anne Karpay: Gunning for Membrane Proteins January 23, 2009 2:30-5:30, 1220 MRBIII Speakers: James Bowie (UCLA), Douglas Rees (Caltech), Stanley Opella (UCSD) Karpay Symposium Poster

Paul Bock, MBTP/CSB Seminar Series 1/6/09

Paul Bock presents: "Focusing on the Invisible Parts of the Mechanism of Plasminogen Activation by Streptokinase" MRBIII, Room 1220, 12:30pm

Eichman and Chazin research sheds new light on eukaryotic DNA replication machinery

Recent research directed by Professor Brandt Eichman has elucidated some of the first atomic details of a protein involved in replicating DNA in eukaryotic organisms.

Duplication of DNA each time a cell divides is one of the most fundamental processes in biology. However, due to the complexity and size of the multi-protein machine that drives DNA replication, the mechanisms by which eukaryotes orchestrate the synthesis of daughter from parental DNA is largely unknown. The Eichman lab determined the crystal structure of the DNA binding domain of one essential replisome component, Mcm10, and in collaboration with Walter Chazin and Anja Bielinsky (University of Minnesota), has uncovered the manner in which this domain interacts with DNA and its importance in replication.

Featured on the cover of the December, 2008 issue of Structure (Cell Press), this research integrates X-ray crystallography, NMR spectroscopy, biochemistry, and yeast genetics, and will be an important starting point for understanding the details of one of nature’s most fundamental processes.

Read More | Multimedia Version

Matt Tyska MBTP/CSB Seminar Series 12/2/08

Matt Tyska presents: "A novel role for actin-based motor proteins in the regulation of cell membrane mechanics" MRB III, Room 1220, 12:30pm

John Tainer, Ph.D. MBTP Guest Speaker, November 18,

Guest Speaker John Tainer, Ph.D. Professor, Department of Molecular Biology and The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology presents: "XPD and Mre11/Rad50/Nbs1 ATPase Complexes: Structural Insights into the Cancer and Aging Phenotypes from Mutations of these Genome Guardians". Tuesday, November 18, 12:30pm MRB 3, Rm 1220.

Stubbs lab research could lead to new ways to improve crop yields

A recent interdisciplinary study directed by Professor Gerald Stubbs has yielded the first detailed information about the structure of the most destructive group of plant viruses known: flexible filamentous viruses.

The cost of worldwide crop losses due to plant diseases is estimated at $60 billion annually. Although there are no good estimates of the cost of plant viruses alone, the viruses are generally considered to be the second greatest contributor to those losses (after fungi). The 300-plus species of flexible filamentous viruses are responsible for more than half of all virus damage.

The findings are published in the October 1 issue of the Journal of Virology and could lead to new ways to protect crop plants from these viruses.

Read More   |  Multimedia Version

MBTP/CSB Seminar Series Dave Piston, Ph.D. November 4, 2008

Dave Piston presents: "Systems Biology of a Model Multicellular System" 12:20pm, MRB 3, Room 1220

David Eisenberg, DPhil. Bircher Lecture, October 27, 4:20pm

David Eisenberg, DPhil presents: "Structural Biology of Amyloids and Prions". Refreshments at 4p in 7330A SC (the Chemistry Dept. Conference Room), and a reception to immediately follow the lecture, also in 7330A SC.

Nathan Alexander MBTP/CSB Seminar Series 10/21/08

Nathan Alexander of Jens Meiler Lab presents: "Incorporation of Experimental Restraints with Protein Structure Prediction". MRB 3, Room 1220. 12:20pm

John Wikswo presents MBPT Seminar September 30 12:20

John Wikswo presents: “The possibility of automated, on-line inference of metabolic networks". Tuesday, September 30, 12:20 in MRB 3, Room 1220

Rory Pruitt Presents MBTP Seminar Series September 16

Rory Pruitt of Borden Lacy Lab presents:"Structural and Functional Studies of Large Clostridial Cytotoxins" MRB 3, Room 1220, 12:15pm.

Richard Armstrong presents MBTP lecture 9/9/08

Richard Armstrong, Ph.D. Editor in Chief, Journal of Biochemistry Will lead a discussion on: "Ethics in Publication" All students actively supported by the MB training grant are required to attend this special seminar Tuesday, September 9, 2008 **NOTE TIME EXTENSION** 12:20 – 1:55pm Lunch available at 12:10 Seminar begins at 12:20 **MRB III, Room 1220**

Dewight Williams, presents at MBTP Seminar 8/26/08

Dewight Williams, Ph.D. presents: "The DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit structure determined by electron cryomicroscopy to < 10 Angstroms resolution." Tuesday, August 26, 2008 12:20 – 1:20pm Lunch available at 12:10 Seminar begins at 12:20 **MRB III, Room 1220**

Liliana Wroblewska - TALK CANCELLED

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Liliana Wroblewska Meiler, Post-doc candidate speaks 8/19, 12:20

Molecular Biophysics Training Program Seminar Series / Center for Structural Biology Liliana Wroblewska Post-doc candidate Meiler Lab presents: "Refinement of protein models with all-atom force fields" Tuesday, August 19, 2008 12:20 – 1:20pm Lunch available at 12:00 Seminar begins at 12:20 **MRB III, Room 1220**

MBTP/CSB Seminar Kristian Kaufman, 8/12, 12:20pm MRB 3, Room 1220

Molecular Biophysics Training Program Seminar Series / Center for Structural Biology Kristian Kaufman Meiler Lab presents: "A Perspective on Computational Prediction of Interfaces Between Proteins and Small Molecules: Simultaneous Optimization of Protein Side Chain and Small Molecule Degrees of Freedom" Tuesday, August 12, 2008 12:20 – 1:20pm Lunch available at 12:00 Seminar begins at 12:20 MRB III, Room 1220

Brenda Schulman, talk August, 11, 2008, 4:00pm

Brenda Schulman, Ph.D. Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Assoc. Member, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital presents, “Conformational Control in the dynamic Processes of Ubiquitin-Like Protein Conjugation” Monday, August 11, 2008 4:00 – 5:00 pm Stevenson Center, Room 5502

Iverson receives prestigous award

Congratulations to Tina Iverson, who has been selected to receive a Young Investigator award from the National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression. This is for work to study the mechanisms for the sensing of dopamine.

Gunter Fritz, Ph.D. presents CSB/MBTP Seminar 7/29/08

Molecular Biophysics Training Program Seminar Series / Center for Structural Biology Guenter Fritz, Ph.D. Privat Dozent, Assistant Professor University of Konstanz, Germany Presents: “Insights into receptor activation from structural biology of the receptor RAGE and its ligands” Tuesday, July 29, 2008 12:00 – 1:00pm Lunch available at 11:45 Seminar begins at 12:00 **MRB III, Room 1220**

Meiler co-authors Science paper on conformational variability

Jens Meiler was part of a team that used residual dipolar couplings (RDCs)and computation to show the conformational variation of the small protein ubiquitin. This study demonstrates the power of using the RDC parameter to characterize slow conformational dynamics up to the msec time scale. The results were also significant in lending support to the concept that structural changes required for binding are already being sampled through the fluctuations of the free protein.

Gunnar Jeschke, Ph.D. presents: “Structural models of membrane proteins from pulsed EPR distance mea

The Center for Structural Biology, Department of Chemistry, and Molecular Physiology and BioPhysics are pleased to host: Gunnar Jeschke, Ph.D. ETH Zurich Laboratory for Physical Chemistry Who will present: “Structural models of membrane proteins from pulsed EPR distance measurements” Friday, August 1, 2008 11:30 – 12:30pm. Tentative Location: MRB 3, Room 1220

Tennessee Structural Biology Symposium

Tennessee Structural Biology Symposium begins with registration from 12:00 - 2:00 on Friday, June 20, 2008 in the Peabody Commons. Please see the website for additional information. http://structbio.vanderbilt.edu/TSBS5/

Benjamin Chagot presents the MBTP Seminar Series, June 17, 12:00pm

“How do the intrinsic (EF-hand domain of hH1) and extrinsic (calmodulin) Ca2+ sensors regulate gating of the human cardiac sodium ion channel hH1?”. SC 5502, 12:00pm - 1:30pm lunch served at 11:45.

Chuck Mobley Defense, June 12, 2008 3:00 pm, SC5502

"Biophysical Studies of Human Neuorolgical Membrane Proteins"

Brian Weiner Defense; Monday, June 9, 2:00pm, 1220 MRB 3

"Biochemical and structural analysis of the p58C and p68N domains of DNA polymerase alpha/primase".

MBTP/CSB Seminar Larry Marnett

Larry Marnett, Ph.D. presents: "Dynamics of Cyclooxygenase-Inhibitor Interactions - Origins of Potency and Selectivity of Binding" 12:00 in the Stevenson Center 5502

Tenneessee Structural Biology Sympoisum

The 5th Annual TN Structural Biology Symposium will be held Friday, June 20th and Saturday, June 21st at the Peabody Commons. Please see the TN Structural Biology Symposium website for additional information at: http://structbio.vanderbilt.edu/TSBS5/

Update title of Miko Tanabe May 20 talk

"Structural studies of the outer membrane porin PorB from Neisseria meningitidis"

Miko Tanabe presents at MBTP May 20

Miko Tanabe of the Iverson Lab Presents: “Understanding pathogen recognition mechanism by TLRs the way to determine crystal structure of outer membrane porin” Tuesday, May 20, 2008 12:00 – 1:00pm Lunch available at 11:45 Seminar begins at 12:00 Stevenson Center 5502

Hassane Mchaourab, Ph.D. Presents at MBTP May 6, 2008

Molecular Biophysics Training Program Seminar Series / Center for Structural Biology Hassane Mchaourab, Ph.D. Presents: “Living with Controversies: A Tale of two Transporters” Tuesday, May 6, 2008 12:00 – 1:00pm Lunch available at 11:45 Seminar begins at 12:00 Stevenson Center 5502

Kurt Wuthrich, Ph.D., Nobel Laureate in Chemistry April 17

Kurt Wüthrich, Ph.D. Cecil H. and Ida M. Green Professor of Structural Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA Professor of Biophysics, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland Speaking on: “New Trends in NMR Spectroscopy for Structural Biology and Structural Genomics” Thursday, April 17, 2008 12:30 – 1:30pm MRB III, Room 1220

Brian Bachmann presents MBTP/CSB Seminar Series, April 1, 12:00pm

Brian O. Bachmann, Ph.D. of Vanderbilt Chemistry Department Presents: “Discovery of pharmacophore biosynthesis enzymes in bacteria”. Tuesday, April 1, 2008. 12:00 pm.

MBTP/CSB Seminar Series, March 18, 12:00pm

Brian Weiner, Chazin Lab, Presents: “Biochemical and structural analysis of the p58C and p68N domains of DNA polymerase alpha/primase”. Lunch available at 11:45 - Seminar begins at 12:00 Stevenson Center 5502

Rachel Klevit, D. Phil., Biochemistry Monday Seminar Series

Rachel Klevit, D. Phil., Dept of Biochemistry University of Washington, Seattle, WA presents: Specificity and Diversity in the Function of BRCA1/BARD1 Ubiquitin E3 Ligase Monday, March 17, 2008 4:00 PM - 512 Light Hall Sponsored by: Department of Biochemistry, the Center for Structural Biology, and The National Cancer Institute Training Grant "Biochemical and Chemical Training for Cancer Research" Refreshments served at 3:45 p.m.

Kurt Wuthrich, Ph.D., Nobel Laureate in Chemistry April 16

Cecil H. and Ida M. Green Professor of Structural Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA Professor of Biophysics, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland. April 16, 2008 (Wednesday) Lecture - "The NMR view of Proteins" Sponsor: Center for Structural Biology 4:00 p.m. / 208 Light Hall

MBTP/CSB Seminar Series, March 4, 12:00pm

Claus Schneider presents: "Old and not so old substrates for probing the mechanism of cyclooxygenases". Stevenson Center Room 5502.

Kelly Conrads, ForteBio, Inc., February 20, 1pm

Jamshid Khoshnoodi hosts Kelly Conrads from ForteBio, Inc. to hold a seminar in PRB Room 317 on the Bio-Layer Interferometry & the Octet System Label-Free Protein Affinity, Kinetics, and Quantitation in Crude or Purified Samples Topics to be covered include:KINETICS Applications - Fast alternatives to Biacore Therapeutics R&D - Protein/Protein Interaction Analysis - Affinity characterization - Measure kinetic constants - Rank order affinities - Fast Kinetic Screening of Binding Proteins/Peptides and Antagonists QUANTITATION Applications - Fast Alternatives to HPLC and ELISA -Antibody Quantitation in 30 Minutes - Rapid Concentration Analysis from Tissue or Cell Culture Extracts ASSAY DEVELOPMENT, Protein-Protein Interactions

MBTP/CSB Seminar Series, February 19, 12:00pm

Dorothee Kern, Brandeis University to speak

Professor Walter Chazin will host Dorothee Kern of Brandis University on April 7, 2008, 4:15-5:30 p.m. at 5211 Stevenson Center.

Anne Karpay Memorial

Memorial Service for: Anne Karpay 1981-2008 IGP Student, Biochemistry Ph.D. Candidate Thursday, January 17, 4:15pm Light Hall 208

MBTP/CSB Seminar Series, February 5, 12:00pm

Heidi Hamm, Ph.D. Presents: "How receptors activate G proteins" 12:00 - 1:30 pm, SC5502

MBTP/CSB Seminar Series, January 15, 12:00pm

Nils Woetzel, Jens Meiler Lab presents, “Computational Protein Structure prediction using knowledge based energy functions and experimental restraints”. MRBIII, Room 1220.

Special NMR Seminar 9 AM Friday, January 18

"Strategies for Structure Determination of a Weak Binding, Fast Exchanging Carbohydrate-Protein Complex". Tiandi Zhuang, Prestegard Lab, University of Georgia, 9 AM, Friday January 18, Rm 5131 MRBIII. The talk will consist of two parts: 1. enhancement of RDCs through specific association between alkyl chain and alignment media. 2. Use of Paramagnetism-based constraints (RDC,PCS). Tiandi is a Sanders lab postdoc candidate.

Special CSB Seminar - Friday August 3, 2007

Dr. Ning Zheng, Presents:“Ubiquitin Ligase Machinery:from Plant Biology to Human Disease” Friday, August 3, 2007 12:00 – 1:30pm Stevenson Center Room 5202 Lunch available at 11:45 Seminar begins at 12:00

Guengerich Presents July 3, 2007, 12:00pm

F. Peter Guengerich, Ph.D. Presents: “Kinetic and structural approaches to understanding interactions of carcinogens, DNA, & DNA polymerases” in Stevenson Center Room 5502 from 12:00 - 1:30pm

Jian Shi, speaks June 19, 12:00pm, SC 5502

Jian Shi Stewart Lab Presents: “Mechanistic Insight of a structural study of Small Heat Shock Protein variants by cryo-electron microscopy” Tuesday, June 19, 2007 12:00 – 1:30pm Lunch available at 11:45 Seminar begins at 12:00 Stevenson Center, Room 5502

Walter Chazin receives Stanley Cohen Award for Outstanding Contributions to Research

The 2007 Faculty Awards, presented at the Spring Faculty Meeting, recognize excellence in teaching and in research. The awards for Outstanding Contributions to Research are named in honor of current and past Vanderbilt faculty who were recognized during their careers by election to the National Academy of Sciences.

The Stanley Cohen Award — For Research Bridging Diverse Disciplines, such as Chemistry or Physics, to Solve Biology‘s Most Important Fundamental Questions - was awarded to CSB director Walter Chazin, Ph.D., professor of Biochemistry, Chemistry; Ingram Professor of Cancer Research.

Congratulations!

Anne Kenworthy, May 1, 2007, 12:00pm SC5502

Anne Kenworthy Presents:“Biophysical analysis of membrane microdomains”. Tuesday, May 1, 2007, 12:00 – 1:30pm. Lunch available at 11:45, Seminar begins at 12:00. Stevenson Center, Room 5502

Tennessee Structural Biology Symposium, June 21-23, 2007

Tennessee Structural Biology Symposium, Doubletree Hotel Murfreesboro, TN. June 21-23, 2007. For registration form contact lori.michalowski@vanderbilt.edu.

Markus Godejohann from Bruker Biospin

SPECIAL PRESENTATION: Markus Godejohann from Bruker Biospin Presents:“Theory and practice of LC-SPE-NMR/MS” Tuesday, May 8, 2007 12:00 – 1:30pm Seminar begins at 12:00 Stevenson Center, Room 5502

OPEN House

Guest Speakers: Dr. Kathy Gould presents: "Determining the architecture of a subcomplex within the spliceosome"; Dr. Timothy Cover presents: "Investigation of Helicobacter pylori and gastric cancer: a structural biology approach"; Dr. Daniel Liebler presents: “Protein targets of damage by reactive electrophiles” Friday, November 10, 2006, 1220 MRB III, 2:30 — 4:30 pm Reception to follow in 1st floor foyer

Dr. Zhen Huang, speaks at CSB/MBTP Seminar, October 3, 2006

Zhen Huang, Ph.D. Associate Professor Department of Chemistry of Georgia State University presents: “Synthesis of Selenium Nucleic Acids (SeNA) for Structure and Function Studies of Nucleic Acids”. Structure determination of RNAs, DNAs, and their protein complexes, which are potential drug targets, can provide insights on their structures and functions. X-ray crystallography is a powerful tool for the 3-D structure determination of these biomacromolecules although heavy atom derivatization for phase determination, a long-standing major problem in X-ray crystallography, has largely slowed down structural determination of nucleic acids with novel folds. In order to help solving this problem, we have first developed chemical and enzymatic syntheses of RNAs and DNAs derivatized with selenium by site-specifically replacing oxygen. We will present the chemical synthesis and enzymatic incorporation study of RNA and DNA containing Se-modifications, and present the structure study of the Se-modified DNAs and RNAs. This strategy of RNA and DNA derivatization with selenium has great potential as a general methodology in X-ray crystallography. This novel strategy will significantly facilitate nucleic acid X-ray crystallography and study of nucleic acid-protein complexes.

Abbas Ourmazd lecture November 17, 3:00pm

Dr. Ourmazd is a very astute microscopist deep into the underlying physics of diffraction, especially with electron beams. He will give a lecture on "Crystallography without crystals: Deteriming the structure of biological molecules". Friday, November 17, 2006 at 3:00pm Stevenson Center, Physics 5th floor conference room (SC 6524).

P. Shing Ho, Ph.D. visits Vanderbilt

P. Shing Ho, Ph.D. of Oregon State University presents: "Halogen bonds: An orthogonal interaction to hydrogen bonds?" On Tuesday, September 5th 12:00 - 1:30 in Stevenson Center room 5502. Dr. Ho will also be presenting: "From Holliday junctions to halogen bonds" at the VICB seminar 12:15 - 1:15 in MRB 3 1220.

Vanderbilt Center for Structural Biology and Thermo Electron present, Larry DeLucas, O.D., Ph.D,

Larry J. DeLucas, O.D., Ph.D, D.Sc.(hon.) Director, The Center for Biophysical Sciences and Engineering Director and Senior Scientist, UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center X-ray Crystallography Facility The University of Alabama, Birmingham speaking on: “Advanced Technologies to Improve Expression/Crystallization for Difficult Proteins” Several interrelated technologies employed at the CBSE are improving the success rate with difficult proteins. The following will be discussed: 1. An advanced protein expression system that has demonstrated the ability to produce mg quantities of membrane (and aqueous) proteins. Recent success will be shown with the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Regulator (CFTR) Protein. 2. A new HTP analytical method for measuring Protein-Protein & Protein-Drug interactions that utilizes 2nd virile coefficient measurements as a quantitative predictor for protein crystallization and protein stability. This alternative method uses nanogram amounts with rapid quantitative outcomes that overcome the limitations typically associated with Static Light Scattering. 3. Several strategies will be discussed for the optimization of crystals including the use of neural networks and capillary counter diffusion techniques. Traditional individual capillary experiments require manual preparation & tedious harvesting procedures that currently make it secondary for those seeking HTP solutions. A new automated technology developed at the center will be described that embraces all of the advantages of a true liquid-liquid diffusion environment. 4:00 pm Tuesday, June 20, 2006 Room 1220 Biological Sciences/MRB III

Introduction to CSB Resources

The CSB will host a seminar on Friday, April 7 from 2:00 - 4:00pm in PRB 206 to give an overview of the resources available in the CSB for those in the research community. Light refreshments will be provided.

Zhao wins SER-CAT award

Our very own Bin Zhao has been selected to receive the 2006 SER-CAT Outstanding Science Award! The award comes with an invitation to speak at the annual SER-CAT symposium, which will be held this year at Georgia State University on March 10th.

Lacy to give invited talk at National Biodefense Meeting

One of our two newest colleagues, Borden Lacy, has been invited to give a talk at the Fourth Research Conference on Biodefense in Washington DC. The conference is held annually by the American Society of Microbiology and provides a forum for cutting edge research advances in the field of biodefense attracting leading experts from all over the world. The title of her talk is “Anthrax Toxin Receptors/Inhibitors”. It will be given as part of the Plenary Session on The Role of Structural Biology in Biodefense.

Molecular Biophysics Training Program Seminar

Brian Datillo, Chazin Lab presents, "The Modular Structure of RAGE and its Macromolecular Interactions."

Structural Biology Mini-Symposium, Dec. 1, 2005 2-4pm

2:00 pm Topic: A Tale of Two Macromolecular Assemblies by 3D Electron Microscopy Speaker: Phoebe Stewart, PhD Institution: VUMC Seminar Location: MRB3, Room 1220. 3:00 pm Topic: Trying to Elucidate Mechanisms of Eukaryotic Translation Initiation Speaker: Gerhard Wagner, PhD Institution: Harvard Medical School Seminar Location: MRB3, Room 1220

CSB Open House

The Center for Structural Biology will be holding an Open House on November 11. Presentations from 2-4 PM in 1220 BIOSCI/MRBIII will be followed by personalized tours of the facilities and a reception. All students, staff and faculty are encouraged to come by and learn about opportunities to apply structural biology approaches to their research and access cores and facilities.

CSB Biomolecular Visualization Workshop - Oct. 12-13, 2005

The CSB will host a two-session workshop in Biomolecular Visualization on October 12-13 from 1-4pm. This is an introductory workshop and assumes no prior knowledge or experience in the areas of molecular modeling or visualization. Beginners are encouraged to participate, as this is the target audience for this workshop. The fee for this workshop is $75, and will be limited to 13 participants.

Please visit the workshop website for a syllabus and more details.

Tennessee Structural Biology Symposium - September 9-10, 2005

TENNESSEE STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY SYMPOSIUM

Center for Structural Biology
Vanderbilt University
BIOSCI/MRB III; Room 1220

September 9-10, 2005
Starts at 5:00 PM on Friday

Keynote Speaker
James H. Prestegard, Ph.D.
Eminent Scholar Professor
University of Georgia

For details contact:
M. Sundaramoorthy, Ph.D.
Lori Michalowski

Sponsored by:
FEI Company
James River Technical
Cambridge Isotope Laboratories
GE Healthcare
Bruker Biospin

Molecular Biophysics Training Program Seminar Series

Chu Wang, Graduate Student from University of Washington, Biochemistry Presenting “Predicting Protein-protein Interactions by RosettaDock” on: Tuesday, September 6, 2005 12:00 – 1:25pm Room SC5326.

Molecular Biophysics Training Program Seminar Series August 16, 2005

Kristina Furse presents,

Sanders Lab produces folded GCPR in E. coli

The paper shows excellent quality NMR spectra obtained for vasopressin V2 receptor expressed in E. coli!!! Solution NMR spectroscopy of the human vasopressin V2 receptor, a G protein-coupled receptor. Tian C, Breyer RM, Kim HJ, Karra MD, Friedman DB, Karpay A, Sanders CR, J Am Chem Soc 2005 Jun 8 127(22):8010-1. See also citation in Faculty of 1000: http://www.facultyof1000.com/article/15926814

Molecular Biophysics Training Program Seminar Series July 5, 2005

Jens Meiler, Ph.D., Assistant Professor Presents “Protein Ligand Interfaces – From Flexible Docking to Enzyme Design” Tuesday, July 5, 2005 12:00 – 1:25pm Chemistry Building, Room 5502

Krezel and coworkers publish structure of RNP C coiled-coil

The Krezel group has just reported a high resolution solution NMR structure of the RNP C coiled-coil domain. See Journal of Molecular Biology, Vol. 350, Iss. 2, 2005, pages 319-337.

CSB researchers determine structural basis of multi-drug resistance transporter

Congratulations to the Mchaourab lab (Dong J, Yang G, McHaourab HS), who published a major breakthrough in the May 13 issue of Science entitled, Structural basis of energy transduction in the transport cycle of MsbA.

Potential Function Parameter Development Workshop

The Center for Structural Biology will teach a workshop in Potential
Function Parameter Development. This workshop is aimed at researchers who
wish to use molecular mechanics calculations to investigate the structure
and behavior of biomolecular systems.

The fee for this workshop is $100. Advance registration is required due to
limited capacity in the molecular modeling teaching lab. Please visit our
website for a more detailed description and links to the registration
page:

http://structbio.vanderbilt.edu/comp/workshops/parmdev/

The three-hour workshop will be held Wed. Feb. 16 from 1:30-4:30PM, hosted
in the College of Arts and Science Molecular Modeling Teaching Laboratory
(5119 Stevenson Center). Topics covered include:

- The mathematical expressions used in typical potential functions
- The physical justification for these expressions
- Strategies and procedures for development of suitable potential function
parameters
- Applications and limitations of typical potential functions used for
biomacromolecular calculations.

Recent Discoveries in Biochemistry Seminar Series, Murthy Karra, Ph.D.

Dr. Murthy Karra will present a seminar in association with the Recent Discoveries in Biochemistry Seminar Series. His title is Structure Determination of Membrane Proteins Using NMR: Challenges and Progress. The seminar will be held on Thursday, February 3, 2005 at 4:00 in Room 836 RRB. Refreshments will be served.

Dean's Lecture Series, John C. Gore, Ph.D. Invited Speaker

John C. Gore, Ph.D. is invited speaker for the Dean\'s Lecture Series. Dr. Gore is Chancellors University Professor and Director of the Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science. His title is New Horizons in Biomedical Imaging Science. The seminar will be Wednesday, February 2 at 12:00 Noon in 202 Light Hall. Lunch will be provided to RSVP email janelle.owens@vanderbilt.edu

Special VICB Mini-Symposium Wed. Feb 2

Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology is hosting a Mini-Symposium on Wednesday, February 2, 2005. The invited speakers are Dennis Dougherty of California Institute of Technology and Jeffrey Kelly of Scripps Research Institute.
Dr. Dougherty\'s title is Understanding Drug-Receptor Interactions in the Nervous System. Dr. Kelly\'s title is Protein Misfolding Disease Mechanisms and Small Molecule Intervention.
Please join us to hear these two prominent scientists at 3:00 in MRB III; Room 1220.

Molecular Biophysics Training Program Seminar, Dr. Michael Waterman Speaker

Dr. Michael Waterman, Professor and Chariman of Biochemistry at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine is the invited speaker for the Molecular Biophysics Training Program Seminar on Tuesday, February 1, 2005. His title is “Sterol 14α-Demethylase: A Cytochrome P450 Which is an Important Drug Target”. The seminar is held at 12:00 in the Chemistry Building, Room 5502. Lunch will be provided. For additional information please contact rita.r.urben@vanderbilt.edu.

Special Biochemistry Seminar, Hartmut Oschkinat Speaker

On Friday, January 28th at 12:00 Noon Hartmut Oschkinat with the Department of NMR - Supported Structural Biology Forshungsinstitut fur Molekulare Pharmakologie; Berlin, Germany will present a special seminar sponsored by the Biochemistry Department. Seminar title is Proteins and their Interactions Studied by Solutions and Solid-State NMR. The seminar will be held in Room 206 PRB.

Department of Biochemistry Seminar Thursday, January 27, 2005 Carmen A. Perez Speaker

The Department of Biochemistry has invited Carmen A. Perez to present a seminar as part of the Recent Discoveries in Biochemistry Seminar Series. The title of the seminar is Defining the Function of p63 in Breast Myoepithelial Cells. The seminar will be held Thursday, January 27th at 4:00 in Room 836 RRB. Refreshmnets will be served.

Special Lecture; John Dani, Ph.D. Chancellor\'s Chair Candidate

Dr. John Dani, Professor Department of Neuroscience, Menninger Dept of Psychiatry & Behavioral Science, Program in Structural & Computational Biology & Molecular Biophysics of Baylor College of Medicine will present a seminar on Tuesay, January 25th at 10:00AM in 208 Light Hall. Dr. Dani is a candidate for the Chancellor\'s Chair. His title is Cholinergic and Dopaminergic Mechanisms Contributing to Nicotine Addition.

Institute of Chemical Biology ,David Gin Seminar

David Gin of the University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign Department of Chemistry will present a seminar on Wednesday, January 26th at 12:15 in Room 1220; BSB/MRB III. His title is Exploring Strategies for Carbohydrate and Alkaloid Synthesis. For additional information contact Anne.B.Lara@Vanderbilt.edu.

Professor Wolfgang Driever Seminar

The Departments of Biological Science and the Developmental Biology Program and Fish Initiative have invited Professor Wolgang Driever to present a seminar. Dr. Driever is Hans Spemann Professor of Developmental Biology at Freiburg University in Germany. His title is Developmental Neurogenetics in Zebrafish: Cell Specification in the Dopaminergic and Noradrenergic Systems. The seminar will be Thursday, January 27th at 12:15pm in Room 1220 BSB/MRB III.

Department of Biological Sciences Seminar, Chris Janetopoulos, Ph.D.

Faculty candidate Dr. Chris Janetopoulos of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine is invited speaker on Monday, January 24th at 4:10; Room 1220 BSB/MRB III. His title is Polarity Circiuts in Migrating and Dividing Cells.

Biochemistry Seminar, Speaker Tim Stearns, Ph.D.

Dr. Tim Stearns of Stanford University is the guest speaker on Monday, January 24th for
Biochemistry 337: Molecular Aspects of Cancer Research Spring 2005 Seminar Series. He is an Associate Professor of Biological Sciences and Genetics. His title is Centrosomes and the Cell Cycle. The seminar is at 4:00 in 202 Light Hall.

Center in Molecular Toxicology Seminar, John T.Stivers, Ph.D.

James T. Stivers,Ph.D. Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine is invited speaker on Friday, January 21, 2005 at 4:00; 512 Light Hall.
His title is Dynamic Opening of DNA During the Enzymatic Search for a Damaged Base.

Molecular Biophysics Traininig Program Seminar

Dr. Laura Busenlehner is the invited speaker for the Tuesday, January 18th Molecular Biophysics Training Program Seminar. Her title is Extension of Amide H/D Exchange Mass Spectrometry to Membrane Proteins. The seminar will be at 12:00 in the Chemistry Building, Room 5502.(Note this is a new location). Lunch will be provided. For additional information please contact Rita Urben, rita.r.urben@vanderbilt.edu

Scientist Receive AAAS Honor

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Four Vanderbilt scientists – Walter J. Chazin, Director, Center for Structural Biology, Raymond N. Dubois Jr., Leonard C. Feldman and Dennis G. Hall – have been elected as fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), an honor bestowed upon them by their peers. They are being honored for contributions to research that runs the gamut from determining the atomic structure of proteins to paving the way for improved treatments of digestive diseases including colon cancer, from investigating the atomic structure of materials to providing new insights into the fundamental nature of light.

For entire article, please see: Article

Mini-Symposium, Thursday, December 16, 2004

The Center for Structural Biology is hosting a Mini-Symposium
Thursday, December 16, 2004
1:00 - 3:40pm
MRB III; Room 1220

Program
1:00 “Welcome”
Walter Chazin,Director, Center for Structural Biology

1:10 “New Opportunities for Neutron Structural Biology and Dynamics”
Dean Myles, Director, Center for Structural Biology, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

2:00 “The Structural Enzymology of Parkinson’s Disease”
Gregory Petsko, Gyula and Katica Tauber Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacodynamics, Brandeis University

2:50 “Integrated Computational Biology: From the Molecule to the Cell”
Andrew McCammon, Joseph E. Mayer Chair of Theoretical Chemistry, University of Cailifornia, San Diego

3:40 Informal Reception in Main Foyer

KaiC structure from Egli lab on the cover of Molecular Cell

The structure of cyanobacterial clock protein KaiC determined by CSB faculty member was Martin Egli and coworkers appears on the cover of the August 13 issue of Molecular Cell. The structure has revealed important insights into the workings of the circadian clock and the linkage to gene expression. This study is a collaboration with Carl Johnson from the Dept. of Biological Science.

SGI/Vanderbilt Press Release

SGI has issued a press release announcing our partnership with them in building a visualization center around their Onyx4 technology. See it here.

The facility consists of an 8-processor, 4-graphics pipe Onyx4 system, an SXGA passive stereo projector, and two 24-inch 1600x1024 widescreen active stereo CRTs. It is currently hosted by the College of Arts and Science in the molecular modeling teaching laboratory.

CSB Open House!!

Please mark you calendars for Friday afternoon November 5 for a Center for Structural Biology Open House.

Oral presentations, visiting, tours and special prizes.

Watch for more information on these pages and in future announcements.

Bowie seminars: April 21 and 22

James Bowie, Associate Professor in the
Departments of Chemistry and Biochemistry at UCLA will
give 2 lectures:

SAM Domain Polymers and the Construction of
Regulatory Complexes
Wednesday April 21, 2004
12:15pm, 1220 MRBIII

Membrane Protein Stability
Thursday April 22, 2004
3:00pm, 5131 MRBIII

Co-sponsored by the Center for Structural Biology and the
Institute of Chemical Biology

Sanders shows importance of membrane protein folding in disease

DataCentric Automation Seminar, Feb. 24

5131 MRBIII 10-11:30 a.m.
Dave Riling, General Manager of DataCentric
Automation, Nashville will present a seminar
covering the Rhombix Opus. There will be an open
discussion of the technology used to make a Solution
Based System, DCAs current efforts in automation of
protein expression and purification and the extension
of Rhombix to include X-ray diffraction data.

Rhombix Opus is an integrated system with a
common repository for data that improves the speed
and control of a crystallographers work by providing
a comprehensive tool for setting experimental design
parameters, automating protocols, and analyzing
results.

DataCentric Automation and the Biomolecular
Crystallography Facility in the Center for Structural
Biology are entering into a partnership to build an
integrated system for crystallography in the academic
environment.

Light Scattering Technology Seminar: Feb. 10th

Ron Myers from Wyatt Technology Corporation will present a seminar on Multi-angle light scattering (MALS) and Quasi-elastic light scattering (QELS) theory, instrumentation, and applications for macromolecules.

MALS is routinely used to determine biopolymer molar masses and radii, protein aggregation, protein glycosylation, critical micelle concentrations, polymer branching, polymer shape, and polymer viscosity.

QELS can be used to determine the hydrodynamic radii of biopolymers with radii as low as 1 or 2 nm thus making it an excellent complement to MALS.

Tuesday, February 10, 2004
10-11am
5131 MRBIII

Kovall Seminar - January 15 at 3:30

Faculty Candidate Dr. Rhett Kovall has been invited to present a seminar. Dr. Kovall is currently in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics at the Howard Hughes Medical Center at Columbia University.

PLEASE NOTE THIS TIME CHANGE! Refreshments will be available at 3:15.

Data visualization technology demo - Wed. Nov 12

See SGI demonstrate their new graphics supercomputer, the Onyx4, right here at Vanderbilt! Information on the Onyx4 is available at SGI's website. It will be set up in tandem with JRTI's VizEveryWhere 3D immersive projection system. The demo will start at 1:30 and last approximately 90 minutes. We will meet in 5119 Stevenson Center (first floor of the science and engineering building). If you have a current or future need for data visualization, please come and show your interest!

CSB Social Hour

The Vanderbilt Center for Structural Biology

Traditional StructBio Gathering
(Free Food, Beverages, and Camaraderie)

Friday, September 19, 2003
4:30-6:00 P.M. 
5th Floor, Biological Sciences/MRB III 

Seminar Announcement

Dr. James Keck, Asst. Prof., University of Wisconsin, Madison
Department of Biomolecular Chemistry

"Structural dissection of E. coli RecQ DNA helicase reveals physical insights into the molecular basis of Bloom's, Werner's, and Rothmund-Thompson syndromes"

Thursday, September 18, 2003 at 4:10 pm
1220 BioSCI/MRBIII

This seminar is co-sponsored by the Dept. of Biological Sciences and the Center for Structural Biology.

Center for Structural Biology Fellowship Announcement

The Center for Structural Biology (CSB) invites applications for graduate student and postdoctoral fellowships. The fellowship provides salary support to develop projects that use structural and biophysical approaches to address biological problems. Preference will be given to proposals designed to advance projects to the stage that demonstrates feasibility of structural analysis by NMR and/or X-ray crystallography.
Candidates from CSB laboratories are not eligible to apply.

• The postdoctoral stipend is $32,000/year plus full benefits; graduate students will be paid in accord with their home department policy.
• 100% of the recipient's effort must be directed towards the proposed research.
• The recipient can be a new or existing Vanderbilt postdoc or graduate student.
• The recipient must be in place by December 1, 2003.
• The fellowship is for 1 year of funding, although competitive renewal for a second year is possible.
• Full access to CSB equipment and instrumentation is included as part of the fellowship.
• Guidance from highly experienced CSB staff and faculty is available at all stages.
• The recipient will be required to submit progress reports to the CSB every 3 months.

Those selected for further review will be asked to submit a 3 page proposal due on October 6, 2003. Funds will be made available as soon as the decisions are made, no later than October 15, 2003.

Please submit applications to the Center for Structural Biology, 5142 BIOSCI/MRBIII. Questions can be directed to: Laura Mizoue (x6-2253).

Center for Structural Biology Annual Report

The Annual Report for fiscal 2002/2003 is now available. Please contact Melba Carpenter to obtain a copy.

Gerald Stubbs leads new fibre diffraction network

A network of fiber diffraction groups has been established to coordinate activities in the USA. The goal of the network is to develop biological fiber diffraction methods, particularly computational methods. This will be done through a program of software development, and through a series of retreats and workshops. The network software will be complementary to CCP13 software; together, they will eventually cover all aspects of biological fiber diffraction.

A major focus of activity will be cooperation between fiber diffractionists in the USA and others, particularly those in Britain. A second focus will be the coordinated use of the BioCAT X-ray beamline facility at the Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory. Network meetings will include three types of activity: retreats that will formalize a successful informal series held sporadically since 1989, workshops at BioCAT, and partial sponsorship of sessions organized by the fiber diffraction Special Interest Group of the American Crystallographic Association.

The network, formally known as Research Coordination Network: Fiber Diffraction from Biological Polymers and Assemblies, and informally as FiberNet, is supported by the National Science Foundation\'s Division of Molecular and Cellular Bioscience, through grant MCB-0234001.

Structbio Gathering: 15 November 2002

Thanks to Kristina Furse for her artistic efforts.

Vanderbilt Biomolecular Modeling Symposium

The Center for Structural Biology at Vanderbilt University will host a biomolecular modeling symposium and poster session on Friday and Saturday, September 20-21, 2002. Registration is required, but free (see below). Refreshments will be provided for the poster session on Friday night. Continental breakfast will be provided before the symposium on Saturday morning. The poster session will be judged, and the winner will receive a prize in the amount of $250. To participate in the contest, check the appropriate box on the registration page and enter your poster's title and abstract in the space provided. Be sure to sign up quickly as seating will be limited to about 120. Registration is on a first-come, first served basis. We reserve the right to limit the number of registrants from any single organization to ensure an appropriate cross-section in the attendance, but only if space becomes a problem. The deadline for registration is Friday, September 13, 2002. Please report cancellations to symposia@structbio.vanderbilt.edu by Friday, September 13, 2002 as well.

Structural Biology Social Hour: 14 June 2002

Come and join us for a drink and some munchies at the next general gathering of the Center for Structural Biology.

It will be held on Friday June 14th in the Biochemistry Conference Room (RRB-836) at 4:00 pm. Here is your personal invitation:

Structural Biology Postdoctoral Fellowship Announcement

Vanderbilt University Center for Structural Biology Postdoctoral Funding Opportunity. The Center for Structural Biology invites applications for postdoctoral fellowships. The intent is to encourage faculty to develop projects that use structural and biophysical approaches to address biological problems and to advance projects to the stage that demonstrates feasibility of structural analysis by NMR and/or X-ray crystallography. Funding will be awarded for a 1-year period to support projects from individual investigators or collaborative teams. Competitive renewal for a 2nd year is possible. The stipend is $32,000/year plus full benefits with full access to equipment and instrumentation within the Center. Funding is open to all Vanderbilt faculty. Letters of intent are due on July 1, 2002. Those selected for further review will be asked to submit a three-page proposal due on July 25, 2002. Funds will be made available as soon as the decisions are made, no later than September 1, 2002. Please submit applications to the Center for Structural Biology (PRB 896). Questions can be directed to: Dr. Laura Mizoue, (6-2253) l.mizoue@vanderbilt.edu

Seminar Announcement

Prediction of Peptide Binding to Families of Related Receptors, presented by Dr Vladimir Brusic, Thursday, 2:00 P.M., May 16, 2002 at Vanderbilt University, 836 RRB. Synopsis: Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules bind peptides and present them on cell surface for recognition by T cells of the immune system. MHC molecules are encoded by genes that show significant polymorphism. In humans, there are more than 500 characterised allelic variants of MHC for each MHC class I and class II. We developed a prediction system called MULTIPRED that was trained using virtual sequences that represent peptide-MHC interactions. The virtual sequences were constructed by combining the interaction sites from both peptide (ligand) and the receptor (MHC) inferred from the three-dimensional structure of MHC molecules. We applied the MULTIPRED system to a selection of human MHC class II molecules HLA-DR, and to the human MHC class I superfamily HLA-A2. MULTIPRED showed high accuracy in predicting HLA-binding peptides. In addition, we have shown that MULTIPRED can accurately predict peptide binding to HLA molecules for which no binding data are available. Biographical Information: Dr Vladimir Brusic is a research manager and the Head of the BioDiscovery Group at the Laboratories for Information Technology, Singapore. His current work includes computational modelling of biological systems, computational simulations of laboratory experiments, biological data warehousing, and functional genomics. Between 1989 and 1998, Dr Brusic was a bioinformatician at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute in Melbourne, Australia. He has a Doctoral degree in Bioinformatic and Master degrees in Biomedical Engineering, Information Technology, and Business Administration. Dr Brusic has published more than 50 articles in a broad range of bioinformatic fields.

Phase errors in XWINNMR 3.0

Many of you are aware of the recent upgrade of XWINNMR to version 3.0. This software had a bug in the phase incrementation routine and the problem has been fixed. Please refer to VUBNMR News for more information.

Structural Biology Social Hour: 15 March 2002

Come and join us for a drink and some munchies at the next general gathering of the Center for Structural Biology.

It will be held on Friday March 15th in the Biochemistry Conference Room (RRB-836) at 4:00 pm.

Here is your personal invitation:

Center for Structural Biology gathering

Come and join us for a drink and some munchies at the next general gathering of the Center for Structural Biology. It will be held on November 16 in the Biochemistry Conference Room (RRB-836) at 4:00. There will be a brief presentation in the form of a progress report on our development plan and the upcoming move to the new BIOSCI/MRBIII building.

News Site has been Updated!!!

The Structural Biology news center has been updated with two new features..

The first one is an editing feature which allows you to make changes to your submission before you actually submit your article.. The edit button will take you back to your form for you to make changes..

Secondly, when you click the preview button, another page will come up. This page lets you see what your article will look like once its on the internet. The preview page does not mean it has been actually submitted.. Only when you click the submit button is when your article is submitted..

With any questions or comments, email the webmaster by clicking the webmaster link..

thankyou
sravan

Vanderbilt Biomolecular NMR Symposium...

On Saturday October 6, 2001, The Center for Structural Biology will host a biomolecular NMR symposium. Registration is required, but free. Please visit the symposium homepage for more information. Contact vbnmr@structbio.vanderbilt.edu with questions.

A welcome to our readership

Please be sure to make use of this feature. It is a great way for us to stay in contact and updated on progress. And a big thanks to Jarrod and his group for the continued evolution of this website.

Structural Biology Homepage gets a new look...

We've revamped the home page to make it easier to view and navigate. Please send feedback to webmaster@structbio.vanderbilt.edu

Page author: webmaster
Last modified: January 30, 2009 15:45:39