PhD Program: Biochemistry & Biophysics
| Name | PhD Program | Research Interest | Publications |
|---|---|---|
| Sode, Koji WEBSITE PUBLICATIONS |
PHD PROGRAM RESEARCH INTEREST |
Our strategic research concept is to create novel molecules through biomolecular engineering to develop biosensing technologies dedicated to health care management. Ultimately, we aim to create innovative biodevices to realize closed-loop therapies which can aid in the detection and/or diagnosis of medical conditions and provide medicine/treatment to patients suffering from various diseases (metabolic disorders, neural degenerative diseases, mental disorders, cancer, etc.). The targets for our biomolecular engineering are enzymes, antibodies, binding proteins, receptors/transporters, aptamers, and synthetic molecules. |
| Tamir, Tigist WEBSITE PUBLICATIONS |
PHD PROGRAM RESEARCH INTEREST |
Systems Metabolism and Signaling Lab Oxidative stress, a byproduct of energy production essential for all living organisms, arises from an imbalance of reactive oxygen, nitrogen, and carbonyl species (ROS/RNS/RCS). These highly reactive molecules present a significant waste management challenge within cells. Through evolution, oxidative stress response (OSR) pathways have emerged as critical guardian of cellular homeostasis, adept at neutralizing potentially harmful reactive molecules. Dysregulation of OSR—whether due to insufficient or excessive capacity to resolve oxidative damage—is a hallmark of numerous human diseases. For example, cancer cells co-opt OSR pathways by rewiring signaling and metabolism which leads to the development of resistance to chemotherapy. The Systems Metabolism and Signaling Lab (i.e. Tamir Lab) seeks to unravel the biochemical intricacies of how cells defend against oxidative stress by investigating the cell signaling-mediated regulation of metabolism. We aim to address fundamental questions about the biochemistry of OSR regulation, including:
To tackle these questions, we employ a multidisciplinary approach that integrates biochemistry, proteomics, metabolomics, molecular biology, and systems biology. Our work focuses on dissecting the regulatory networks governing OSR and identifying targetable pathways implicated in obesity and cancer. As a member of the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Nutrition, and Computational Medicine Program, we bridge molecular insights with systems-level understanding as we strive to illuminate novel and effective strategies for therapeutic interventions. The Systems Metabolism and Signaling Lab is committed to fostering a collaborative, creative, and diverse group that is invested in mutual growth. |
| Jenson, Justin WEBSITE PUBLICATIONS |
PHD PROGRAM RESEARCH INTEREST |
Our lab studies molecular interactions between bacteria and the viruses that infect them, called phage. For billions of years, phage and bacteria have been locked in a ‘molecular arms race’. To survive, bacteria have evolved many immune systems to protect against infection and, in response, phage have counter-adapted to evade these defenses. Our lab is interested in 1) understanding how these systems work biochemically and structurally and 2) discovering new factors involved in this ‘molecular arms race’. We are particularly interested in systems that share homology with human immune factors. |
| Popov, Konstantin WEBSITE PUBLICATIONS |
PHD PROGRAM RESEARCH INTEREST |
The Popov Lab develops inventive, cutting-edge approaches to solve problems in modern computational structural biology and drug discovery. Their computational research, in collaboration with experimental screening and medicinal chemistry efforts in the Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery enables the identification of novel chemical probes and drug candidates to advance understanding of biological processes. |
| Leiderman, Karin WEBSITE PUBLICATIONS |
PHD PROGRAM RESEARCH INTEREST |
I am a mathematical biologist interested in the biochemical and biophysical aspects of blood clotting and emergent behavior in biological fluid-structure interaction problems. I especially love mathematical modeling, where creativity, biological knowledge, and mathematical insight meet. My goal is to use mathematical and computational modeling as a tool to learn something new about a biological system, not just to simply match model output to experimental data. My research paradigm includes an integration of mathematical and experimental approaches, together with statistical analyses and inference, to determine mechanisms underlying complex biological phenomena. This paradigm culminates in the contextualization of my findings to both the mathematical and biological communities. My research program is focused mainly on studying the influence of biochemical and biophysical mechanisms on blood coagulation, clot formation, and bleeding. |
| Starbird, Chrystal PUBLICATIONS |
PHD PROGRAM RESEARCH INTEREST |
Our lab is interested in understanding the structural basis for activation of cell surface receptors. Using a combination of biochemistry, structural biology and cell biology, we seek to understand how the membrane environment and receptor:ligand interactions are modulated to generate the wide diversity of signaling regulated by these receptors, and how these interactions are modified in disease. |
| Berlow, Rebecca WEBSITE PUBLICATIONS |
PHD PROGRAM RESEARCH INTEREST |
Our lab is interested in the molecular mechanisms of adaptive stress responses. These responses to environmental or metabolic stress are essential for survival but frequently dysregulated in disease. We use an integrated approach combining biophysical, structural, and biochemical methods to investigate the roles of intrinsically disordered proteins and dynamic enzymes that orchestrate these critical stress responses, with the ultimate goal of developing new approaches for modulating the functions of dynamic molecules. |
| Ramos, Silvia WEBSITE PUBLICATIONS |
PHD PROGRAM RESEARCH INTEREST |
Our research is focused on RNA-binding proteins and their physiopathological roles. An understudied aspect of human disease is gene regulation by modulation of mRNA function. In our research lab we investigate functional connections between the RNA-binding protein Zinc Finger Protein 36 Like-2 (ZFP36L2 or L2) and human diseases. L2 is a member of the Tris-Tetra-Proline or Zinc Finger Protein 36 (TTP/ZFP36) family of RNA-binding proteins that bind Adenine-uridine-Rich Elements (AREs) in the 3’ untranslated regions of target mRNAs. Upon binding, L2 accelerates mRNA target degradation and/or inhibits mRNA translation, ultimately decreasing the protein encoded by the L2-target mRNA. We have three particular goals:
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| Li, Zibo WEBSITE PUBLICATIONS |
PHD PROGRAM RESEARCH INTEREST |
My research has focused on developing new radio-chemistry, imaging probes, and therapeutic approaches including nanomedicine for various diseases. Most importantly, we have the culture of forming an active collaboration with people in different field. With a cGMP lab located within our facility, we are also experienced on developing lead agents and translate it to clinic. |
| Jiang, Guochun WEBSITE PUBLICATIONS |
PHD PROGRAM RESEARCH INTEREST |
Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is effective in suppressing HIV-1 replication in the periphery, however, it fails to eradicate HIV-1 reservoirs in patients. The main barrier for HIV cure is the latent HIV-1, hiding inside the immune cells where no or very low level of viral particles are made. This prevents our immune system to recognize the latent reservoirs to clear the infection. The main goal of my laboratory is to discover the molecular mechanisms how HIV-1 achieves its latent state and to translate our understanding of HIV latency into therapeutic intervention. Several research programs are undertaking in my lab with a focus of epigenetic regulation of HIV latency, including molecular mechanisms of HIV replication and latency establishment, host-virus interaction, innate immune response to viral infection, and the role of microbiome in the gut health. Extensive in vitro HIV latency models, ex vivo patient latency models, and in vivo patient and rhesus macaque models of AIDS are carried out in my lab. Multiple tools are applied in our studies, including RNA-seq, proteomics, metabolomics, highly sensitive digital droplet PCR and tissue RNA/DNAscope, digital ELISA, and modern and traditional molecular biological and biochemical techniques. We are also very interested in how non-CD4 expression cells in the Central Nervous System (CNS) get infected by HIV-1, how the unique interaction among HIV-1, immune cells, vascular cells, and neuron cells contributes to the initial seeding of latent reservoirs in the CNS, and whether we can target the unique viral infection and latency signaling pathways to attack HIV reservoirs in CNS for a cure/remission of HIV-1 and HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). We have developed multiple tools to attack HIV latency, including latency reversal agents for “Shock and Kill” strategy, such as histone deacetylase inhibitors and ingenol family compounds of protein kinase C agonists, and latency enforcing agents for deep silencing of latent HIV-1. Several clinical and pre-clinical studies are being tested to evaluate their potential to eradicate latent HIV reservoirs in vivo. We are actively recruiting postdocs, visiting scholars, and technicians. Rotation graduate students and undergraduate students are welcome to join my lab, located in the UNC HIV Cure Center, for these exciting HIV cure research projects. |