BIOCHEMISTRY

Prof. Tom Record (Principal Investigator)

Steenbock Professor in Chemical Sciences; John D. Ferry Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry. B.A., Yale University; Ph.D.: University of California-San Diego
Faculty page
Research Description:
Protein-nucleic acid interactions, including kinetics and mechanism of transcription initiation, characterization of DNA wrapping in protein DNA complexes, development of small molecule solutes as thermodynamic and mechanistic probes of protein and DNA conformational changes.

Dr. Irina Shkel (Assistant Scientist)

Department: Biochemistry, Chemistry

Research Description:  Thermodynamics of complex fluids, DNA and protein solutions. Methods of numerical and analytical analysis of experimental data in kinetics and thermodynamics.

Dylan Plaskon (Graduate, 4th year)

Program: Integrated Program in Biochemistry
Subgroup:RNA polymerase
Research Description:  Investigating the effects of the discriminator on transcription initiation.
Pastime Activities/Hobbies:  Soccer, Hiking, Basketball, Trivia, Tennis 

Hao-Che Wang (Graduate, 1st year)

Program: Biophysics
Subgroup: RNA polymerase
Previous Education: BS (Life Science), Master (Molecule biology)
Research Description:Studying the discriminator effect on the mechanism of transcription initiation
Pastime Activities/Hobbies:  Playing the piano, listening to music, cooking, watching movies

Emily Zytkiewicz (Manager/Associate Research Specialist)

Subgroup: Solutes
Previous Education: B.S. (Biochemistry)
Research Description:
Quantifying chemical interactions of polyols with protein functional groups in order to develop solute probes of biopolymer processes
Pastime Activities/Hobbies: dancing, hiking, camping, gardening

Sarah Doughty (Undergraduate)

Major(s):  Biochemistry
Subgroup:  RNA Polymerase
Research Description:  Effects of the Discriminator on Transcription Initiation
Pastime Activities/Hobbies:  Running, hiking, and cooking

Kate McClure (Undergraduate)

Major(s):  Biochemistry
Subgroup:  Solutes
Research Description:  Studying the interaction potential of various solutes using solubility assays.
Pastime Activities/Hobbies:  reading, yoga, volunteering

Armor Anuchit Rupanya (Undergraduate)

Major(s):  Chemistry and Biochemistry
Subgroup:  Solutes
Research Description:  Studying interactions of naphthalene and amide at various temperatures via solubility assay
Pastime Activities/Hobbies:  Reading, painting, and hiking 

Taka Ishikuri (Undergraduate)

Major(s):  Biochemistry and Statistics
Subgroup:  RNA Polymerase
Research Description:  Studying the effects of the discriminator on transcription initiation
Pastime Activities/Hobbies:  Soccer, hiking, and skiing

Sumin Yang (Undergraduate)

Major(s):  Biochemistry
Subgroup:  Solutes
Research Description:  Measuring the interactions of polyols with functional groups of proteins using Vapor Pressure Osmometry.
Pastime Activities/Hobbies:  playing tennis, watching The Daily Show

Loran Cipala (Undergraduate)

Major(s): Chemistry
Subgroup: Solutes
Research Description:  Using Vapor Pressure Osmometry to measure organic molecule interactions with various protein functional groups. 
Pastime Activities/Hobbies: Dancing, running, baking, and riding dirtbike

Claire Evensen (Undergraduate)

Major(s): Biochemistry and Mathematics
Subgroup: RNA polymerase
Research Description:  Studying free energy in scrunching and characterizing pause points in RNA polymerase transcription 
Pastime Activities/Hobbies: Music, hiking, baking, reading

Keer Zhao (Undergraduate)

Major(s): sophomore, Chemistry
Subgroup: solutes
Research Description: 
Pastime Activities/Hobbies: cooking, reading, and watching films

Artun Kadaster (Undergraduate)

Major(s): Biochemistry
Subgroup: RNA Polymerase
Research Description: Studying kinetics of abortive transcription products with APU.
Pastime Activities/Hobbies: Flying airplanes, playing and listening to music, running, cooking/eating, and studying for exams.