The faculty of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics perform research in a broad spectrum of biomedically relevant areas, including DNA and RNA structure and enzymology; protein folding, misfolding and aggregation; cellular mechanics; membrane receptor-mediated signaling; and hemostasis, thrombosis and vascular biology. The department offers training opportunities at the crossroads of biochemistry, biophysics, systems biology, computational science and pharmacological sciences.
The department's approaches to research focus on understanding the energetics, structure and mechanisms of biological processes. Investigators employ a variety of experimental methods (e.g., X-ray crystallography, nuclear magnetic resonance, optical spectroscopy, thermodynamics, rapid kinetics) in combination with computational approaches to unravel the molecular underpinnings of processes of relevance to health and disease. Novel single-molecule methods are providing new insight into the molecular details of enzyme mechanisms and macromolecule dynamics. The high-throughput screening of chemical libraries and the use of synthetic medicinal chemistry to develop small-molecule probes of biological systems provide new avenues for translational research and the development of experimental therapeutics.
The faculty in the department organize and teach basic science courses in the medical school curriculum. In the Graduate School curriculum, the faculty teach courses in Nucleic Acids & Protein Biosynthesis (Biol 548), Chemistry and Physics of Biomolecules (Biol 5357), and Macromolecular Interactions (Biol 5312). The overarching theme of these courses is to understand the principles of the molecular interactions that underlie the biological process of health and disease. Students in the School of Medicine and the Graduate School are eligible for these courses and may elect to pursue biomedical research under the direction of our faculty. A full listing of advanced course topics can be found on our website.
| Website: | http://biochem.wustl.edu |
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Department Chair
Visit our website for more information about our faculty and their appointments.
B
Jacques Ulrich Baenziger, MD, PHD
Professor Emeritus of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics (primary appointment)
BA New College of Florida 1969
MD Washington Univ in St. Louis 1975
PHD Washington Univ in St. Louis 1975
Wayne Morris Barnes, PHD
Associate Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics (primary appointment)
PHD Univ of Wisconsin Madison 1974
BA University of CA Riverside 1969
Gregory R. Bowman, PHD
Associate Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics (primary appointment)
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Associate Director of the CSELS
BS Cornell University 2006
PHD Stanford University 2010
Melissa Diane Stuchell Brereton, PHD, PHD
Instructor in Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics (primary appointment)
BS University of MO St Louis 2001
BS University of MO St Louis 2000
PHD University of Utah 2007
PHD University of Utah 2006
Peter M Burgers, MS, PHD
Marvin A. Brennecke Professor of Biological Chemistry (primary appointment)
BS Leiden University 1969
MS Leiden University 1972
PHD Leiden University 1977
C
John A Cooper, MD, PHD
Head of the Department of Biochemistry
Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics
Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology
BS Brown University 1977
MD Johns Hopkins University 1982
PHD Johns Hopkins University 1983
Sudha Mahajan Cowsik, MS, PHD
Instructor in Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics (primary appointment)
BS Panjab University 1969
MS Panjab University 1970
PHD Institute of Medical Science 1976
D
Greg Dekoster, PHD
Instructor in Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics (primary appointment)
BA Monmouth College 1990
PHD University of Iowa 1997
Roland Ellwood Dolle, MS, PHD
Associate Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics (primary appointment)
BS Arizona State University 1978
MS State University of New York 1980
PHD University of Pennsylvania 1984
E
Elliot L Elson, PHD
Emeritus Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics (primary appointment)
BA Harvard University 1959
PHD Stanford University 1966
F
Carl Frieden, PHD
Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics (primary appointment)
PHD Univ of Wisconsin Madison 1955
BA Carleton College 1951
G
Eric A Galburt, PHD
Associate Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics (primary appointment)
PHD University of Washington 2002
Roberto Galletto, PHD, MS
Associate Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics (primary appointment)
PHD University of Texas Galveston 2002
MS University of Genova 1996
Lina Greenberg, PHD
Instructor in Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics (primary appointment)
PHD Tufts University 2010
BS Brandeis University 2004
Michael Jonathan Greenberg, PHD
Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics (primary appointment)
PHD Boston University 2010
BS Brandeis University 2004
H
Kathleen Hall, PHD
Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics (primary appointment)
BS University of Minnesota 1974
PHD University of CA Berkeley 1985
Alexander Steven Holehouse, PHD
Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics (primary appointment)
PHD Washington Univ in St. Louis 2017
I
Maxenia Garcia Ilagan, PHD
Associate Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics (primary appointment)
Associate Professor of Developmental Biology
PHD University of Missouri 2000
BS School Not Listed 1992
J
James W Janetka, PHD
Associate Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics (primary appointment)
PHD Univ of Wisconsin Madison 1996
BS University of Illinois 1990
K
Michael S Kinch, PHD
Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics (primary appointment)
Associate Vice Chancellor and Director Center Research Innovation in Biotechology
Professor of Radiation Oncology
PHD Duke University 1993
BS Ohio State University 1989
Alexander Kozlov, PHD, MS
Instructor in Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics (primary appointment)
PHD Moscow State University 1994
MS Moscow State University 1983
Andrzej Modest Krezel, MS, PHD
Associate Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics (Pending Executive Faculty Approval) (primary appointment)
MS University of Warsaw 1986
PHD Univ of Wisconsin Madison 1991
L
Weikai Li, MS, PHD
Associate Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics (primary appointment)
MS University of Tenn Chattanooga 1998
BS East China Univ of Sci & Tech 1993
PHD Yale University 2004
Timothy M Lohman, PHD
Brennecke Professor of Biophysics in Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics (primary appointment)
BA Cornell University 1973
PHD Univ of Wisconsin Madison 1977
M
Garland R Marshall, PHD
Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics (primary appointment)
Professor of Biomedical Engineering
PHD Rockefeller University 1966
BS California Institute Technolo 1962
Joseph B Monahan, PHD
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics (primary appointment)
PHD Univ South Carolina Columbia 1983
BS State Univ of NY Buffalo 1977
N
Natalie Marie Niemi
Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics (Pending Executive Faculty Approval) (primary appointment)
O
Michael D Onken, PHD
Associate Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics (primary appointment)
PHD Washington Univ in St. Louis 2000
BA Washington Univ in St. Louis 1990
P
Linda J Pike, PHD
Alumni Endowed Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics (primary appointment)
PHD Duke University 1980
BS University of Delaware 1975
R
Janice Lee Robertson, PHD
Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics (primary appointment)
PHD Cornell University 2009
BS University of Toronto 2002
Ana Maria Ruiz Manzano, PHD
Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics (primary appointment)
PHD Universidad Automoma de Madrid 2004
S
Andrea Soranno, MS, PHD
Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics (primary appointment)
MS University of Milan 2005
PHD University of Milan 2008
W
Gabriel Waksman, MS, PHD
Adjunct Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics (primary appointment)
MS School Not Listed 1980
BS School Not Listed 1979
PHD School Not Listed 1982
Katherine Anne Henzler Wildman, PHD
Adjunct Associate Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics (primary appointment)
BS Cornell University 1998
PHD University of Michigan 2003
Z
Rui Zhang, PHD
Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics (primary appointment)
BS Nanjing Medical University 2005
PHD Baylor University 2010
Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics Research Electives
During the fourth year, opportunities exist for many varieties of advanced clinical or research experiences.
Wayne M. Barnes, PhD
McDonnell Sciences Building, 2nd Floor
Phone: 314-362-3351
Inventing a new way to sequence DNA; PCR at one temp; RT-enabled Taq pol
Greg Bowman, PhD
South Building, 2nd Floor
Phone: 314-362-7433
The Bowman lab seeks to understand how protein dynamics gives rise to functional processes like allosteric communication between distant sites and to exploit our insight into this shape-shifting to design new drugs and proteins.
Peter M.J. Burgers, PhD
South Building, 1st Floor
Phone: 314-362-3872
Molecular biology of DNA replication and damage response in yeast and humans
John Cooper, MD, PhD
South Building, 2nd Floor
Phone: 314-362-0287
Molecular mechanisms of cell motility and cytoskeleton assembly
Carl Frieden, PhD
McDonnell Sciences Building, 2nd Floor
Phone: 314-362-3344
Protein folding, aggregation, intrinsically disordered proteins, fluorescence methods, ApoE lipoproteins and Alzheimer's disease
Eric A. Galburt, PhD
McDonnell Sciences Building, 2nd Floor
Phone: 314-362-5201
Biophysical studies of transcription initiation in eukaryotes and mycobacterial tuberculosis
Roberto Galletto, PhD
McDonnell Sciences Building, 2nd Floor
Phone: 314-362-4368
Mechanistic studies of DNA motor proteins
Michael Greenberg, PhD
McDonnell Sciences Building, 2nd Floor
Phone: 314-362-8670
Our lab is focused on cytoskeletal molecular motors in health and disease. We are currently studying the effects of mutations that cause heart disease.
Kathleen Hall, PhD
South Building, 2nd Floor
Phone: 314-362-4196
We study RNA folding and RNA binding to proteins.
Alex Holehouse, PhD
McDonnell Sciences Building, 2nd Floor
Phone: 314-273-8371
Understand how function is encoded into disordered sequences using a combination of computational and experimental approaches
Jim Janetka, PhD
Cancer Research Building, 2nd Floor
Phone: 314-362-0509
Rational structure-based drug design and synthesis for cancer and infectious disease
Andrzej Krezel, PhD
McDonnell Sciences Building, 2nd Floor
Phone: 314-362-8482
Structural biology of transcriptional regulation in the gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori
Weikai Li, PhD
McDonnell Sciences Building, 2nd Floor
Phone: 314-362-8687
Structural and biochemical studies of membrane proteins supporting blood coagulation
Timothy M. Lohman, PhD
North Building, 2nd Floor
Phone: 314-362-4393
Mechanisms of DNA-protein interactions; DNA motor proteins (helicases) and SSB proteins
Garland R. Marshall, PhD
Cancer Research Building, 2nd Floor
Phone: 314-935-7911
A major focus is molecular recognition: the basis of intermolecular interactions and specificity seen in drug and hormone receptors and in antigen-antibody and substrate-enzyme systems.
Linda Pike, PhD
McDonnell Sciences Building, 2nd Floor
Phone: 314-362-9502
Our focus is on the mechanisms of action of growth factors and polyphosphoinositide metabolism.
Janice Robertson, PhD
McDonnell Sciences Building, 2nd Floor
Phone: 314-273-7758
Our goal is to understand how and why membrane proteins fold, form stable complexes, and achieve conformational stability inside of the oil-filled cell membrane.
Andrea Soranno, PhD
South Building, 2nd Floor
Phone: 314-273-1632
Our main research interests are the physical principles and molecular mechanisms that determine biomolecular function.
Rui Zhang, PhD
McDonnell Sciences Building, 2nd Floor
Phone: 314-273-1663
We combine single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy and concepts from polymer physics to investigate intrinsically disordered proteins. We also develop innovative methods to study macromolecular conformations and dynamics within cells and in membraneless organelles.
The Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics also offers courses through the Graduate School. For a full listing of courses offered, please visit the university online course catalog.
Visit online course listings to view offerings for M15 Biochem.