March 1, 2017
Michael Rape
UC Berkeley, USA
Michael Rape is interested in understanding principles of ubiquitin-dependent signaling and the roles of this posttranslational modification during cell division and differentiation. His work bridges the identification of critical ubiquitylation enzymes in cancer cells and embryonic stem cells with a biochemical dissection of the mechanisms that underlie the modification of important substrates. His studies provide insight into reactions that are required for normal development and whose misregulation causes several diseases, most notably cancer.
Rachel Klevit
University of Washington, USA
Research in the Klevit group is directed towards an understanding of molecular recognition, with an emphasis on protein-protein interactions that play important roles in human disease. We use a variety of structural, biochemical, molecular biological, and biophysical techniques, with a major emphasis on high resolution NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Furthermore, we collaborate with colleagues focused on functional aspects of the systems we study. Ongoing projects in the group include the following systems: BRCA1, the breast cancer susceptibility protein; protein ubiquitination in general; human small heat shock proteins alpha-B crystallin and HSP27; and PhoQ, a virulence factor in pathogenic bacteria.
