Interdisciplinary Programs - Collaborative Research

Joint-Degree Ph.D. Programs

The BMB Department encourages interdisciplinary research to promote synergistic interactions between Biochemistry, Computer Science, Physics, Math, Chemistry, and other physical/quantitative disciplines at MSU. To fill this need, we have initiated joint PhD training programs in Biochemistry and Chemistry, Biochemistry and Physics, and Biochemistry and Computer Science. Joint Ph.D. degrees with Math are approved on a case by case basis. Students will be immersed in two languages and cultures in performing research at the interface between these disciplines. A primary advisor in Biochemistry and a research advisor in the secondary department mentor each student in his interdisciplinary Ph.D. project; joint Ph.D. degrees with Biochemistry as the secondary area are also possible. See the Guidelines for Interdisciplinary PhD Programs for details. Furthermore, a Quantitative Structural and Systems Biology Training Program is being developed; see http://QBMI.msu.edu for more information.

Interdisciplinary Research Programs

                    
Please click the logo to view the program's website.

Collaborative Research Projects

David Arnosti collaborations:

R. William Henry (BMB)- Retinoblastoma protein function in Drosophila

C. Chiu (Mathematics) - Modeling of cis regulatory grammar of short-range repressors

Zach Burton collaborations:

Michael Feig (BMB/CHM) and Maria Zavodszky (BMB)--Analysis of RNA polymerase II elongation using computational methods.

Gong, X.Q., Zhang, C., Feig, M., and Burton, Z.F. Dynamic error correction and regulation of downstream bubble opening by human RNA polymerase II.

Burton, Z.F., Feig, M., Gong, X.Q., Zhang, C., Nedialkov, Y.A., Xiong, Y. NTP-driven translocation and regulation of downstream template opening by multi-subunit RNA polymerases.

Christoph Benning collaborations:

Andreas Weber (PLB) and Michael Garavito (BMB)- Galdieria sulphuraria Genome Project (http://genomics.msu.edu/galdieria/)

Rob Larkin (BMB-PRL) and Lee Kroos (BMB) - Membrane-tethered transcription factors in Arabidopsis DOE-PRL Group Project

Pam Fraker collaborations:

Kate Claycombe (Food Sci Human Nutrition)- Modification of Hematopoiesis and Lymphopoiesis by Obesity.

Jim Pestka (Food Safety and Toxicology)- Modification of mucosal immune defense and induction of inflammation by food toxins.

Michael Garavito, Shelagh Ferguson-Miller, and David Dewitt - collaboration

John Allison (CEM), Christoph Benning (BMB), Kenneth Keegstra (PRL), David Weliky (CEM), Andreas Weber (Plant Bio), Honggao Yan (BMB), Donna Wang (CHM) - REF Center for Structural Biology of Membrane Proteins

Robert Hausinger collaborations:

John McCracken (Chemistry) - Spectroscopic characterization of metalloenzymes by pulsed EPR approaches

Denis Proshlyakov (BMB) - Resonance Raman spectroscopic characterization of high-valent iron-oxo reaction intermediates

Robert Hausinger collaborations

William Wedemeyer (BMB/Physics) - Structural modeling of the AidB flavoprotein

Michael Feig (BMB/Chemistry) - Structural modeling of the urease accessory protein UreG and the enantiospecific herbicide-degrading enzymes RdpA and SdpA

Leslie Kuhn and Maria Zavodszky (BMB) - in silico docking of R- and S-enantiomers of phenoxypropionic acid herbicides to RdpA and SdpA

Bill Henry collaborations:

David Arnosti lab (BMB) - Retinoblastoma protein function in Drosophila

Min-Hao Kuo lab (BMB) - Mechanism of p53 tumor suppressor function

James Geiger lab (CEM) - Structure of RNA polymerase III transcription complexes

Lee Kroos collaborations:

W. Wedemeyer (BMB) and J. Geiger (Chemistry) - Structure prediction and determination of Bacillus subtilis transcription factor SpoIIID

M. Garavito (BMB) - Expression of Bacillus subtilis SpoIVFB for structure determination

M. Feig (BMB) - Modeling of Bacillus subtilis SpoIVFB

C. Benning (BMB) and R. Larkin (BMB/PRL) - Membrane-tethered transcription factors of Arabidopsis

Leslie Kuhn collaborations: