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Ben Brown receives grant to develop nonaddictive painkillers with AI

Feb. 2, 2024—Ben Brown, assistant research professor in chemistry, was recently awarded $2.375M to develop nonaddictive painkillers with AI. The grant, an Avenir Award in Chemistry and Pharmacology of Substance Use Disorders, is awarded by NIDA to early-stage investigators who propose highly innovative studies and represent the future of addiction science. Ben’s research will focus on Mu-opioid...

John Yang appointed to JCTC Early Career Board

Feb. 2, 2024—John Yang, assistant professor of chemistry, was recently appointed to the inaugural Early Career Board (ECB) for the Journal of Chemical Theory and Computation (JCTC). The ECB initiative provides young investigators with guidance and insight into the editorial process as they pursue their independent research careers. The members will also provide input on journal strategies, act...

Eli McDonald presents Karpay Award Seminar January 23

Jan. 19, 2024—2024 Karpay Award Winner Eli McDonald, of the Meiler and Plate Labs, gives the MBTP/CSB Seminar on Tuesday, January 23, at 12:20pm in 1220 MRB3. Eli was drawn to scientific research from an early age. He studied the molecular dynamics of phospholipid bilayer self-assembly as an undergraduate at Vanderbilt University before joining Jens Meiler and...

Delving into polymerase α-primase dynamics

Jan. 5, 2024—In eukaryotes, DNA replication relies on the synthesis of a chimeric RNA/DNA primer by the heterotetrameric polymerase α-primase (pol-prim) enzyme. The primers generated by pol-prim consist of 7-10 ribonucleotides followed by ~20 deoxyribonucleotides and are generated by distinct active sites in the primase and polymerase subunits. Both primase and polymerase α consist of a catalytic...

A new toxin toolkit for C. diff

Dec. 1, 2023—Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) is a leading cause of diarrhea and healthcare-associated infections in the United States and recognized as an urgent threat by the Centers for Disease Control. Virulence of C. diff infections is believed to rely primarily on the production of two toxins: TcdA and TcdB. TcdA and TcdB are large homologous proteins...

Eli McDonald wins Karpay Award

Nov. 10, 2023—Congratulations to Eli McDonald, of the Meiler and Plate Labs, for being named the 2024 recipient of The Karpay Award in Structural Biology. “I am truly honored by this recognition,” Eli said. Eli has worked in the Meiler and Plate labs for four and a half years studying Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) using...

Is DZA the new DNA? Structural and functional studies of a novel artificial pairing system

Nov. 3, 2023—Xeno nucleic acids (XNAs) are artificial pairing systems that replace the traditional deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) system present in most organisms. XNAs are of particular interest in the discovery and development of therapeutics as synthetic molecules offer a wider range of metabolic stability, uptake, distribution and binding partners compared to native oligonucleotides. One of the most...

CSB Symposium 2024 speakers confirmed

Nov. 2, 2023—The CSB invites you to a day of exciting research, collaboration and networking on Thursday, March 28, 2024! CSB Symposium 2024 features talks from preeminent scientists engaged in cutting-edge research. The lineup of speakers includes Nozomi Ando, James Fraser, Jeanne Hardy and Andrej Sali as well as short talks by CSB junior faculty. Events also...

CSB Cryo-EM Directors receive Research Excellence Award

Sep. 29, 2023—Melissa Chambers and Scott Collier were recently recognized with the Research Excellence Award at the 2023 Fall Staff Assembly. The Cryo-EM co-directors were honored for their research support, which has made a significant impact on the process of discovery and the pursuit of knowledge at Vanderbilt. They created a road map for the future of...

A glimpse into higher-order mRNP assemblies

Sep. 29, 2023—In eukaryotic cells, mRNA is transcribed in the nucleus. Protein factors rapidly bind to newly transcribed mRNA to form a messenger ribonucleoprotein (mRNP), which is exported to the cytoplasm for translation. One complex in humans vital for the formation and export of mRNPs is the transcription-export complex (TREX). TREX consists of the THO complex, an...

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