Chemical Biology
Chemical Biology studies the fundamental chemical principles that govern all biological systems. The Chemistry department at Michigan is home to an exciting multidisciplinary program at the interface between Chemistry and Biology. Synthesis, measurement, and theory of biological molecules are important components of the program. Particular areas of expertise are Biological Catalysis, Biomolecular Structure & Function, Chemical Genetics, Chemical Imaging & Sensors, Metallo-Biochemistry, Nanobiology and RNA Biochemistry. Laboratory rotations of choice allow students to explore their individual areas of interest before choosing their thesis mentor. Students may also participate in the unique and NIH funded Chemistry & Biology interface, Molecular Biophysics, Cellular Biotechnology, Pharmacological Sciences and Microfluidics in Biomedical Sciences training programs of the University that span all science and engineering colleges and can include internships in industrial settings. We also offer a dynamic Future Faculty Program funded by the US Department of Education.
Biological Catalysis
Understanding how nature catalyzes the chemical reactions that occur in living organisms is a problem central to the field of chemical biology. Several research groups are using combinations of physical, chemical, and genetic approaches to investigate the reaction mechanisms of protein and RNA enzymes. Members of the department are studying a wide range of biologically important chemical reactions, including the modification of proteins by lipid, carbohydrate and other chemical groups, the generation of free radicals by enzymes, and how RNA molecules are specifically cleaved and processed in the cell.
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| Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2004 Oct 19;101(42):15064-9. Crystal structure of a eukaryotic zinc-dependent histone deacetylase, human HDAC8, complexed with a hydroxamic acid inhibitor. Vannini A, Volpari C, Filocamo G, Casavola EC, Brunetti M, Renzoni D, Chakravarty P, Paolini C, De Francesco R, Gallinari P, Steinkühler C, Di Marco S. |
Biomolecular Structure & Function
Biological macromolecules have precise three-dimensional structures that are essential determinants of their biological function. The exploration of the relationship between structure and function is key to understanding the chemical reactivity and molecular recognition properties of biological molecules. At Michigan, interests include: determination of the high resolution structure of macromolecules using spectroscopic and crystallographic methods; investigation of the molecular determinants of catalytic activity and molecular recognition; exploitation of macromolecules for the development of therapeutic agents, biocatalysts, biomaterials, and biosensors and understanding the role of natural and manufactured particles in cell inflammation and toxicity.
Chemical Genetics
In chemical genetics, cell permeable compounds are used as molecular probes to study intracellular processes, such as posttranslational modifications. Natural products often provide lead structures as the starting points for these agents. At Michigan, compounds with exquisite specificity for the treatment of genetic diseases have been obtained through the use of both rational design and combinatorial chemistry.
Chemical Imaging & Sensors
Imaging and sensing molecules is a central problem in areas ranging from the environmental to the biomedical sciences. Researchers in the Chemistry department, in collaboration with the Medical School, the School of Public Health, and the School of Engineering, are pioneering the design and synthesis of ultra-small devices for the detection of minute amounts of clinically relevant analytes and pathogens to probe biological pathways and to diagnose and treat diseases. On a more fundamental level, the chemical and catalytic properties of single biomolecules are studied.
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| PAMAM dendrimers with folic acid targeting ligands bind to KB cells (green fluorescence). The cell nuclei have been stained with DAPI (blue fluorescence). | X-ray fluorescence nanoprobe image of the distribution of Fe and Zn in a red blood cell infected with Plasmodium falciparum. |
Metallo-Biochemistry
It is estimated that one-third of all proteins contain a tightly bound metal ion. Metallo-Biochemistry explores the roles of metal ions in biological samples. At Michigan, interests range from the synthesis of small-molecule mimics for enzyme active sites to the structural, spectroscopic, and enzymologic characterization of metal sites in proteins and nucleic acids. A central theme guiding these studies is the effort to relate metal-ion structure and reactivity to biological function. The faculty at Michigan are also developing novel tools to analyse the function, localization and concentration of intracellular metal ions.
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| Catalysis by the hairpin ribozyme (stick figure) is monitored in real-time by single molecule fluorescence microscopy (background); the enzyme is accelerated by tertiary structure formation (3-D plot). Rueda, D., Bokinsky, G., Rhodes, M.M., Rust, M.J., Zhuang X., and Walter, N.G. (2004) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 101, p. 10066-10071. | Atom-level imaging of membrane proteins using NMR spectroscopy. Durr, U.H., Yamamoto, K., Im, S.C., Waskell, L., Ramamoorthy, A. (2007) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 129, p. 6670-6671 |
RNA Biochemistry
Non-protein coding RNAs are involved in a multitude of cellular processes ranging from protein synthesis, regulation and processing of genetic information to viral defense through RNA interference. At Michigan research on RNA Biochemistry includes ribozyme catalysis, RNA structure and dynamics, as well as molecular level dissection of the role of proteins required for ribosome assembly and RNA transcription.
Further Information
For more information about specific research interests or to contact a faculty member directly, see faculty listing by research area .
How to Apply
Application to the Chemistry Graduate Program at the University of Michigan.
For questions regarding admission, contact the department by:
Email: ChemAdmissions@umich.edu
Phone: toll free 888-999-2436 or 734-764-7278
Fax: 734-647-4865