Investigator, Asst Prof (M) Nephrology, Mass General Research Institute

Assistant Professor of Medicine Harvard Medical School

antigens, cd11b; integrin alphavbeta3; integrins; protein structure, quaternary; protein structure, tertiary; protein subunits; receptors, cell surface Our laboratory focuses on solving the three-dimensional (3D) structure of biologically important macromolecules at atomic resolution using X-ray protein crystallographic techniques. The resulting 3D structures allow us to better understand the structure-function relationship of these molecules when combined with other molecular and cellular biological approaches. They can also provide critical information for structure-based drug design. More specifically, we target on structural elucidation of a class of cellur adhesion receptors called integrins, which are involved in various human ailments including glomerulonephritis, allograft rejection, heart attacks, restenosis, cancer, arthritis, and infection. We are also working to develop a new class of anti-integrin drugs with more efficiency but fewer adverse effects using the 3D models we have generated.