Our projects are funded by NSF and NIH grants, including a NIH sponsored Program Project to investigate how, and in what ways, atomic motion in proteins contributes to their proper functioning. The latter project is a collaborative project involving the laboratories of Vern Schramm, Steve Schwartz, and the Callender lab at Albert Einstein, Tom Muir at Rockefeller University, and Brian Dyer at Los Alamos National Laboratory. From time to time, we expect postdoctoral positions to be available to work on this project as well as other lab projects. The successful candidates will join a good sized group studying several interesting areas including enzyme structure and function studies and the early dynamics of protein folding. Please inquire to the email address below if you are interested in such a position.
The study investigating how the dynamical nature of proteins contributes to the enormous catalytic power of enzymes employs advanced laser methods to initiate the catalyzed chemistry in as fast as 10 ps, while the structure of the evolving system is mapped out with fluorescence and isotope edited vibrational spectrosocpies. Atomic motion, and its relationship to the on-going catalyzed chemistry, is characterized over a very large time span, from 10 ps to minutes, and with structural specificity. The techniques being brought to bear on this subject are state-of-the-art, and some of the work will be devoted to their development. Recent representative examples of this work can be found in Current Opinion in Structural Biology 12, 628 (2002), Biochemistry 41, 3353 (2002), Biochemistry 42, 2941 (2003), and Biophysical J. 89, L07 (2005).
The group working on these projects is quite inter-disciplinary, and individuals with a background in physical chemistry, biophysics, biophysical chemistry, and/or laser spectroscopy might be suitable for this position. Persons with a background of studying enzyme kinetics using more conventional approaches would find that background particularly valuable. The person joining the group will have substantial latitude in selecting what particular aspect of the projects he or she will focus on. Salary will depend on qualifications, and reappointment for several years is possible.
Inquiries can be addressed to dynamics@medusa.bioc.aecom.yu.edu. Applications and letters of reference should be sent to the same address.