Allan Rod Merrill

Dr. Allan Rod Merrill is a Professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Guelph. His research focuses on the biophysical and biochemical analysis of protein structure, dynamics, and function, particularly in bacterial toxins involved in disease. He holds a B.Sc. in Organic Chemistry from the University of Lethbridge and a Ph.D. from the University of Ottawa/National Research Council. He completed postdoctoral training at Purdue University under an NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowship.

His research program investigates membrane and soluble proteins involved in bacterial virulence, including colicin E1 ion channels, bacterial ADP-ribosyltransferase toxins, and toxin-inhibitor interactions. Key projects include structural analysis of C3larvinA (a RhoA-targeting toxin), computational studies of CT group toxins, and enzymatic mechanisms of Scabin toxin.

Dr. Merrill has published extensively on toxin structure-function relationships, membrane protein dynamics, and bioinformatics-driven protein analysis. His work bridges biophysics, biochemistry, and microbiology, with implications for understanding pathogen mechanisms and developing therapeutic strategies.

• Awards: NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowship
• Teaching: BIOC*4540 Enzymology, BIOC*3560 Structure and Function in Biochemistry
• Labs: SSC 2204 (primary lab)