Bethany A. Buck

Bethany A. Buck serves as Associate Professor of Chemistry and Adjunct Associate Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Utah, with additional affiliation as Associate Member of the Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) Cancer Center. Her research bridges structural biology, biophysics, and cancer epigenetics to investigate molecular mechanisms of gene regulation.

Education:

• B.S., University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point
• Ph.D., University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

Research Expertise: Dr. Buck's laboratory employs a multidisciplinary approach integrating structural biology, biophysics, biochemistry, and cellular biology to study protein-DNA interactions, with primary focus on methyl-CpG binding proteins (MBPs) that interpret DNA methylation signals. Her work elucidates how MBPs recognize methylated DNA sequences to trigger chromatin remodeling and transcriptional silencing in cancer development, utilizing parallel in vitro structural/biophysical and cellular genomic methodologies to investigate MBP:DNA complexes and protein interaction networks.

Publication Trends: Analysis of her 2013-2024 publications reveals consistent focus on structural characterization of epigenetic regulators, evolving from foundational studies of zinc finger readers (2013-2018) toward integrated DNA damage response mechanisms (2021-2024). Recent work expands into G-quadruplex dynamics and peptide macrocyclization techniques while maintaining core emphasis on cancer epigenetics, demonstrating methodological diversification within nucleic acid biochemistry.

Scientific Awards: No awards are documented in the provided materials.

Academic Leadership: Dr. Buck mentors graduate students in the Biological Chemistry and Molecular Biology Ph.D. programs, directing laboratory research that combines X-ray crystallography, biophysical assays, and genomic approaches. Her work receives institutional support through HCI Cancer Center resources and departmental infrastructure.

Research Infrastructure: The Buck laboratory operates within the University of Utah's bioscience ecosystem, leveraging core facilities for structural biology and genomics to advance understanding of epigenetic dysregulation in cancer, with current projects targeting therapeutic intervention points in MBP regulatory networks.