معرفی
Brian Bahnson is a Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Delaware within the College of Arts & Sciences. His research focuses on understanding enzyme mechanisms through structural biology approaches, particularly X-ray crystallography.
Dr. Bahnson's educational background includes:
- B.S. (1986) from University of Massachusetts, Amherst
- Ph.D. (1991) from Brown University
- National Institutes of Health Postdoctoral Fellow (1991-194) at University of California Berkeley
- Postdoctoral Fellow (1994-1998) at Brandeis University
Dr. Bahnson's research explores the catalytic power of enzymes with a focus on two main areas: using X-ray crystallography to solve structures of substrate complexes and enzyme reaction intermediates, and understanding the role of evolved ordered enzyme motions in catalysis. His work aims to answer fundamental questions about how active site components contribute to catalysis, what transition states look like, and how enzyme motions facilitate catalytic processes.
His laboratory pursues structural determination of medically significant enzymes, particularly those related to atherosclerosis. One key focus is on human HDL and LDL associated enzymes, including PAF acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH), which has connections to heart disease and shows promise as a bioscavenger for organophosphate neurotoxins. The lab also studies human senescence marker protein 30 (SMP30). Dr. Bahnson employs a multidisciplinary approach combining protein expression, site-directed mutagenesis, kinetics, homology modeling, and X-ray crystallography to understand structure-function relationships.
Dr. Bahnson's publication record demonstrates strong expertise in structural enzymology, with a focus on phospholipases, acetylhydrolases, and their interactions with organophosphorus compounds. His work bridges basic science with potential medical applications, particularly in cardiovascular disease and nerve agent detoxification.
Dr. Bahnson actively mentors students in his laboratory. His research group includes:
- Sean Berard
- Josh Simpson
- Mikul Duggal
- Chuan Ding
- Jared Miller
His laboratory utilizes various techniques including protein expression, site-directed mutagenesis, enzyme kinetics, homology modeling, and X-ray crystallography to advance understanding of enzyme mechanisms and structure-function relationships.
