Carla Mattos

Carla Mattos is a Professor and Associate Dean of PhD Programs and Graduate Affairs in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Northeastern University’s College of Science. Her research focuses on understanding macromolecular complex assembly and function, particularly in Ras GTPases and their signaling pathways. She leads the Mattos Lab, which employs structural biology, X-ray crystallography, and computational methods to study protein interactions, allostery, and ligand discovery.

Her expertise includes structural biology of signaling proteins, chemical biology techniques, and the development of the Multiple-Solvent Crystal Structures (MSCS) method. Notable contributions include discovering an allosteric mechanism in Ras and advancing tools like the DRoP program for solvent analysis. She has advised multiple PhD students and collaborates with cell biologists to bridge structural and cellular biology.

• Labs/Centers: Mattos Lab, Center for Structural Biochemistry
• Recent Recognition: College of Science Faculty Excellence Awards (2023)
• Key Projects: RASopathy mutation studies, KRas4B/calmodulin interactions, and protein-ligand binding site analysis

Publications span Ras isoform comparisons, oncogenic mutations, and structural biology innovations, with over 60 peer-reviewed articles. Her work aims to uncover mechanisms for targeted cancer therapies and improve drug design strategies.