معرفی
Cathrine Southern is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at DePaul University's College of Science and Health. As a full-time faculty member, she teaches courses including General Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, and Biophysical Chemistry. Her office is located in McGowan South, Room 321B, and her lab is in Room 320.
Dr. Southern's research program focuses on biophysical chemistry with two main thrusts:
- Investigating antibody structure using single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET), particularly how structural changes due to mutations or sugar removal impact immune function.
- Developing fluorogenic FRET-based peptide substrates to monitor inflammatory caspase activity, with the goal of creating selective substrates for each caspase to elucidate their individual roles in inflammation.
Her publication record from 2003 to 2018 demonstrates a progression from fundamental physical chemistry (e.g., spectroscopy of anthranilic acid) to applied biochemical and immunological research. The majority of her recent work centers on FRET applications in antibody and caspase studies, reflecting her lab's specialization in fluorescence spectroscopy for biological problems.
No scientific awards were listed in the provided information.
Dr. Southern actively contributes to the academic community through service on multiple university committees (Chemistry and Biochemistry Advising Committee, Curriculum Committee, General Chemistry Committee) and as a reviewer for journals including the Journal of Chemical Physics and Journal of Physical Chemistry A. She directs the Southern lab, which collaborates with Dr. Caitlin Karver's research group on inflammatory caspase projects.
