Charles Carter

Charles Carter is a Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His research bridges structural biology, evolutionary origins of genetic coding, and mechanistic enzymology, with a focus on aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRS) and their ancestral forms. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of California, San Diego (1972), postdoctoral training with Aaron Klug at Cambridge, and has held sabbaticals in France, supported by NIH Fogarty and Fulbright Fellowships.

• Alfred P. Sloan Foundation ($1.5M) for studies on the origin/evolution of the genetic code
• W.M. Keck Foundation ($1M) for research on codon-directed protein synthesis pre-ribosomes

Research Themes: Carter’s work explores how pre-biotic chemistry gave rise to the proteome and how long-range intramolecular communication drives enzymatic catalysis. His lab developed Urzymology to experimentally model ancestral catalysts, supporting the Rodin-Ohno hypothesis of bidirectional aaRS evolution. Computational thermodynamic modeling and structural perturbation analyses link catalysis to conformational free-energy landscapes.

Scientific Contributions:

• Relate aaRS structural modules to catalytic proficiency in ancestral peptides
• Correlate amino acid properties with tRNA recognition mechanisms
• Quantify domain motion thermodynamics in tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase (TrpRS)

Advocacy and Interests: A vocal progressive political commentator, Carter’s personal interests include winter sports (snowshoeing, cross-country skiing), modern dance (created the NTP Celebration Suite to illustrate molecular motor mechanics), and cultural critique. As past President of the American Crystallographic Association, he integrated art and science through performances at conferences.