Derek P. Claxton

Derek P. Claxton is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. He leads the Claxton Laboratory, which focuses on structural biology and mechanisms of substrate catalysis, transport, and inhibition in glucose and lipid metabolism. His work centers on PAP2 and MFS superfamily membrane proteins, particularly glucose-6-phosphatase, linking their dysfunction to metabolic diseases like diabetes and glycogen storage disease type 1.

His research employs an integrated approach combining cryoEM, crystallography, EPR spectroscopy, and computational methods (e.g., AlphaFold2 modeling). Collaborations include the O’Brien lab, and he is affiliated with the Center for Structural Biology and the Center for Applied Artificial Intelligence in Protein Dynamics at Vanderbilt.

Recent studies explore structural motifs in G6PC2, pathogenic variant analysis, and inhibitor design. His team investigates how genetic mutations impact enzyme activity and metabolic pathways, with implications for diabetes treatment and precision medicine.