James Bardwell

James Bardwell is a Professor in the Department of Molecular Cellular Developmental Biology at the University of Michigan and an HHMI Investigator since 2005. His research spans protein folding, molecular chaperones, and RNA interactions, with applications in neurodegenerative diseases and biotechnology. He earned his PhD at the University of Wisconsin and trained at NCI, Harvard, and University of Regensburg.

• Education:
• PhD in Molecular Biology, University of Wisconsin
• Postdoctoral training in mRNA Stability (NCI), Bacterial Genetics (Harvard), and Protein Folding (University of Regensburg)

Research Focus: Investigates intrinsically disordered proteins, amyloid formation, and molecular chaperone mechanisms. His lab combines biophysical experiments with computational approaches to study protein-RNA interactions and neurodegenerative disease pathways.

Recent Work: Explores non-specific RNA binding by disordered proteins (2025), β-lactam resistance mechanisms in E. coli (2025), and nicotine-degrading flavoenzyme engineering (2023). Collaborations span structural biology, biophysics, and extremophile enzyme applications.

Awards:

• Howard Hughes Medical Investigator
• Rowena G. Matthews Collegiate Professor

Laboratory: The Bardwell Lab at the University of Michigan integrates interdisciplinary methods, including NMR, crystallography, and directed evolution, to address fundamental questions in protein science. Outside academia, he contributes to public science engagement through museum tours.