James Briggs

Dr. James Briggs is a Professor in the Biology and Biochemistry Department at the University of Houston, affiliated with the Cullen College of Engineering. His research focuses on molecular dynamics, enzyme mechanisms, and drug design, particularly targeting viral proteins, cancer pathways, and cellular signaling systems. He holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Purdue University (1990).

Education:

• Ph.D., Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, 1990

Research Interests:

Dr. Briggs’ work spans computational and experimental approaches to study protein interactions, drug resistance mechanisms, and enzyme catalysis. Key areas include:

• Molecular dynamics simulations of viral integrases and ion transport proteins
• Design of anti-cancer and anti-viral inhibitors (e.g., HIV-1 integrase, SARS-CoV-2 antibodies)
• Structural biology of enzymes like alanine racemase and Rho kinase
• Development of RNA structure prediction algorithms
• Biochemical mechanisms of apoptosis and cell signaling

Grants & Awards: No awards explicitly listed in the provided text. Active grants may relate to NIH-funded drug design projects or collaborative research initiatives.

Labs/Teams: Likely part of the University of Houston’s Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering research groups, though specific lab names are not mentioned.