Luis A Marky

Luis A Marky is a Professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), where he is affiliated with the College of Pharmacy. His academic home is situated at the UNMC campus in Omaha, Nebraska, where he conducts research and teaches in the field of nucleic acid biophysics.

Dr. Marky's research focuses on the biophysics of nucleic acids, particularly the molecular forces that control the conformational stability and flexibility of various DNA and RNA structures. His work encompasses a wide range of nucleic acid conformations including linear duplexes, hairpins, bulges, mismatches, internal loops, bent duplexes, junctions, triplexes, G-quadruplexes, i-motif tetraplexes, and pseudoknots. He investigates how ligands interact with these structures, how non-canonical DNA and RNA structures can be targeted, and the role of water in biomolecular stability.

Analysis of Dr. Marky's publication record reveals a consistent focus on the thermodynamic and structural properties of nucleic acids spanning several decades. His research shows an evolution from fundamental studies of DNA duplex stability to more complex investigations of non-canonical structures like G-quadruplexes and their biological implications. Recent work demonstrates increasing interest in the connections between nucleic acid structure and disease mechanisms, particularly in cancer biology.

• Fulbright Scholar (Peru, 1998)

Dr. Marky serves as a course coordinator for Pharmaceutical Biochemistry and Therapeutic Applications of Proteins and Nucleic Acids at the professional level, and for Quantitative Pharmaceutical Analysis and Biophysical Chemistry at the graduate level. He also lectures in Physical Pharmacy and Advanced Medicinal Chemistry, demonstrating a strong commitment to pharmaceutical education across multiple levels.

His laboratory work, conducted in facilities with phone contact 402-559-7870/5384, focuses on experimental biophysics of nucleic acids using various techniques to measure thermodynamic parameters and structural properties. This research contributes to our understanding of fundamental biomolecular processes with potential applications in drug development and gene therapy.