Lab of the Month Archive
Schmeing Lab – December, 2024
The focus of the Schmeing lab is on understanding how large, natural biosynthetic enzymes make their interesting and valuable products. Two of our favorite types of biosynthetic enzymes are nonribosomal peptide synthetases, NRPSs, which synthesize compounds like the antibiotic daptomycin, the anti-tumour actinomycin and the immunosuppressant cyclosporin, and cyanophycin synthetase, which makes an extremely useful green polymer. We combine cryo-EM, crystallography, chemical biology, biophysical and biochemical techniques to visualize and understand these awesome enzymes.
David Lab – November, 2024
At the Yael David Lab at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, MSKCC, members are passionate about advancing the boundaries of epigenetics research within a supportive, collaborative environment. The research in the David Lab leverages key techniques from chemical biology, biochemistry, and cell biology to explore fundamental aspects of epigenetic regulation through an interdisciplinary approach. Beyond their scientific pursuits, group members are dedicated to fostering a collaborative and positive environment where all lab members can thrive.
Kiessling Lab – October 2024
Led by Professor Laura Kiessling at MIT, the Kiessling lab has a passion for carbohydrates — the biomolecules coating every cell on Earth. This coat, termed the glycocalyx, serves as a critical conduit of information. Using chemical biology, the Kiessling lab interrogates ways in which the glycocalyx enables microbes to escape host immune recognition. The group harnesses synthetic chemistry, molecular dynamics simulations, molecular and cell biology, as well as immunology to unpack the importance of glycan-protein interactions at the forefront of many diseases.
Nitsche Lab – September 2024
Cutting-edge research meets a vibrant, diverse, and collaborative culture in the Nitsche lab at the Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra. Led by Professor Christoph Nitsche, the team is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of peptide chemical biology, focusing on innovative modification techniques for constrained peptides as advanced drug leads. Lab members take pride in the wonderfully diverse and welcoming culture, with members from several parts of the globe.