Research Professor:

• Dr. Eric Arnoys
• Dr. David Benson
• Dr. Ronald Blankespoor
• Dr. Roger DeKock
• Dr. Larry Louters
• Dr. Darla McCarthy
• Dr. Karen Muyskens and Dr. Mark Muyskens
• Dr. Kumar Sinniah
• Dr. Douglas A. Vander Griend

Dr. Arnoys' study is of intracellular protein transport. We are examining specific proteins, hoping to determine both the amino acids responsible for targeting them to intracellular compartments as well as the transport proteins that guide them there. We are also using fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) to study how cellular changes affect the rates of protein transport.

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Project: Role of Adjacent Sulfhydrals in the Activation of GluT1 - A family of membrane imbedded proteins, known as GluT, transport glucose into cells. Phenylarsine oxide, chemical that binds tightly to the sulfur atoms of neighboring cysteine residues, completely blocks the activation of glucose transport initiated by glucose starvation.

Project: Glucose Deprivation Stimulates GluT1 Translocation
into Lipid Rafts - Cell stressors such as lack glucose can rapidly enhance the activity of the glucose transport protein, GluT1. The results of this project suggest that the activation of glucose transport triggered by glucose deprivation is accompanied by a movement of more GluT1 into lipid rafts.

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Sam Dyste
Deb Frieswyk & Lindsey Walters
Teresa Whalen
Andrew Tidball
Janelle Reckman
Nathan Stehouwer

We are studying bacteria isolated from soil contaminated with pentachlorophenol (PCP), a toxic pesticide formerly used extensively to treat wood products.  These bacteria are particularly interesting because in addition to resisting the toxic effects of PCP, they are also able to degrade PCP.  We are currently trying to understand how these bacteria protect themselves from PCP toxicity and to determine how they degrade PCP.

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Mike Heslinga
Tine Heetderks
Jodi Boer

Our research is focused on using single molecule techniques such as the atomic force microscope to study biomolecular interactions.  One of our research problems is to understand how small molecules bind to DNA oligomers at the single molecule level. We have examined small molecules that bind to the minor groove and intercalation positions on DNA and have found that the force necessary to pull apart the DNA strands can be used to discriminate the binding of small molecules to DNA.

A second project involves studying the biophysical interactions between enzymes and their inhibitors. We are interested in mapping out the kinetic and thermodynamic parameters for these interactions, as well as understanding the role that chemical handles play in tethering the enzyme and inhibitor for force spectroscopy measurements.

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Tamar Hunse
Stephanie Hoogendoorn
Sarah Kamper
Dena Vander Tuig
Jennifer Headley
Mark Vander Wal
Laura Porter-Peden
Joey Buthker
Rachel Veltman
Emily Tubergen
Susanna Lynch
Heather Baker

We focus on syntheses of materials using atoms from all over the periodic table to develop synthetic methods for nanotechnology and study thermochromic (change color with temperature) materials. We use a variety of difference synthetic techniques and many analytical tools such as NMR, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetry, and Equilibrium-Restricted Factor Analysis of spectrophotometric data.

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