About “Patricia A. Jennings”

Education

1991                                  Ph.D., The Pennsylvania State University

1985                                  B.A., Rutgers University

Awards and Academic Honors

1997                                  Sloan Research Fellow

1996                                  Hellman Faculty Fellow

1991-1994                        NIH Postdoctoral Fellow, The Scripps Research Institute

Research Interests

While it is critical for a protein’s structure to be unique and stable, changes in this structure are imperative for binding and catalysis. It is now evident that many protein recognition processes incorporate conformational changes as a requisite event for function. In this manner, protein structure and dynamics are intimately linked with biological activity. We utilize a combination of methods including high resolution multinuclear NMR for solution structure determination, and stopped flow optical, hydrogen/deuterium exchange and mass spectrometric techniques to investigate how protein structure and dynamics are linked with biological activity in solution. Specifically, we are asking: (1) The fundamental question of how amino acid sequence directs protein folding and assembly and (2) What protein/protein interactions are responsible for localization and modulation of signal transduction events?