BourneLab @OU

Our research interests

are in the relation of protein function to dynamic macromolecular structure giving rise to phenotypes of interest.

Our team is highly collaborative – we are open to exploring new topics and happy to work with colleagues as we explore how different shapes in molecules impact important biochemical reactions to mediate positive health outcomes.

We are integrating X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy with biochemistry, microbiology, and other biophysical and computational techniques.

Active projects include:

1. How do ParE toxins interact with DNA gyrase to mediate inhibition? Can this molecular mechanism be mimicked with compound design to generate a next generation antibiotic?

2. Is there a universal TA system antitoxin capable of complexes with diverse ParE toxins, and can this be used to “cure” bacterial cells of plasmids bearing antibiotic resistance?

3. How do oxysterol binding proteins recognize their ligands and produce observed phenotypic responses? (collaboration with the Burgett lab, OUHSC)

4. Can other enzymes in the bacterial folate biosynthetic pathway be inhibited to give a super-synergy for antibiotic intervention?

5. How do Inc proteins from Chlamydia interact and subvert host cells? (collaboration with Lutter lab, OSU)