Dr. Ramaswamy, aka Rams, is ultimately responsible for the lab and its direction. Being trained in x-ray crystallography at Uppsala, he is the expert to whom everyone goes to for help in setting up crystallizations, optimizing conditions, collecting data, and solving protein structures.
Lokesh is the lab's expert in protein cryo-cooling. Following his Ph.D. in flash-freezing of protein crystals, he joined the lab and is now the primarily responsible for the x-ray crystallography core facility. He spends most of his time studying PLUNCS working with Prof. Paul McCray in Pediatrics.
Nathan has the longest history in the Ramaswamy lab, starting work during his undergraduate studies. Now he is heading up the inflammation branch of the lab's activities with his doctoral research on NOD proteins. He defended his thesis on July 24th.
Adam was the first Chemical Engineering graduate student in the lab. His work is closely related to Dan's and studies the role of particular active site residues in the function of Rieske dioxygenase enzymes.
Eric is the second M.D./Ph.D. student in the Ramaswamy lab. His research explores the electron transport properties of Rieske ferredoxin proteins including those found in Rieske dioxygenase systems.
Heather's role has been growing in lab over the past year. She is now fulfilling the role of lab manager and general lab assistant.
Former Members
Christine is working with Nathan Coussens on sialic acid binding proteins. Last year she developed a phylogenetic tree of related proteins. Now she is working with other members of the lab to make these proteins and determine their structures. She is now doing her MD at the Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa.
Emily is working with Adam Okerlund on two projects: the first is a proprietary crystallization project, the second is to determine the structures of proteins in a new dioxygenase system. Emily now is finishing her Masters Degree in Cancer Biology. She is looking to join a MD/PhD program in the near future.
Aaron is an undergraudate working on two projects: sialic acid binding proteins with Eric and Nathan and Alzheimer's disease proteins. Aaron is now a graduate student at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
Dan Ferraro, one of three M.D./Ph.D. students in the lab, recently successfully defended his doctoral research on the structural basis for product formation in Rieske dioxygenase enzymes. He is now back in medical school completing the clinical years for his MD degree.
Sonia was a Chemical Engineering graudate student. Her interests currently include inflammation and tissue engineering. She has moved to continue her graduate studies at the University of Delware.
Chi-Li Yu was formerly a postdoc in Dr. David Gibson's lab in Microbiology. As part of Dr. Gibson's lab, she was responsible for the identification, purification, and functional analysis of many dioxygenase proteins. We'll miss her now that she's moved on to work for the CBB full time.
Jon Mowers is an excellent research assistant. Starting in the lab as part of his Biochemistry undergraduate degree, he has since become an indespensible lab manager and technician. We miss him greatly. He is currently a M.D./Ph.D. student at University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Wensheng is the expert molecular biology technician and fermentation guru. We utilized his extensive expertese in growing and purifying proteins while he was with our lab but now he's a prized employee of the CBB.