Cellular transport insights for new disease therapies

Elisar Barbar has built an impressive international following for her pioneering work on the structure, assembly, and regulation of dynamic protein complexes. A particular area of expertise is in the study of “intrinsically disordered” proteins (IDPs), proteins that are at least partially unfolded as they function, making them particularly challenging to study without high-powered technology. Barbar’s work has included leading a coalition of scientists to secure $2 million in external research funding to purchase a state-of-the-art 800MHz NMR instrument, helping establish OSU as a regional center with the most prestigious NMR facility in the state of Oregon.

Uncovering medical insights with genetic tools in fungal biology

Michael Freitag, one of the most respected scientists in fungal biology, is at the forefront of researching how genes are regulated by DNA or protein modifications. His groundbreaking work uses epigenetic tools to unlock the potential of fungi to produce new, medically important molecules. Epigenetics, a rapidly growing field that focuses on heritable changes in gene expression, may hold answers to many questions we are only beginning to answer, such as variations in how we age, as well as the factors that influence susceptibility to deadly diseases like cancer. 

Freitag's lab has published over 100 papers in prestigious journals like Nature, Science and Genome Research. He recently received a 4-year, $840K grant from the National Science Foundation for his project on gene silencing in fungi.

Using synthetic biology to expand the frontiers of medical technology

Ryan Mehl is a professor of biochemistry and biophysics and director of the world’s first-ever Genetic Code Expansion center, GCE4All. Unnatural proteins are developed using a cutting-edge technology known as genetic code expansion. The procedure synthetically expands genetic code to include an extra amino acid, creating artificial proteins that can be used to model naturally occurring life systems. The technology provides his lab unique control over construction of proteins in or on materials and study of oxidative stress diseases.

Trailblazing the gut-brain frontier

Maude David’s research on the gut-brain axis and application of deep learning to neurological diseases, particularly autism, has earned international reputation. Her impressive CV includes 13 manuscripts in esteemed journals and securing more than $9.5 million in funding from diverse sources. Her pioneering efforts extend beyond academia, as she has initiated companies like NeuroBiome LLC and Microbiome Engineering LLC, aligning with the College of Science’s mission for community health.

Exploring the link between aging and age-dependent diseases

Alysia Vrailas-Mortimer focuses on how different factors such as aging and exposure to toxins (pesticides and heavy metals) contribute to neurological disorders and muscular dystrophies. Using fruit flies to study Parkinson’s disease, her goal is to determine how a stress response protein protects against Parkinson’s-associated, iron-induced oxidative damage. Parkinson’s affects more than one million people in the U.S., and her research could provide the basis for future therapeutic strategies. She is also interested in the link between aging and other age-dependent diseases such as Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and muscular dystrophies.

Better cancer treatments through understanding cells

Bo Sun studies how cells in a group work together and make decisions. His research focuses on understanding how cells process information, how they communicate with each other, and how they organize based on both chemical and physical cues. He looks at how cells respond to their environment, such as through chemical signals or mechanical forces, and how these interactions affect their behavior. Specifically, he investigates how cancer cells use these communication and organizational processes to thrive and how we might disrupt these processes to develop better cancer treatments.