Keck Lab Spring 2022
Left to right, top to bottom: Andrew, Aidan, Kat, Kaushik, Sarah, Alex, Rachel, Jim, Joey, Haley, Nina
Principal Investigator
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James L. Keck 
Professor
Department of Biomolecular Chemistry
Associate Dean for Basic Sciences (UW SMPH)
Affiliated with:
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Graduate Students
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Alex Duckworth
5th Year IPiB Student
Research Bio: My research in the Keck Lab focuses on the biochemical and structural mechanisms of DNA Replication Restart, an essential genome maintenance process in bacteria which functions to initiate origin-independent DNA replication. I use biochemical assays, including helicase assays with radiolabeled DNA substrates, to probe the mechanisms of the PriA helicase, a protein that facilitates Replication Restart. I also use structural methods, including x-ray crystallography and electron microscopy, to study Replication Restart protein complexes. |
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Andrew Sung
5th Year CMB Student (co-mentored with Dave Pagliarini)
Research Bio: My research focuses on mitochondria, which are the powerhouse of the cell. I am interested in better understanding the process by which Complex I (CI) of the mitochondrial respiratory chain is assembled. Specifically, I am studying the poorly characterized CI assembly factor NDUFAF6, using a mix of proteomic, genetic, and biophysical approaches to elucidate its biochemical function in the context of CI assembly. |
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Rachel Cueny
4th Year IPiB Student
Research Bio: My work in the Keck lab focuses on guanine quadruplexes (G4s), which are DNA or RNA secondary structures that appear to have roles in regulating DNA replication, transcription, and translation. Using a chemical-genetic screen, I am working to elucidate the role of G4s in bacteria as well as determine the genes that are essential for G4 processing. I am also working to further understand the mechanisms of G4 unwinding by various G4 helicases. |
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Sarah McMillan
3rd Year IPiB Student
Research Bio: My work in the Keck Lab focuses on guanine quadruplexes (G4s), noncanonical DNA or RNA secondary structures that play a role in regulating replication, transcription and translation. Using biochemical and genetic screens, I am identifying proteins that can interact with G4s in the gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis. Additionally, I am biochemically characterizing proteins that are involved in DNA replication restart, an essential process in bacteria, through helicase assays with radiolabeled DNA substrates. |
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Nina Bonde
3rd Year IPiB Student (co-mentored with Michael Cox)
Research Bio: My research focuses on understanding how single-stranded DNA gaps that are created when DNA lesions are skipped over during genome replication are repaired. I use a variety of high-throughput sequencing, biochemical, and structural approaches to understand the genetic and protein-protein interactions that occur during postreplicative DNA gap repair. |
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Haley Deorio
2nd Year IPiB Student
Research Bio: My research focuses on understanding the regulatory mechanisms of restarting failed DNA replication reactions in E. coli. By using single-molecule, biochemical, and structural approaches, my work will specifically characterize the PriA-PriB replication restart pathway. |
Undergraduate Students
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Jadon Tan
Sophomore at UW Madison |
Staff
