Research Summary
The Gestwicki Laboratory is interested in molecular chaperones, protein homeostasis and protein misfolding disorders. To approach the big questions in this area, we use a chemical biology strategy that includes the discovery and optimization of new chemical inhibitors. We use these chemical probes to acutely perturb chaperone functions, revealing how these systems normally protect from cancer and neurodegeneration. Many of our chemical probes target allosteric and protein-protein interaction sites on the molecular chaperones and we have a significant interest in discovering inhibitors of "difficult" targets. We hope to better understand the logic of protein folding and misfolding and use this information to design more effective therapies.
Research Funding
August 15, 2016 - May 31, 2018 - Activation of the 20S Proteasome to Normalize Tau Homeostasis, Principal Investigator. Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R21AG053619
June 1, 2014 - February 28, 2018 - Exploration of Molecular Chaperone Complexes During Active Protein Triage, Co-Investigator. Sponsor: NIH/NIGMS, Sponsor Award ID: R01GM109896
February 1, 2012 - January 31, 2014 - Natural Product-Inspired Method for Enhancing HIV Protease Inhibitors, Principal Investigator. Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R21AI098431
August 1, 2012 - March 31, 2013 - Chemical Probes and Chaperone-Accelerated Turnover of Tau, Principal Investigator. Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R21AG042813
Education
State University of New York - Fredonia, B.S., 1997, Chemistry
University of Wisconsin – Madison (with Laura L. Kiessling), PhD, 2002, Biochemistry
Stanford University (with Gerald R. Crabtree), 2005, Post-doctoral, Chemical Biology