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department of Biochemistry

Donald L. Gill, PhD

A Message from Donald L. Gill, PhD

Professor and Chair, Department of Biochemistry

 

As Chair of the Department of Biochemistry, welcome to our website. Biochemistry represents one of the cornerstones of basic biomedical sciences. Our understanding of the molecular basis of cell function and disease rests heavily on deciphering the interactions between molecules and the mechanisms by which cellular reactions take place. The disciplines of biochemistry and molecular biology are crucial foundations for medical research and our department provides an outstanding platform for technology and training in these areas.

 

The Department of Biochemistry at Temple University School of Medicine has a strong program of biomedical research and a distinguished record of education. All research faculty participate in the new interdisciplinary Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program. Research within the Department of Biochemistry has greatly expanded and substantial resources of funds and infrastructure have been applied to the department to develop our research capabilities. Since my recruitment in 2007 from the University of Maryland to become Chair of Biochemistry here at Temple, my mission has been to expand research and build upon the academic excellence of the Department. We have expanded the faculty of the Department of Biochemistry with five new recruits to bring the number full-time faculty with primary appointments in the Department to a total of 21. As described under the individual faculty web pages, most faculty members have active research programs and many have substantial federally funded research support. In addition, the Department to Biochemistry has ten adjunct faculty members including those within the Department of Chemistry and Department of Biology in Temple University School of Science and Technology, or within our affiliated institutions, Fox Chase Cancer Center and the Geisinger Clinic. The School of Medicine invested approximately $4 million to rebuild an entire floor of the Kresge Hall research building, including extensive state-of-the-art open laboratory space and a new central administrative area to provide a focus for the Department of Biochemistry. A further $4 million was invested in faculty recruitment, new instrumentation and renovations to existing laboratory space.

 

Research within the Department of Biochemistry centers on a number of different themes including:

  • Molecular structure and function: investigation of the functional domains of enzymes, channels and receptor proteins through mutational modification and biophysical structural analytical techniques
  • Transcriptional regulation: function and mechanism of transcription factors and their role in controlling cellular development and the onset and progression of disease states
  • Molecular signaling mechanisms: study of the structure and function of signaling proteins involved in control of signal transduction pathways
  • Proteomics: assessment of the spectrum of proteins expressed in cells during normal and disease state using automated mass spectrometric analysis
  • Cancer cell and molecular biology: assessment of basic cancer cell biology using molecular, cellular, and biophysical approaches
  • Molecular mechanisms in disease: study of transcription, signaling and metabolic control at the cellular and molecular level and relationship to cancer, cardiovascular and other disease states
  • Developmental and epigenetic cellular control: study of cell development, genomic imprinting, and the role of cellular environment in controlling the function of normal and diseased cells

A particular research strength that has been expanded within the Department is in the area of molecular and cellular signaling, with an integration of expertise in:

  • Fundamental molecular mechanisms of signal transduction pathways
  • Structural understanding of the function of signaling proteins
  • The role of signaling proteins in controlling cell growth and cell death
  • How cellular and environmental stress alter the signaling mechanisms of cells

Moreover, we are an integral component within the School of Medicine’s mission to build strong translational research programs to enhance the transformation of basic science discoveries into better patient care. We provide a translational platform of fundamental molecular and cellular research, undertaking well-funded translational and collaborative research programs particularly in the areas of:

  • Cancer
  • Cardiovascular and lung diseases
  • Autoimmunity and diseases of the immune system
  • Developmental origins of disease in embryogenesis
  • Epigenetic cellular control and genomic imprinting.

In addition to a breadth of excellent investigator-based research programs, we provide two specialized research components:

  • The Proteomics Research Facility, providing cutting edge technologies in proteomics and metabolomics, including a Bruker Daltonics Autoflex II MALDI TOF/TOF™ Proteomics Analyzer allowing automated protein identification by peptide mass fingerprint analysis based on peptide fragment mass and stored databases
  • The Molecular Imaging Facility, providing an outstanding combination of multi-photon and laser scanning confocal microscope systems including the acquisition of a Carl Zeiss LSM 710 NLO Multiphoton Confocal Imaging System. The system has crucial deeper tissue imaging capabilities and was purchased with partial support from a new NCRR shared equipment award.

For additional information on the department please feel free to contact Katie Pope pope@temple.edu (215-707-3979), our departmental Administrative Assistant.

 

Click here to learn more about our research programs. Click here to learn more about our Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program.

 

Sincerely,

Donald L. Gill, PhD