Biochemistry & Microbiology - Faculty Interests

Arthur J. L. Cooper, Ph.D., D.Sc.
Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

B.Sc. (Hons) 1967, University of London; M.Sc. 1969, University of London; Ph.D. 1974, Weill Medical College of Cornell University; D.Sc. 1986, University of London

Research/Interests – amino acid-, sulfur- and energy metabolism; vitamin B6-containing enzymes; bioactivation (toxification) mechanisms; transglutaminases (protein cross linking enzymes); neurodegenerative diseases.

Martin I. Horowitz, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

B.S. 1950, M.A. 1952, Brooklyn College; Ph.D. 1957, Rutgers University

Research/Interests - Interaction of glucose with histones and membrane lipids, properties and characterization of sulfotransferases, nutritional biochemistry.

Tze-chen Hsieh, Ph.D.
Research Assistant Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

B.S., 1984, National Chung Shing University; M.S., 1988, Texas Tech University; Ph.D., 1992, Texas Tech University

Research/Interests - Mechanism of chemoprevention by phytochemicals in prostate cancer; Control of prostate cancer microenviroment by resveratrol; Transcriptional control of phase II detoxification enzyme; Induction of autophagy by amino acid deprivation.

Boris F. Krasnikov
Research Assistant Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

M.S., 1983, Tomsk State University; Ph.D., 1992, Moscow State University

Research/Interests - Mechanism of mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT).

Ernest Y.C. Lee, Ph.D.
Professor and Chairman of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

B.Sc. (Hons.) 1961, University of Cape Town; Ph.D. 1966, University of London

Research/Interests - Protein phosphatases: studies of the enzymology, structure-function relationships and regulation of ser/thr protein phosphatases.

Marietta Y.W. Lee, Ph.D.
Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

B.S. 1965, Nazareth College; M.S. 1968, New York University; Ph.D. 1973, University of Miami

Research/Interests - DNA replication, DNA polymerases, DNA repair, cell cycle regulation.

Susan C. Olson, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

B.S. 1978, College of Charleston; M.S. 1980, Western Carolina University; Ph.D. 1984, Wake Forest University

Research/Interests - Signal transduction, regulation of phospholipase D pathway by protein kinase C and G proteins.

Esther L. Sabban, Ph.D.
Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Graduate Program Director

B.S. 1970, M.S. 1972, Hebrew University; Ph.D. 1977, New York University

Research/Interests - Molecular neurobiology, molecular mechanisms of stress, regulation of gene expression for catecholamine-synthesizing enzymes and neuropeptides by stress, nicotine and estrogen.

Lidia Serova, Ph.D.
Research Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Ph.D., 1977, Pavlov’s Institute of Physiology, St. Petersburg, Russia; Dr. Sci., 1992, Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Novosibirsk, Russia

Research/Interests - Molecular neurochemistry, of regulation catecholamine biosynthetic enzyme gene expression by nicotine and estrogen.

Yuk-Ching Tse-Dinh, Ph.D.
Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

B.A. 1977, Hollins College, Ph.D. 1982, Harvard University

Research/Interests - Protein-DNA interactions; topoisomerase structure and function; gene regulation and DNA supercoiling.

Bernard I. Weinstein, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

B.A.1962, Franklin & Marshall College; Ph.D. 1969, University of Chicago

Research/Interests - Biochemistry of steroid action, metabolism of cortisol and the biological activity of the metabolites, enzyme deficiencies in glaucoma.

Joseph M. Wu, Ph.D.
Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

B.S. (Hons.) 1970, McGill University; M.S. 1972, Ph.D. 1975, Florida State University

Research/Interests - Identification, purification, and characterization of resveratrol targeting proteins; cardioprotection by resveratrol; chemoprevention by tocotrienols in breast cancer; studies of reversine in cell cycle control; control of cancer cell proliferation and gene expression by mushroom extracts (read more).

Zhongtao Zhang, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Research/Interests -

Secondary Appointments in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Wei Dai, Ph.D.
Professor of Medicine; Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

B.S. 1982, Nanjing Agricultural University; M.S. 1986, Ph.D. 1988, Purdue University

Research/Interests - Cell cycle regulation.

Ira S. Schwartz, Ph.D.
Professor and Chairman of Microbiology and Immunology; Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Professor of Medicine

B.S. 1968, City College of New York; Ph.D. 1973, City University of New York

Research/Interests - Molecular pathogenesis of Lyme disease and other tick-borne pathogens, functional genomics.