Dr. J. Ellis Bell

Professor of Chemistry
Co-coordinator, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Program
D-303 Gottwald Center for the Sciences
Office: (804) 289-8244
Fax: (804) 287-1897

http://facultystaff.richmond.edu/~jbell2/

Teaching:
Biochemistry

Research:
Covalent structure of biologically active molecules such as proteins and enzymes is readily available from enterprises such as genome sequencing projects. Likewise 3-dimensional structures are available for many proteins. This information however represents only the first stage of an intriguing series of questions relating to protein structure-function relationships that requires a detailed understanding of the non-covalent interactions in proteins and how subtle changes in covalent structure, such as produced by post-translational modifications can dramatically change biological function. The laboratory focuses in particular on how dynamic aspects of protein structure are involved in both catalysis and allosteric regulation of multi-subunit proteins.

Education:
D.Phil., Oxford University