Our research group uses EPR and NMR spectroscopy to study the structure, dynamics, and molecular transformations of membrane proteins. We are currently studying membrane transport, membrane fusion, and protein interactions on cell surfaces that regulate cell-signaling processes.

Membrane proteins represent oneof the most significant challenges in the field of structural biology. They are a large fraction of the proteins expressed by the cell (30 to 40%), yet less than one-half of one percent of the structures that have been deposited inthe Protein Data Bank are membrane proteins. At the same time, the majority of pharmaceuticals currently in use are thought to target membrane proteins.