Faculty Advisor: Dr. Brian Volkman Email: dwhitney@mcw.edu Phone: (414) 955-8615
Research Area
Cell Polarity and Cancer, PDZ domain signaling.
I am pursuing a doctoral degree in Dr. Brian Volkman's laboratory. I entered the Biochemistry Department via the Interdisciplinary Program in Biomedical Science.
My research project covers the signaling pathways of the PDZ domain of a apically associated protein called Par-6. Par-6's signals are mediated by the binding of the small GTPase Cdc42, and its behavior is linked to the metastasis of breast cancer. My particular interest is to utilize structural biology and NMR dynamics to understand the internal energetic pathways of signal transduction within the PDZ domain during Cdc42 binding. This research may eventually lead to therapies to reduce metastasis in cancerous cells.