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Ira Pastan, Chief LMB
LMB Sections
The Gene Discovery Project
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The
Laboratory of Molecular Biology uses genetics, molecular biology, cell
biology, and molecular modeling to examine and solve a broad range of important
biological problems. One major program is directed at designing, producing,
and testing new drugs to treat cancer. These drugs are genetically modified
forms of Pseudomonas exotoxin A that are targeted to cancer cells
by Fv fragments of antibodies. Four recombinant immunotoxins that have
been developed in the laboratory are now in clinical trials, and other
agents are in preclinical development. Design of these molecules is greatly
aided by molecular modeling. The laboratory also investigates gene therapy
of cancer and metabolic disorders, and gene regulation at the level of
transcription initiation and elongation by regulatory proteins like repressors,activators,
terminators, and antiterminators. Other programs investigate the mechanisms
that control cell growth and cell division by unstable proteins as well
as the mechanism of DNA replication. Transgenic mice are used to understand
how inappropriate expression of oncogenes affects animal development. At
the most basic level, the stability of protein molecules and the mechanism
of protein folding are investigated by molecular modeling, computer simulation,and
other theoretical techniques.
The Laboratory of Molecular Biology is divided into the following sections:
Biochemical Genetics Section
Susan
Gottesman, Chief
Biotherapy Section
David
FitzGerald, Chief
Clinical Immunotherapy Section
Ira
Pastan, Chief
Robert
J. Kreitman, Chief
Developmental Genetics Section
Sankar
Adhya, Chief
Ding
Jun Jin, Investigator
DNA Molecular Biology Section
Sue
Wickner, Chief
Gene Regulation Section
Sheue-yann
Cheng, Chief
Genetics Section
Susan
Garges, Chief
Molecular Biology Section
Ira
Pastan, Chief
Alfred
C. Johnson, Investigator
Molecular Genetics Section
Glenn
Merlino, Chief
Chamelli
Jhappan, Chemist
Molecular Modeling Section
B.
K. Lee, Chief
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