George R. Pack, PhD

Research Program

Structural Biology

Research Interests

(Chair, Chemistry): Theoretical Biophysical Chemistry. Electrostatic properties and their contribution to the regulation of nucleic acid structure and function.

Our group is interested in theoretical and computational biophysical chemistry. We have been developing and applying computational methods to the study of the properties of DNA. Electrostatic forces are particularly important in determining nucleic acid structure and function and the application of the Poisson-Boltzmann equation and Monte Carlo techniques have allowed us to describe the distribution of monovalent and divalent electrolyte ions around these polyelectrolytes. We have been developing better theoretical descriptions of the dielectric properties of the DNA-electrolyte systems in order to increase the accuracy of computational approaches. Current efforts are directed toward understanding metal-catalyzed splicing of DNA strands, and the interactions of magnesium ions with catalytic RNAs.

Education

Education/Training

B.S., Providence College, Rhode Island, Mathematics, 1968

Ph.D., State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, Biophysics, 1973

Postdoc, University of Rochester, New York, Chemistry, 1973-1974

Postdoc, New York University, New York, Environmental Medicine, 1974-1975

Postdoc, Stanford University, California, Genetics, 1975-1978

Research and Professional Experience

1978-1983      
Assistant Professor, Biophysics, University of Illinois, College of Medicine, Rockford, Illinois

1983-1988      
Associate Professor, Biophysics, University of Illinois, College of Medicine, Rockford, Illinois

1985-1986      
Research Biophysical Chemist, Laboratory of Chemical Physics, NIADDK, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland

1988-1998      
Professor, Biophysics, University of Illinois, College of Medicine, Rockford, Illinois

1998-present  
Professor, Dept. of Chemistry, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky

2001-present  
Senior Scientist, James Graham Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville

Selected Awards and Professional Honors

1973
Ph.D awarded with distinction

1984-1986
Special Member, National Institutes of Health, BBCA Study Section

1996-2000
Secretary/Treasurer, International Society of Quantum Biology and Pharmacology                 

Publications

Magnuson E, Lamm G, Koehler J, Pack GR. Cation-DNA recognition: the contribution of Mg(H2O)6-P interactions.  J Phys Chem 106:3294-3300, 2002

Petrov A, Lamm G, Pack GR. Water-mediated magnesium-guanine interactions.  J Phys Chem 106:3294-3300, 2002

Lamm G, Pack GR. Induced coalescence of cations through low-temperature Poisson-Boltzmann calculations.  Biophys J 87(2):764-7, 2004

Petrov AS, Lamm G, Pack GR. The triplex-hairpin transition in cytosine-rich DNA.  Biophys J 87(6):3954-73, 2004

Petrov AS, Lamm G, Pack GR. Calculation of the binding free energy for magnesium-RNA interactions.  Biopolymers 77(3):137-54, 2005

Rakitin AR, Pack GR. Necessity of aromatic carboxylate anions to be planar to induce growth of cationic micelles.  Langmuir 21(3):837-40, 2005

Phone: Coming soon.

 

 

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