Overview

Our research is conducted at the interface of inorganic chemistry and biology. Our primary goals are to elucidate the molecular mechanism of lead poisoning, to explore the fundamental aqueous coordination chemistry of Pb(II), and to use the resulting insights to rationally design fluorescent sensors and chelating agents for lead.

Several fundamental questions regarding lead poisoning remain unanswered: Why do children exhibit symptoms at lower blood lead levels than do adults? Why do these symptoms persist in children long after the exposure has ceased? Could these problems be prevented if a selective chelating agent for lead were available?

Our research addresses these questions on a molecular level. We are currently studying the interactions between lead and protein targets that play critical roles in development, neurological signaling, and heme biosynthesis. We have developed rigorous biophysical and spectroscopic methods that allow us to study how tightly lead binds to proteins and how lead affects the structure and dynamics of the proteins to which it binds. In addition, we are using the insights gained from our studies on lead biochemistry to rationally design fluorescent probes and improved chelation therapy agents for Pb(II).

Other interests in our laboratory include elucidating the role of native metal ions in protein structure and function, studying the effects of metal ions on gene expressions and protein production (toxicogenomics and proteomics), and developing sensors for environmental applications. All of our projects are unified by a common approach in which we apply rigorous chemical and biophysical methodologies to important biological and environmental problems. These projects involve a wide range of techniques, including synthesis, protein expression and purification, microscopy, and spectroscopic (e.g., fluorescence and 207Pb NMR) studies of metal binding to proteins and small molecules. Our research is inherently interdisciplinary and involves collaborations with investigators both at Northwestern and at other institutions. These interactions provide a rich intellectual framework for our investigations and a mechanism for translating fundamental chemical insights into applied scientific discoveries.

Professor Godwin is one of over sixty faculty members, from six different Northwestern Science Departments, who is involved in the Interdepartment Biological Sciences (IBiS) Program


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Undergraduate Success in Science Office
2145 Sheridan Road Evanston, IL 60208-3113
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Email: success@chem.northwestern.edu

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