Dr. Martin Thompson

Associate Professor

 
Biochemistry, Proteins, Peptide Chemistry, Fluorescence
Research Group Page
 
Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI.
Ph.D., Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
  
  Email Address: thompson @ mtu.edu
  Office Location: 510C ChemSci
  Phone: (906) 487-3522

Research Interests:

Our multi-disciplinary research program aims to understand the molecular architecture and recognition features of the early events in transcription initiation, and to use these insights to develop inhibitors of transcriptional assembly. A growing number of studies are finding diverse and essential roles for molecular recognition events in mediating information transfer and complex assembly in biology. In fact, biological outcomes are often due to physical interactions between proteins that are so highly selective that seemingly minor chemical modifications (i.e. methylation, acetylation or phosphorylation) can completely abolish biomolecular recognition processes and redirect signaling pathways. In principle, development of small molecule inhibitors of interactions of specific transcriptional activators (or repressors) with DNA or with the basal transcription machinery could provide highly selective regulators of gene expression and thus highly selective therapeutic agents (e.g., antiviral agents based on disabling essential viral gene expression).

Other Information:

Presentations
Publications
Patents
Research
 

Recently Taught Courses:

CH1000 - Preparatory Chemistry (Summer 2009)
CH1130 - Orientation (Fall 2009)
CH1800 - (Fall 2006)
CH4710 - Biomolecular Chemistry I (Fall 2005)
CH4720 - Biomolecular Chemistry II (Spring 2006, Spring 2007, Spring 2008, Spring 2009, Spring 2010)
CH4900 - Senior Seminar in Chemistry I (Fall 2009)
CH6790 - (Fall 2006)