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Protein Structural Analysis & Design Laboratory

Michigan State University
502C Biochemistry Building
E. Lansing, MI 48824-1319

Ph: (517) 355-3455  Fax: (517) 353-9334

Model for how monoclonal antibody 3D6 (yellow and green tubes) can recognize a helical peptide (blue) in Brugia malayi asparaginyl-tRNA synthetase and neutralize its enzymatic activity by occluding the active site.  See M. A. Kron et al. (2008), under Publications.
Welcome to the PSA Laboratory

About Our Work

Through computational analysis of molecular structures, we seek to understand how proteins fold, recognize, and bind to other molecules. This knowledge is used for modeling protein structures and designing inhibitors, in collaboration with computer scientists, chemists, molecular biologists, and physicians. Our focus is on decoding the factors contributing to the specificity of protein-ligand interactions, enabling the development of new approaches for modeling protein flexibility and performing high-throughput screening for inhibitor discovery.

-- Leslie A. Kuhn, PI


HIV protease (purple ribbons) in complex with a symmetrical peptidomimetic inhibitor (colored tubes) and associated bound water molecules (blue spheres), from Protein Data Bank entry 1dif. (See Schnecke & Kuhn, 2000, under Publications.)