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Paul Whitford

Affiliated Faculty,  Bioengineering
Associate Professor,  Physics

Contact

Office

  • 617.373.2952

Research Focus

dynamics of large-scale molecular machines, working to identify the physical principles that guide biomolecular dynamics, using molecular simulation approaches to interpret experimental data from a wide range of techniques, including biochemical, small-angle X-ray scattering and cryogenic electron microscopy

Honors & Awards

  • National Science Foundation CAREEER Award

Research Overview

dynamics of large-scale molecular machines, working to identify the physical principles that guide biomolecular dynamics, using molecular simulation approaches to interpret experimental data from a wide range of techniques, including biochemical, small-angle X-ray scattering and cryogenic electron microscopy

Selected Research Projects

  • Disorder, tRNA Composition and Energy Transduction in the Ribosome
    • – Principal Investigator, National Science Foundation
  • Quantifying the Effects of Ions and Collective Rearrangements During Ribosome Function
    • – Principal Investigator, National Science Foundation

Selected Publications

  • P. Waduge, R. Hu, P. Bandarkar, H. Yamazaki, B. Cressiot, Q. Zhao, P.C. Whitford, M. Wanunu, Nanopore-Based Measurements of Protein Size, Fluctuations, and Conformational Changes, ACS Nano, 11, 2017, 5706-5716
  • M. Levi, K. Nguyen, L. Dukaye, P.C. Whitford. Quantifying the Relationship Between Single-Molecule Probes and Subunit Rotation in the Ribosome, Biophysical Journal, 113, 2017, 2777-2786
  • K. Nguyen, P.C. Whitford, Steric Interactions Lead to Collective Head Tilting During mRNA-tRNA Translocation on the Ribosome, Nature Communications, 7, 2016, 10586
  • J.K. Noel, P.C. Whitford, How EF-Tu Can Contribute to Efficient Proofreading of aa-tRNA by the Ribosome, Nature Communications, 7, 2016, 13314
  • P.C. Whitford, Disorder Guides Protein Function, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, 110, 2013, 7114-7115