Our research is focused on theoretical models and computer simulations in biological systems. We use a broad range of methods, including lattice models, elastic-net methods, dynamics, and all-atom physics-based computer simulations to understand the principles of biomolecular interactions at different length scales. We are using these models to guide experimentalists, with whom we are interested in collaborating to develop hypothesis-driven science in computational biology.
We have several research interests: (i) To understand the principles of sequence-structure-function relationships in proteins, i.e., how the amino acid sequence encodes a protein's specific structure and function, (ii) How dynamics governs protein mechanisms, (iii) How proteins assemble into macromolecular machines, (iv) The dynamics of protein machines, and (v) The prediction of protein-protein interactions and interfaces, taking into account chain flexibility.
News
Protein Folding Pathways Workshop will be held on May 9-13, 2010
Chalk Talk series is organized by Dr. Banu Ozkan in Spring 2010.
Tyler Glembo has received "The Wally Stoelzel Physics Scholarship".
Arjun Chandrasekhar, a high school student works in our research group, was accepted into the Helios Scholars Program at TGen.
Divide-and-conquer strategy key to fast protein folding in PhysOrg.com.
Our postdoctoral fellow (Dr. Z. Nevin Gerek) got a second place with her poster in the First Biodesign Postdoc Poster Symposium.
Opportunities for Graduate Students
Biological Physics Seminar - Spring 2010
Physics Colloquia - Spring 2010
Selected Publications
1. Gerek ZN, Ozkan SB, "A Flexible Docking Scheme to Explore the Binding Selectivity of PDZ Domains", Protein Science (in press 2010)
2. Glembo T, Ozkan SB, "Union of geometric simulations with molecular dynamics for protein structure prediction", Biophysical Journal (in press 2010).
3. Gerek ZN, Keskin O, Ozkan SB, "Identification of Specificity and Promiscuity of PDZ Domain Interactions through their Dynamic Behavior", Proteins (2009) 77:796-811
4. Dill KA, Ozkan SB, Shell MS, Weikl TR, "The protein folding problem", Ann. Rev. Biophys. Biomolec. Struct. (2008) 37: 289
5. Ozkan SB, Wu AG, Chodera JD, Dill KA, "Protein Folding by Zipping and Assembly", Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. (2007) 104: 11987-11992