Name:
Brandon Russell
Country:
United States
City:
Cambridge
State/Province:
MA
ACS Member:
Local Section:
Northeastern
International Chapter:
Technical Division Membership:
Chemical Toxicology Division
Technical Division Membership Emeritus:
Subdivision Member:
ACS Activities:
Company/Institution Name:
Career Stage:
Retired
Research and Special Interests:
I'm a Ph.D. candidate working with Professor Peter C. Dedon in the Department of Biological Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. My research focuses on two classes of secondary chemical modifications to nucleic acids: phosphorothioates in genomic DNA and non-canonical nucleosides in tRNA. These modifications have diverse roles in processes such as microbial pathogenesis, antibiotic resistance, and host response to infection, and they have the potential for use as both diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets. My research has three broad goals: 1) to identify and quantify endogenous chemical modifications to nucleic acids; 2) to define the function of these modifications in the processes of bacterial pathogenesis and host response to infection; and 3) to discover novel biomarkers of infection and chemotherapeutic targets. My work combines animal models of disease, standard techniques from microbiology and molecular biology, and the development of novel analytical methods to answer questions in a rigorous, quantitative manner.
Area of Expertise:
Years of Expertise:
1-5