Michael J. Harms, Ph.D.
![](/-/media/post-launch-images/2015/05/scholars/harms-michael-headshot.jpg?la=de&h=570&w=570&hash=16A72257B2A135A5F2BC0002AD66021E)
- Title
- Assistant Professor
- Department
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Institute of Molecular Biology
- Institution
- University of Oregon
- Address
-
1229 University of Oregon
205 Mudd Hall - City, State, ZIP
- Eugene, OR 97403
- Phone
- (541) 346-9002
- [email protected]
- Website
- http://harmslab.uoregon.edu
- Research field
- Evolutionary biology
- Award year
- 2015
Research
The goal of my research is to trace the evolution of a multifaceted protein by resurrecting and studying its molecular ancestors. The protein, named calprotectin, plays multiple roles in the human immune response: In addition to promoting inflammation, it thwarts infections by sopping up the metals microbes need to thrive. To determine how this one protein evolved to perform such different roles, I will use an approach based in biochemistry, biophysics, and molecular evolution to reconstruct the evolutionary precursors of the modern-day form of the calprotectin. I will synthesize these extinct proteins in the laboratory and examine their properties to determine when, during the course of its evolution, calprotectin acquired its diverse capabilities. In preliminary results, I have produced the most ancient, ancestral forms of calprotectin and have found that they don't display the antimicrobial activities of the present-day protein--a capability that must have evolved more recently. This work will help illuminate how immunity has evolved, and it could provide new strategies to design anti-inflammatory drugs.
Scholar Keywords
2015 Search Pew Scholars
- Theresa Alenghat, V.M.D., Ph.D.
- Nicola J. Allen, Ph.D.
- Brenda L. Bloodgood, Ph.D.
- Jesse D. Bloom, Ph.D.
- Michael S. Cohen, Ph.D.
- Kimberly L. Cooper, Ph.D.
- Aaron P. Esser-Kahn, Ph.D.
- Gianna E. Hammer, Ph.D.
- Michael J. Harms, Ph.D.
- Christian M. Kaiser, Ph.D.
- Daniel Kronauer, Ph.D.
- Marcus Kronforst, Ph.D.
- Polina V. Lishko, Ph.D.
- Qin Liu, Ph.D.
- Carolyn S. McBride, Ph.D.
- Nima Mesgarani, Ph.D.
- Douglas Millay, Ph.D.
- Clarissa J. Nobile, Ph.D.
- Gary J. Patti, Ph.D.
- Robert J. Schmitz, Ph.D.
- Joshua J. Woodward, Ph.D.
- Ke Xu, Ph.D.