About Us
Department chair Michael Malkowski, PhD, emphasizes: “We utilize a myriad of biophysical and biochemical technologies for our investigations.”
We promote and apply structural biology approaches to solve fundamental problems in biology and medicine.
In the Department of Structural Biology, our mission is to understand biological processes at the levels of molecular mechanisms and three-dimensional structures.
We strive to:
- provide a unique environment that fosters collaborative access to cutting-edge structural biology-based technologies and intellectual resources that can be integrated into investigator-initiated or multi-disciplinary team-oriented research programs to strengthen and broaden their scientific scope
- educate and mentor the next generation of researchers and physician-scientists via unique and targeted coursework
Our faculty share common research mission approaches to investigate structure-function relationships of biological macromolecules with significant medical relevance. Insight derived from macromolecular structure drives the generation of hypotheses that test:
- how the interplay between structure and function impacts fundamental biomedical processes that underlie healthy and diseased states
- how drug compounds and small molecules inhibit and modulate protein activity
- how changes in protein sequence and structure are revealed at the biochemical, cellular, and organismal level
In addition to their own individual research programs, our faculty are engaged in numerous collaborations with researchers in other departments within the Jacobs School, as well as those from other schools across the University at Buffalo.
These collaborations enhance and extend the scope of both basic and clinical research programs across the entire university.
Diversity Statement
The Department of Structural Biology is committed to promoting an open and welcoming environment where the value of diversity amongst its members is recognized as imperative for continued academic excellence. We aim to create an inclusive community of students, faculty, and staff that embraces, but is not limited to, diversity in race, ethnicity, nationality or place of origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, religion, language, abilities/disabilities, socioeconomic status, and veteran status. We will continue to make every effort in maintaining a supportive milieu in which differences are encouraged and respected.