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            Meiler Lab  Computational Chemical and Structural Biology  | 
            
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  Brian Bender
    	
   
   		  Former Graduate Student
        B.A. Biochemistry
        brian.j.bender [ at ] vanderbilt.edu
                  		
I use computational modeling and biophysical techniques to understand  how proteins interact with their binding partners such as small  molecules, peptides, or large proteins. The Meiler Lab actively develops  the Rosetta software for protein structure prediction.  I complement this software with biophysical techniques such as X-ray  crystallography, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and electron  paramagnetic resonance (EPR). I have a particular focus on G-protein  coupled receptors (GPCRs). I am interested in how ligand  binding induces a conformational change in the receptor to lead to  activation and signaling through cellular binding proteins such as  heterotrimeric G-protein and arrestin. Additionally I design  protein-ligand interfaces to enhance binding to non-native ligands.