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Kelvin Chu

KELVIN CHU


Associate Professor of Physics
Associate Director, VT EPSCoR
Associate Director, Vermont Genetics Network

Kelvin Chu

Department of Physics
Cook Building
82 University Place
University of Vermont
Burlington, VT 05405-0125

kelvin.chu at uvm.edu

802-656-0064
802-656-0817 (FAX)

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Office: 513 Cook Building
Office Hours: Tuesday, 11:30-1:00 p.m.
Schedule: Fall09 | Spring09
Calendar: web | print


RESEARCH


I received my Sc.B. in Physics from Brown University and my Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  I was a  Director's Postdoctoral Fellow at Los Alamos National Lab working on kinetic crystallography of heme proteins before coming to UVM in 1998.

I am interested in the structural and functional consequences of dynamics of biological molecules.  The projects in my lab are aimed at achieving a quantitative understanding of biological function and enzyme mechanism.  My interests include spectroscopy of proteins and nucleic acids and the use of biomolecules in nanotechnological applications.  I am affiliated with the Center for X-ray Crystallography and the Structural Biology effort at UVM.

Current projects
  • Charge transfer in DNA;

  • Structural biology and kinetic crystallography;

  • Protein dynamics of heme proteins (myoglobin, hemoglobin, cytochrome P450cam);

Selected publications
  • J. Morris, T. Lewis, K. Chu, S. Gordon-Wylie, G. Clark "Mechanistic Studies of  Pyridinedithiocarboxalato Cuprate(II) Complexes on the reductive Dechlorination of Carbon Tetrachloride” Env. Sci. and Tech. (in press).

  • K. Chu  “Determination of Reaction Intermediate Structures in Heme Proteins.” Meth. Molec. Biol., Macromolecular Crystallography Protocols. The Humana Press, NJ, USA. 19-30. (2007).

  • H. Frauenfelder, B. H. McMahon, R.H. Austin, K. Chu and J.T. Groves "The role of structure, energy landscape, dynamics, and allostery in the enzymatic function of myoglobin." Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 98:2370-2374 (2001).

  • I. Schlichting and K. Chu "Trapping intermediates in the crystal: ligand binding to myoglobin.” Curr. Opin. Struct. Biol.10:744-752 (2000).

  • I. Schlichting, J. Berendzen, K. Chu, A.M. Stock, S.A. Maves, D.E. Benson, R.M. Sweet, D. Ringe, G.A. Petsko and S.G. Sligar "The catalytic pathway of cytochrome P450cam at atomic resolution.” Science 287:1615-1622 (2000).

  • M. Brunori, B. Vallone, F. Cutruzzola, C. Travaglini-Allocatelli, J. Berendzen, K. Chu, R.M. Sweet, and I. Schlichting "The role of cavities in protein dynamics: crystal structure of a novel photolytic intermediate of myoglobin" Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., USA 97:2058-2063  (2000).

  • K. Chu, J. Vojtĕchovský, B.H. McMahon, R.M. Sweet, J. Berendzen and I. Schlichting "Crystal structure of a new ligand-binding intermediate in wildtype carbonmonoxymyoglobin.” Nature 403:921-923  (2000).


TEACHING


In the Physics department, I have taught courses from introductory-level physics through upper-division physics courses and graduate-level quantum mechanics.  Recently, I have created an intermediate-level course in Biological Physics; the labs for this course have been funded by a CCLI grant from the National Science Foundation.  

I have taught in the Teacher Advisor Program in the College of Arts and Sciences, where I created a course entitled "Physics Around Us." This first-year seminar sought to introduce students to the basic physical principles they encounter every day.  I have also taught seminars for the John Dewey Honors Program and the Honors College.  This course, entitled "Contemporary Issues in Science and Society", seeks to increase science literacy for general-interest students, discussing issues that appear in current journals and the news, including alternative energy sources, stem cell research and gender issues in science.


SERVICE AND ADMNISTRATION


I currently serve as an Associate Director of the Vermont Genetics Network and Vermont EPSCoR. In AY 2007-08, I was Interim Associate Dean for the Honors College, where I was in charge of nationally-competitive fellowships and the Honors College Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program.

I currently serve on the College of Arts and Sciences Faculty Standards Committee and the College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences Curriculum Committee.