Last Update

December 11, 2009

BMB Lab Home

Welcome to the laboratory of Brian M. Baker in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Notre Dame. Our laboratory studies the principles of molecular recognition in the immune system using a variety of structural, biophysical, and molecular techniques. We aim to understand the mechanisms by which the immune system recognizes, distinguishes between, and cross-reacts with foreign and self antigens. We are also studying the design and optimization of immunologically-based therapeutics for cancer and infectious disease.

Our work in the immune system builds on fundamental studies relating the biophysics of molecular interactions to protein three dimensional structures and dynamics. We thus focus on both structural biology and biophysics as well as molecular and cellular immunology, resulting in a highly interdisciplinary research environment.

Our work is funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIGMS), the National Science Foundation, the American Cancer Society, the Walther Cancer Institute, and the Indiana CTSI.