David D. Thomas, PhD

David Thomas (ddt@umn.edu, http://biochem.umn.edu./) is the William F. Dietrich professor in the Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics at the University of Minnesota. Dave obtained his Ph.D. degree at Stanford, completed postdoctoral research training at Harvard and Stanford, and has been on the faculty here since 1979. His research interests focus on the fundamental molecular motions and interactions that are responsible for contraction and relaxation of cardiac, skeletal, and smooth muscle, to determine the molecular bases of muscle disorders, and to apply these insight to therapeutic design. He approaches this multidisciplinary problem with a wide range of techniques--physiology, enzyme kinetics, molecular genetics, peptide synthesis, and computer simulation--but our forte is site-directed spectroscopy (fluorescence and magnetic resonance). An increasing amount of this effort is to extend the understanding of structure, function, and dynamics of these muscle proteins to translational research, developing drug and gene therapies for heart failure, muscular dystrophy, and diabetes, funded by NIH, American Heart Association, and Muscular Dystrophy Association. Dave currently holds a MERIT Award from the National Institute of aging, following a previous MERIT Award from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. He has trained dozens of scientists, including six M.D./Ph.D. students who are currently working as physician in academia. He has recently started a company, Photonic Pharma LLC, which collaborates with major pharmaceutical companies to translate the discoveries of his lab into cardiovascular therapeutics. 35 of his former students now hold senior positions in major universities or companies.

Recent publications:

• Savich, Y, BP Binder, AR Thompson, and DD Thomas. 2019. Myosin lever arm orientation in muscle determined with high angular resolution using bifunctional spin labels. J Gen Physiol 151:1007.

• Guhathakurta P, Prochniewicz E, Grant BD, Peterson KC, Thomas DD. 2018. High-Throughput Screen, Using Time-Resolved FRET, Yields Actin-Binding Compounds that Modulate Actin-Myosin Structure and Function. J Biol Chem, 293:12288-12298.

• Rohde JA, Thomas DD, Muretta JM. 2017. Heart Failure Drug Changes the Mechanoenzymology of the Cardiac Myosin Powerstroke. Proc Nat Acad Sci USA 114:E1796-E1804.

• Schaaf TM, Peterson KC, Grant BD, Li J, Bawaskar P, Yuen S, Muretta JM, Gillispie GD, Thomas DD. 2017. High-Throughput Spectral and Lifetime-Based FRET Screening in Living Cells to Identify Small-Molecule Effectors of SERCA. SLAS Discovery 22, 262-273.

Research projects available within the Thomas Laboratory include the following:

• Structural dynamics of muscle contraction during function and dysfunction

• Structural dynamics of muscle membrane calcium pump in health and disease

• Development and testing of drugs to treat heart failure, muscular dystrophy and diabetes

• Development and testing of gene therapy for heart failure and muscular dystrophy