About Our Research

Post-translational modification of protein substrates serves as a dynamic biochemical mechanism to alter and regulate protein function. The transmission of cellular signals through the chemical modification of proteins is a tightly regulated process that cells rely on in order to function properly. Not surprisingly, misregulation of these processes is a hallmark of pathophysiology and disease. In the Carter-O'Connell lab we are focused on using biochemistry to uncover the role of one such modification, ADP-ribosylation, in both normal human physiology (cell development, signal transduction, gene regulation) and disease (such as cancer). We aim to couple a deeper understanding of the fundamental principles that govern ADP-ribose transfer in the cell to the biological outcomes of normal and malignant ADP-ribose signaling.