Dr. Gerber's lab is interested in the role of metals and metalloproteins in biochemistry and biology. We use a variety of techniques in our research including protein purification, enzyme kinetics and ligand binding, cell culture and molecular biology techniques, and spectroscopy (UV-Vis, fluorescence, CD and FT-IR).
Cellular Signaling: The enzyme soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) mediates many of the physiological effects of the signaling molecule nitric oxide, including vascular smooth muscle relaxation, platelet aggregation and neuronal potentiation and plasticity. The activity of the enzyme can be regulated by a diverse range of molecules other than nitric oxide, including porphyrins, arachidonic acid (itself a signaling molecule), and small molecules such as carbon monoxide. We are currently working to understand the mechanism of regulation of the enzyme by these molecules from a structural and chemical standpoint.
Pesticide and Herbicide metabolism: The Cytochrome P-450 enzyme family plays a major role in the metabolism of pesticides and herbicides both in soil bacteria exposed through application of the chemicals in fields in which they are applied and in the human body. Strains of the soil bacterium Rhodococcus erythropolis and Pseudomonas putida have both been found to have the ability to degrade certain classes of herbicides and pesticides. Using cytochrome P-450 systems from each of these organisms we are attempting to define the range of activities of these enzymes and use them in concert to carry out the complete biodegradation of certain herbicides and pesticides. We are also studying how the presence of common chemicals (e.g. aspirin, alcohol, acetaminophen) alters the metabolism of herbicides and pesticides by human liver cytochrome P450s.
Inhibition of cell growth by Titanyl (IV) complexes: Ti(IV) complexes have been shown to be inhibitory to the growth of some types of cancer cells and in some cases inducing cell death, making it a potential antitumor agent. We are currently attempting to identify the cellular target(s) of Ti(IV) in several cancer cell lines.