Biomolecular Resource Facility

Core Director and Members
Important Links

The Biomolecular Resource Facility Core (BRFC) was reorganized from the Protein Chemistry and Purification Core Laboratory in order to provide for the significant expansion of analytical and preparative core services, particularly in the areas of protein and peptide synthesis, analysis, purification and characterization. The research activities of NIEHS Center Investigators at UTMB are critically dependent on the availability of the high performance analytical and preparative services relating to proteins and peptides. Thus, the mission of the BRFC is to provide NIEHS Center Investigators with high performance analytical and preparative services relating to biomolecules, especially proteins and peptides, at minimal expense, using state-of-the-art instrumentation operated by a highly skilled technical staff.

To best optimize the much-needed requirement for analytical protein services for Center Investigators, the BRFC functions within a larger umbrella organizational structure, the UTMB Biomolecular Resource Facility (BRF). The BRF provides a research-related infrastructure to the UTMB research community at large that includes high-quality analytical and preparative services relating to biomolecules. The BRF is composed of five service cores: Mass Spectrometry, Peptide Synthesis, Protein Chemistry, Protein Expression and Purification, and Proteomics. The BRF comprises a total space of 6,264 square feet containing 12 labs, 9 offices, and 2 walk-in cold rooms largely on the second floor of the Basic Science Building. The laboratories are centrally located on the UTMB campus and each laboratory has separately assigned space that is not co-mingled in any way with other functions. The BRF initially began as the 'Protein Chemistry Laboratory' in 1975, and was re-structured and centralized in 2002-2003. It now operates from a separate organizational office independent from departmental management and is responsible to the Dean of Medicine. Besides this NIEHS Center Grant, operating funds for the BRF are provided by a number of sources and funding mechanisms, including the NHLBI Proteomics Center, NIAID Biodefense Proteomics Collaboratory, UTMB Sealy Centers of Excellence (Structural Biology, Molecular Science, and Environmental Health and Medicine), basic science departments (Pathology, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology), and investigator charge-back fees.

The Director of the BRFC is Dr. Alex Kurosky, Ph.D., a Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Dr. Kurosky is a Scientist in the Sealy Center for Structural Biology and the Sealy Center for Environmental Health and Medicine and also serves as the Director of the UTMB Biomolecular Resource Facility. Dr. John Wiktorowicz, Ph.D., an Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology serves as the Assistant Director of the BRFC. Together they have assembled an excellent team of members, including Dr. Anthony Haag, Ph.D. (Scientist), Ms. Julie Hill (Senior Research Assistant), Ms. Xiaolian Liang (Research Associate I), Mr. Stephan Serrabyn (Senior Molecular Chemist), Mr. John Steve Smith, (Assistant Scientist), Ms. Susan Stafford (Research Associate II), Ms. Esther Surriga, (Research Associate II), Dr. Zheng Wu, Ph.D., (Research Scientist), and Dr. Bo Xu, Ph.D., (Scientist), to provide the technical and scientific expertise necessary to fulfill the mission of the BRF

The BRFC provided services to 29 NIEHS Center Investigators during the past funding year (Table C). These services include peptide Synthesis (Peptide Synthesis Core); amino acid, DNA sequence and carbohydrate analysis, internal protein and protein peptide sequencing (Protein Chemistry Core); matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF), surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization (SELDI) and electrospray mass spectrometry (Mass Spectrometry Core); fermentation, protein purification and characterization, and antibody production (Protein Expression & Purification Core); and SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoreseis (PAGE), 2D gel analysis, imaging, isoelectric focusing, and Robotic protein gel spot picking and processing (PROPIC and PROPREP) (Proteomics Core).

The BRFC's analytical and preparative services provide Center Investigators a number of benefits that impact on their research performance, increase the quality of their publications, and enhance their grant applications. BRFC provides continual access to analytical technologies provided by highly trained staff utilizing state-of-the-art instrumentation. All of our technical staff have longstanding expertise, and have received appropriate specialty training. Special emphasis is placed on rapid turn-around times. For example, DNA sequencing results are normally posted on our web server within 24 to 48 hours after submission of samples. The BRFC charge-back fees are typically much lower than those of many institutions, and Center Investigators also benefit from a reduced rate, since the NIEHS Center covers 50% of most normal service fee costs, and investigators are charged minimally for salary support of core staff. Members of Centers providing support for the BRF also receive service priority. The core enhances the recruitment of Center Investigators, increases faculty retention, and facilitates interdisciplinary interactions. Moreover, considerable faculty and research staff time is freed up by the ready availability of these research services.

Core Director and Members

Alex Kurosky, Ph.D., Director, Biomolecular Resource Facility Core, Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Director, UTMB Biomolecular Resource Facility; Scientist, Sealy Center for Structural Biology and the Sealy Center for Environmental Health and Medicine

John E. Wiktorowicz, Ph.D., Biomolecular Resource Facility Core, Association Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Assistant Director, UTMB Biomolecular Resource Facility

Anthony Haag, Ph.D., Member, Biomolecular Resource Facility Core, Scientist, Sealy Center for Environmental Health and Medicine

Robert English, Ph.D., Member, Biomolecular Resource Facility Core, Senior Scientist, Biomolecular Resource Facility

Julie Hill, B.S., Member, Biomolecular Resource Facility Core, Senior Research Assistant, Biomolecular Resource Facility

Xiaolian Liang, B.S., Member, Biomolecular Resource Facility Core, Research Associate I, Biomolecular Resource Facility

Stephan Serrabyn, B.S., Member, Biomolecular Resource Facility Core, Senior Molecular Chemist, Sealy Center for Molecular Science

John Steve Smith, M.S., Member, Biomolecular Resource Facility Core, Assistant Scientist, Biomolecular Resource Facility

Susan Stafford, B.S., Member, Biomolecular Resource Facility Core, Research Associate II, Department of Human Biological Chemistry and Genetics

Esther Surriga, B.S., Member, Biomolecular Resource Facility Core, Research Associate II, Biomolecular Resource Facility

Zheng Wu, Ph.D., Member, Biomolecular Resource Facility Core, Research Scientist, Biomolecular Resource Facility

Bo Xu, Ph.D., Member, Biomolecular Resource Facility Core, Scientist, Biomolecular Resource Facility

Important Links

Dr. Kurosky's Home Page http://bmb.utmb.edu/faculty/kurosky/

Biomolecular Resource Facility http://www.utmb.edu/brf/Default.htm 

UTMB Protein Chemistry Laboratory http://www2.utmb.edu/proch/