“I was a chemist but worked in a department of physics on a biological problem.

There were all these clever physicists who knew more mathematics than I did.

I always felt very small in relation to them and not all that sure of myself.

But somehow the Nobel Prize told me I was probably quite good at research and that really boosted my determination to carry on.” --- Max Perutz

 

Gang Chen

 

            Department of Chemistry

            #104 Lewis Hall, Tinoco Group

            University of California

            Berkeley, CA  94720

            (510) 642-1440

            E-mail: rnachen-at-gmail.com

 

 

Education

 

University of California, Berkeley

 

            Postdoc in Chemistry                                                                           2006 -

            Project: RNA folding and unfolding: One molecule at a time

            Advisor: Prof. Ignacio Tinoco Jr.

 

 

University of Rochester

 

Ph.D. in Chemistry                                                                               2005

Thesis: Expanded sequence dependence improves prediction of RNA internal loop stability

and NMR reveals molecular recognition interactions accounting for stability, structure, and dynamics

Advisor: Prof. Douglas H. Turner

 

M.S. in Chemistry                                                                                2003

Curriculum: Quantum Mechanics, Advanced Inorganic Chemistry, Computational Chemistry, Biophysical Chemistry I, Biophysical Chemistry II

Other courses attended: Preparing for Academic Careers in Engineering and Sciences, Coordination Compounds and Bio-Coordination Chemistry

 

 

University of Science and Technology of China (USTC)

 

B.S. in Chemistry                                                                                 2001

Project: Solvothermal synthesis and characterization of nanomaterial and coordination polymers

Advisors: Prof. Yong Cui and Prof. Yitai Qian

 

 

Honors

 

            Fifth Year Fellowship                                                                            2005

 

            Robert and Marian Flaherty Deright Fellowship                                     2004 - 2005

 

            Sherman-Clark Fellowship                                                                    2003 - 2005

 

            Outstanding Student Scholarship (3rd rank)                                           1996, 1997 - 1999

 

 

            Professional Teaching Experience

 

            Committee member for curricular development                              2005

            for the Biological Chemistry Cluster at University of Rochester

 

Mentor to Mr. Adam Wood                                                                05/2004 - 08/2004

NSF-Sponsored Research Experience for Undergraduates Program

Project: Thermodynamic stability of tetramer RNA sequences in the presence of various metal cations.

 

Tutor of Quantum Mechanics                                                               01/2003 - 05/2003

 

Undergraduate Chemistry Laboratory Teaching Assistant            2001 - 2002

 

 

Publications

 

During Postdoc Training (2006- ):

 

  1. Chen, G., Wen, J.-D., and Tinoco, I., Jr., (2007)

Single-molecule mechanical unfolding and folding of a pseudoknot in human telomerase RNA.

RNA 13, 2175-2188.   PDF

 

During Graduate Study (2001-2005):

 

  1. Chen, G., Kierzek, R., Yildirim, I., Krugh, T. R., Turner, D. H., and Kennedy, S. D., (2007)

Stacking effects on local structure in RNA: Changes in the structure of tandem GA pairs when flanking GC pairs are replaced by isoG-isoC pairs.

J. Phys. Chem. B 111, 6718-6727.   PDF   Supporting Information     (NORMAN SUTIN FESTSCHRIFT)

 

  1. Shankar, N., Kennedy, S. D., Chen, G., Krugh, T. R., and Turner, D. H. (2006)

The NMR structure of an internal loop from 23S ribosomal RNA differs from its structure in crystals of 50S ribosomal subunits.

Biochemistry 45, 11776-11789.   PDF   Supporting Information          (Listed as one of fifteen "Hot Articles" in Nov. 2006 in Biochemistry)

 

 

  1. Chen, G., Kennedy, S. D., Qiao, J., Krugh, T. R., and Turner, D. H. (2006)

An alternating sheared AA pair and elements of stability for a single sheared purine-purine pair flanked by sheared GA pairs in RNA.

Biochemistry 45, 6889-6903.   PDF   Supporting Information

 

  1. Chen, G., and Turner, D. H. (2006)

Consecutive GA pairs stabilize medium-size RNA internal loops.

Biochemistry 45, 4025-4043.   PDF   Supporting Information              (Listed as one of four "Hot Articles" in Mar. 2006 in Biochemistry)

 

  1. Chen, G., Znosko, B. M., Kennedy, S. D., Krugh, T. R., and Turner, D. H. (2005)

Solution structure of an RNA internal loop with three consecutive sheared GA pairs.

Biochemistry 44, 2845-2856.   PDF   Supporting Information              (Listed as one of five "Hot Articles" in Feb. 2005 in Biochemistry)

 

  1. Chen, G., Znosko, B. M., Jiao, X., and Turner, D. H. (2004)

Factors affecting thermodynamic stabilities of RNA 3 × 3 internal loops.

Biochemistry 43, 12865-12876.   PDF   Supporting Information

 

During Undergraduate Study (1996-2001):

 

  1. Cui, Y., Chen, G., Ren, J., Shao, M., Xie, Y., and Qian, Y. (2003)

Solvothermal syntheses of b-Ag2Se crystals with novel morphologies.

J. Solid State Chem. 172, 17-21.   PDF

 

  1. Cui, Y., Chen, J., Chen, G., Ren, J., Yu, W., and Qian, Y. (2001)

Bis(2,2-bipyridine-N,N')tetra-m-chloro-tetracopper(I).

Acta Crystallogr. Sect. C-Cryst. Struct. Commun. 57, 349-351.   PDF

 

  1. Shao, M., Mo, M., Cui, Y., Chen, G., and Qian, Y. (2001)

The effect of agitation states on hydrothermal synthesis of Bi2S3 nanorods.

J. Cryst. Growth 233, 799-802.   PDF

 

  1. Cui, Y., Ren, J., Chen, G., Qian, Y., and Xie, Y. (2001)

A simple route to synthesize MInS2 (M = Cu, Ag) nanorods from single-molecule precursors.

Chem. Lett. 236-237.   PDF

 

  1. Cui, Y., Ren, J., Chen, G., Yu, W., and Qian, Y. (2000)

Poly[lead(II)-m-4,4-bipyridine-N,N'-di-m-bromo].

Acta Crystallogr. Sect. C-Cryst. Struct. Commun. 56, E552-E553.   PDF

 

  1. Cui, Y., Chen, G., Ren, J., Qian, Y., and Huang, J. (2000)

Syntheses, structures and magnetic behaviors of di- and trinuclear pivalate complexes containing both cobalt(II) and lanthanide(III) ions.

Inorg. Chem. 39, 4165-4168.   PDF

 

  1. Cui, Y., Zhang, X., Zheng, F., Ren, J., Chen, G., Qian, Y., and Huang, J. (2000)

Two mixed-metal carboxylate-base adducts.

Acta Crystallogr. Sect. C-Cryst. Struct. Commun. 56, 1198-1200.   PDF

 

 

Presentations

 

  1. Chen, G., Wen, J.-D., and Tinoco, I., Jr. (Feb. 2008, Poster)

Single-molecule mechanical unfolding and folding of a pseudoknot in human telomerase RNA.  

Biophysical Society Meeting, Long Beach, CA 

 

  1. Chen, G., Wen, J.-D., and Tinoco, I., Jr. (Dec. 2007, Poster)

Single-molecule mechanical unfolding and folding of a pseudoknot in human telomerase RNA.  

Bay Area All RNA Meeting, University of California, San Francisco 

 

  1. Chen, G., Wen, J.-D., and Tinoco, I., Jr. (Aug. 2006, Invited Talk)

Mechanical manipulation of a pseudoknot from human telomerase RNA.  

Turner Symposium, University of Rochester

 

  1. Chen, G., Kennedy, S.D., Znosko, B.M., Jiao, X., Krugh, T.R., and Turner, D.H. (Nov. 2005, Talk) 

Expanded Sequence Dependence Improves Prediction of RNA Internal Loop Stability

and NMR Reveals Molecular Recognition Interactions Accounting for Stability, Structure, and Dynamics.  

RNA Structure and Function Cluster of University of Rochester

 

  1. Chen, G., Znosko, B.M., Kennedy, S.D., Jiao, X., Krugh, T.R., and Turner, D.H. (Oct. 2005, Poster) 

Improved Thermodynamic Model for Predicting RNA 3 × 3 Internal Loops and NMR Structure

of an Unusually Stable Loop with Three Consecutive Sheared GA Pairs.  

Upstate New York NMR Symposium, Cornell University

 

  1. Wood, A., Chen, G., Krugh, T.R., and Turner D.H. (Mar. 2005, Poster) 

Thermodynamic Stability of Tetramer RNA Sequences in the Presence of Various Metal Cations.  

American Chemical Society meeting, San Diego

 

  1. Chen, G., Znosko, B.M., Kennedy, S.D., Jiao, X., Krugh, T.R., and Turner, D.H. (Sep. 2004, Talk) 

Thermodynamics and NMR of 3 × 3 Internal Loops in RNA.  

Biological Chemistry Cluster in Department of Chemistry, University of Rochester

 

  1. Chen, G., Znosko, B.M., Kennedy, S.D., Jiao, X., Krugh, T.R., and Turner, D.H. (Aug. 2004, Poster) 

Improved Thermodynamic Model for Predicting RNA 3 × 3 Internal Loops and NMR Structure

of an Unusually Stable Loop with Three Consecutive Sheared GA Pairs.  

Biological Chemistry Cluster in Department of Chemistry, University of Rochester

 

  1. Wood, A., Chen, G., Krugh, T.R., and Turner D.H. (Aug. 2004, Poster) 

Thermodynamic Stability of Tetramer RNA Sequences in the Presence of Various Metal Cations.  

NSF funded Research Experience for Undergraduates in Department of Chemistry, University of Rochester

 

Membership

 

American Chemical Society

Member                                                                                   2006 -

Student member                                                                       2003 - 2005

 

RNA Society (student member)                                                           2004 -

 

New York Academy of Sciences (student member)                            2006 -

 

Biophysical Society                                                                            2008 -