Austin Murchison, Ms Email & Phone Number

Stanford, Ca, Us

Stanford, California, United States

Investigating lysosome biology and subcellular metabolism

• I worked to identify novel antibacterial compounds by investigating outer-membrane biogenesis in gram-negative bacteria. Utilizing a combination of microbiology, molecular biology, and biochemical approaches.

The rapid detection of chemical pollutants in an ecosystem is an important focus for research as it pertains to human health. Carbon monoxide pollution is a growing problem due to societies uses of fossil fuels. Currently there are no self-sustaining carbon monoxide sensors available. My work seeks to engineer carbon monoxide biosensors based on how bacteria utilize gas sensor proteins to detect changes in their environment and modulate their metabolism, using the carbon monoxide sensing transcription factor CooA. I developed a carbon monoxide transcription system based on R. Rubrum for application in E. Coli. I constructed a CooA reporter system expressing mRFP under a CooA-specific promoter. I also designed a separate CooA plasmid used for purification for in vitro analysis. Using this system, we hope to create self-sustaining cell sentinels capable of monitoring environmental pollution.

Chemistry Department

• Worked independently and as part of a team to prepare organic chemistry and quantitative analysis lab reagents• Responsible for transport and storage of cryogenic materials• Responsible for handling and delivering packages throughout the department• Trained and mentored students

Understanding how histone proteins condense DNA in the nucleus is essential for understanding gene regulation. We investigated how the histone variants differed from canonical histones, and they influence chromatin remodeling. My research focused on characterizing the biophysical stability of histones H2A, H2B, the HTZ-1 variant involved in embryogenesis, and the sperm-specific variant HTAS-1 linked to zygotic death, and how they compare to the canonical H2A in the H2A/H2B dimer structure at a range of ionic strengths and thermal denaturation conditions. I used far-UV circular dichroism to monitor the dissociation of the histone heterodimer and the unfolding of histone secondary structure to its denatured conformation. I used CDPRO software to monitor secondary structure change and estimate secondary structure change. My results support a model in which HTZ-1 may promote nucleosome unfolding and increased transcription of genes during development due to its lower stability. Conversely, HTAS-1’s increased stability may indicate that it plays a repressor role in chromatin remodeling during sperm development.

Doctor Of Philosophy - Phd, Biology (Cellular And Molecular Biology)

Activities and Societies: Stanford ChEM-H O'Leary-Thiry Graduate Fellowship

Master Of Science - Ms, Cell/Cellular And Molecular Biology

Activities and Societies: Graduate Student Researcher in the Esquerra lab. President of Black Excellent in Science, Technology.

Bachelor Of Science - Bs, Cell/Cellular And Molecular Biology

Associate Of Science - As, Biology/Biological Sciences, General