Welcome to the Research Group of Moriah Beck

 
Welcome to the laboratory of Moriah R. Beck in the Chemistry Department at Wichita State University.  Our research program integrates biochemical, structural, biophysical, and microscopy techniques to understand actin-based motility. Our work has revealed novel roles for palladin and myopalladin in promoting actin polymerization and/or modifying the structure of actin filaments. Our research is interdisciplinary and our different backgrounds include biology, chemistry, and engineering. Our current and future efforts focus primarily on three areas: Using TIRF microscopy to study the role of palladin in regulating actin dynamics and organization in real-time Examining protein-protein interactions critical for regulation of actin  by myopalladin, a protein found in the sarcomere of striated muscles that may be disrupted by cardiomyopathy mutations recently discovered in this protein Improving personalized medicine through systematic mutagenesis combined with structure-function studies utilizing lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in a Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE)

Welcome to the laboratory of Moriah R. Beck in the Chemistry Department at Wichita State University.  Our research program integrates biochemical, structural, biophysical, and microscopy techniques to understand actin-based motility.

Our work has revealed novel roles for palladin and myopalladin in promoting actin polymerization and/or modifying the structure of actin filaments.

Our research is interdisciplinary and our different backgrounds include biology, chemistry, and engineering.

Our current and future efforts focus primarily on three areas:

  1. •Using TIRF microscopy to study the role of palladin in regulating actin dynamics and organization in real-time

  2. •Examining protein-protein interactions critical for regulation of actin  by myopalladin, a protein found in the sarcomere of striated muscles that may be disrupted by cardiomyopathy mutations recently discovered in this protein

  3. •Improving personalized medicine through systematic mutagenesis combined with structure-function studies utilizing lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in a Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE)