Faculty Profiles

Katherine J. Franz
Alexander F. Hehmeyer Professor of Chemistry
Office: 
2103 French Science Center, 124 Science Drive, Durham, NC 27708
Phone: 
(919) 660-1541
katherine.franz@duke.edu
Franz Research Group
Research Interests: 

Research in the Franz group is involved in elucidating the structural and functional consequences of metal ion coordination in biological systems. We are particularly interested in understanding the coordination chemistry utilized by biology to manage essential yet toxic species like copper and iron. Understanding these principles further guides our development of new chemical tools to manipulate biological metal ion location, speciation, and reactivity for potential therapeutic benefit. We use a combination of synthesis, spectroscopy, and biochemistry in our work. Please visit our group website to learn more about our research.

Overview

Education:

Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2000

B.A., Wellesley College 1995

Research Areas:
Biomolecular Structure and Function, Inorganic

Wang, Q, and Franz, KJ. "The hydrolytic susceptibility of prochelator BSIH in aqueous solutions. (Accepted)" Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry letters 27.17 (September 2017): 4165-4170. Full Text

Conklin, SE, Bridgman, EC, Su, Q, Riggs-Gelasco, P, Haas, KL, and Franz, KJ. "Specific Histidine Residues Confer Histatin Peptides with Copper-Dependent Activity against Candida albicans." Biochemistry 56.32 (August 2017): 4244-4255. Full Text Open Access Copy

Helsel, ME, White, EJ, Razvi, SZA, Alies, B, and Franz, KJ. "Chemical and functional properties of metal chelators that mobilize copper to elicit fungal killing of Cryptococcus neoformans." Metallomics : integrated biometal science 9.1 (January 2017): 69-81. Full Text

Wang, Q, and Franz, KJ. "Stimulus-Responsive Prochelators for Manipulating Cellular Metals." Accounts of chemical research 49.11 (November 2016): 2468-2477. Full Text

Sansee, A, Meksawangwong, S, Chainok, K, Franz, KJ, Gál, M, Pålsson, L-O, Puniyan, W, Traiphol, R, Pal, R, and Kielar, F. "Novel aminoalkyl tris-cyclometalated iridium complexes as cellular stains." Dalton transactions (Cambridge, England : 2003) 45.43 (November 2016): 17420-17430. Full Text

Hašková, P, Jansová, H, Bureš, J, Macháček, M, Jirkovská, A, Franz, KJ, Kovaříková, P, and Šimůnek, T. "Cardioprotective effects of iron chelator HAPI and ROS-activated boronate prochelator BHAPI against catecholamine-induced oxidative cellular injury." Toxicology 371 (September 2016): 17-28. Full Text

Jansová, H, Bureš, J, Macháček, M, Hašková, P, Jirkovská, A, Roh, J, Wang, Q, Franz, KJ, Kovaříková, P, and Šimůnek, T. "Characterization of cytoprotective and toxic properties of iron chelator SIH, prochelator BSIH and their degradation products." Toxicology 350-352 (March 2016): 15-24. Full Text

Franks, AT, Wang, Q, and Franz, KJ. "A multifunctional, light-activated prochelator inhibits UVA-induced oxidative stress." Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry letters 25.21 (November 2015): 4843-4847. Full Text

Pushie, MJ, Shaw, K, Franz, KJ, Shearer, J, and Haas, KL. "Model Peptide Studies Reveal a Mixed Histidine-Methionine Cu(I) Binding Site at the N-Terminus of Human Copper Transporter 1." Inorganic chemistry 54.17 (September 2015): 8544-8551. Full Text

Crumbliss, AL, Franz, KJ, and Thiele, DJ. "Preface." BioMetals 28.3 (June 2015): 431-431. Full Text

Pages

Wang, Q, and Franz, KJ. "Detection of Metal Ions, Anions and Small Molecules Using Metal Complexes." Inorganic Chemical Biology: Principles, Techniques and Applications. June 23, 2014. 233-274. Full Text

Pages