Faculty Profiles

Katherine J. Franz
Katherine J. Franz
Chair of the Department 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

Kielar, Filip, et al. “Prochelator BHAPI protects cells against paraquat-induced damage by ROS-triggered iron chelation.” Metallomics : Integrated Biometal Science, vol. 4, no. 9, Aug. 2012, pp. 899–909. Epmc, doi:10.1039/c2mt20069d. Full Text

Franz, Katherine J. “Application of inorganic chemistry for non-cancer therapeutics.” Dalton Transactions (Cambridge, England : 2003), vol. 41, no. 21, June 2012, pp. 6333–34. Epmc, doi:10.1039/c2dt90061k. Full Text

Rubino, Jeffrey T., and Katherine J. Franz. “Coordination chemistry of copper proteins: how nature handles a toxic cargo for essential function.” Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry, vol. 107, no. 1, Feb. 2012, pp. 129–43. Epmc, doi:10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2011.11.024. Full Text

Hyman, Lynne M., and Katherine J. Franz. “A Cell-Permeable Fluorescent Prochelator Responds to Hydrogen Peroxide and Metal Ions by Decreasing Fluorescence.” Inorganica Chimica Acta, vol. 380, Jan. 2012, pp. 125–34. Epmc, doi:10.1016/j.ica.2011.11.056. Full Text

Leed, Marina G. D., et al. “Prochelators triggered by hydrogen peroxide provide hexadentate iron coordination to impede oxidative stress.” Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry, vol. 105, no. 9, Sept. 2011, pp. 1161–72. Epmc, doi:10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2011.05.023. Full Text

Haas, Kathryn L., et al. “Model peptides provide new insights into the role of histidine residues as potential ligands in human cellular copper acquisition via Ctr1.” J Am Chem Soc, vol. 133, no. 12, Mar. 2011, pp. 4427–37. Pubmed, doi:10.1021/ja108890c. Full Text

Ciesienski, Katie L., and Katherine J. Franz. “Keys for unlocking photolabile metal-containing cages.” Angewandte Chemie (International Ed. in English), vol. 50, no. 4, Jan. 2011, pp. 814–24. Epmc, doi:10.1002/anie.201002542. Full Text

Rubino, Jeffrey T., et al. “A comparison of methionine, histidine and cysteine in copper(I)-binding peptides reveals differences relevant to copper uptake by organisms in diverse environments.” Metallomics : Integrated Biometal Science, vol. 3, no. 1, Jan. 2011, pp. 61–73.

Rubino, Jeffrey T., et al. “A comparison of methionine, histidine and cysteine in copper(I)-binding peptides reveals differences relevant to copper uptake by organisms in diverse environments.” Metallomics : Integrated Biometal Science, vol. 3, no. 1, Jan. 2011, pp. 61–73. Epmc, doi:10.1039/c0mt00044b. Full Text

Ciesienski, Katie L., et al. “Development of next-generation photolabile copper cages with improved copper binding properties.” Dalton Transactions (Cambridge, England : 2003), vol. 39, no. 40, Oct. 2010, pp. 9538–46. Epmc, doi:10.1039/c0dt00770f. Full Text Open Access Copy

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