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

Franz, Katherine J. “Clawing back: broadening the notion of metal chelators in medicine..” Current Opinion in Chemical Biology, vol. 17, no. 2, Apr. 2013, pp. 143–49. Epmc, doi:10.1016/j.cbpa.2012.12.021. Full Text

Kumbhar, Anupa A., et al. “Light uncages a copper complex to induce nonapoptotic cell death..” Chemical Communications (Cambridge, England), vol. 49, no. 24, Mar. 2013, pp. 2460–62. Epmc, doi:10.1039/c3cc38927h. Full Text

Kielar, Filip, et al. “A boronate prochelator built on a triazole framework for peroxide-triggered tridentate metal binding..” Inorganica Chimica Acta, vol. 393, Dec. 2012, pp. 294–303. Epmc, doi:10.1016/j.ica.2012.06.011. Full Text

Folk, Drew S., et al. “Monitoring β-secretase activity in living cells with a membrane-anchored FRET probe..” Angewandte Chemie (International Ed. in English), vol. 51, no. 43, Oct. 2012, pp. 10795–99. Epmc, doi:10.1002/anie.201206673. Full Text

Hyman, Lynne M., and Katherine J. Franz. “Probing oxidative stress: Small molecule fluorescent sensors of metal ions, reactive oxygen species, and thiols..” Coordination Chemistry Reviews, vol. 256, no. 19–20, Oct. 2012, pp. 2333–56. Epmc, doi:10.1016/j.ccr.2012.03.009. Full Text

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

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