Faculty Profiles

Katherine J. Franz
Katherine J. Franz
Professor in 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

Safi, Rachid, et al. “Copper signaling axis as a target for prostate cancer therapeutics.” Cancer Res, vol. 74, no. 20, Oct. 2014, pp. 5819–31. Pubmed, doi:10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-13-3527. Full Text Open Access Copy

Franks, Andrew T., and Katherine J. Franz. “A prochelator with a modular masking group featuring hydrogen peroxide activation with concurrent fluorescent reporting.” Chemical Communications (Cambridge, England), vol. 50, no. 77, Oct. 2014, pp. 11317–20. Epmc, doi:10.1039/c4cc05076b. Full Text

Jansová, Hana, et al. “Comparison of various iron chelators and prochelators as protective agents against cardiomyocyte oxidative injury.” Free Radical Biology & Medicine, vol. 74, Sept. 2014, pp. 210–21. Epmc, doi:10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2014.06.019. Full Text

Festa, Richard A., et al. “Exploiting innate immune cell activation of a copper-dependent antimicrobial agent during infection.” Chemistry & Biology, vol. 21, no. 8, Aug. 2014, pp. 977–87. Epmc, doi:10.1016/j.chembiol.2014.06.009. Full Text

Festa, R. A., et al. “Innate immune cell activation of a copper-dependent anti-cryptococcal agent.” Mycoses, vol. 57, WILEY-BLACKWELL, May 2014, pp. 56–57.

Franks, Andrew T., et al. “Characterization of a photoswitching chelator with light-modulated geometric, electronic, and metal-binding properties.” Inorganic Chemistry, vol. 53, no. 3, Feb. 2014, pp. 1397–405. Epmc, doi:10.1021/ic402221x. Full Text

Folk, D. S., et al. Bioinorganic Neurochemistry. Vol. 3, Aug. 2013, pp. 207–40. Scopus, doi:10.1016/B978-0-08-097774-4.00315-6. Full Text

Grant, Gerald A., et al. “The 62nd Annual Meeting of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons was held in Chicago, Illinois from October 6-10, 2012. Preface.” Neurosurgery, vol. 60 Suppl 1, Aug. 2013, p. v. Pubmed, doi:10.1227/NEU.0000000000000006. Full Text

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

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