Karen J. Chave, PhD
Director, Protein Expression and Biochemistry Cores
Research Scientist, Scientific Core
PhD, University of Surrey (1993)
Postdoctoral training: New York State Department of Health, Wadsworth Center
Research Interests
I am the Director, and actively work in, the Wadsworth Center Protein Expression Core where I express and purify proteins in E.coli, insect and mammalian expression systems. I specialize in finding conditions for expression of soluble protein in E.coli. I have expressed and purified over 150 proteins.
My graduate and postdoctoral studies focused on the biochemical function of enzymes involved in folate metabolism, particularly the enzyme γ-glutamyl hydrolase. This enzyme is involved in folate metabolism and catabolizes antifolate drugs such as methotrexate. DNA and protein variants of this enzyme are implicated in drug resistance, toxicity and clinical outcome in cancer and rheumatoid arthritis.
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