Donella Beckwith, Ph.D.

Research Interests

• Elucidating structure-activity relationships (SARs) and binding interactions of protein-ligand/small molecules harnessing evaluative methods like flow cytometry, fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACs), fluorescence polarization (FP), enzyme-linked immunoassays (ELISA), and fluorescence intensity (FLINT) binding assays
• Uncovering thermodynamic and kinetic biophysical protein-ligand/small molecule interactions employing isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), KinITC, and surface plasmon resonance (SPR)
• Gaining molecular level insight into the energy landscapes governing recognition of protein-ligand/small molecule complexes utilizing atomic force microscopy (AFM) based on dynamic single-molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS)

Selected Publications

1. Caballero, G.; Manning, J.; Gabba, A.;  Beckwith D.; FitzGerald, F.; Kutzner, T.; Ludwig, A.; Kaltner, H.; Murphy, P.; Cudic, M.; Gabius, HJ. Explore the Galectin Network by Light and Fluorescence Microscopy.   In  Mol. Biol., 2^nd  ed.; Stowell, S., Arthur, C., Cummings, R.; Springer US, 2022; Chapter 17.
2. Ludwig, A.; Michalak, M.; Gabba, A.; Kutzner, T.;  Beckwith, D.; FitzGerald, F.; Caballero, G.; Manning, J.; Kriegsmann, M.; Kaltner, H.; Murphy, P.; Cudic, M.; Kopitz, J.; Gabius, (2021) Imitating Evolution’s Tinkering by Protein Engineering Reveals Extension of Human Galectin-7 Activity.  Histochem. Cell Biol.  DOI: 10.1007/s00418-021-02004-w.  
3. Beckwith,  ; FitzGerald, F.; Rodriguez, M.; Ludwig, A.; Mercer, E.; Gabius, HJ.; Cudic, M. (2021) Calorimetric Analysis of the Interplay between Synthetic T_n  Antigen-presenting MUC1 Glycopeptides and Human Macrophage Galactose-type Lectin.  BioChem. DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.0c00942.
4. Diercks, T.; Medrano, F.; FitzGerald, F.;  Beckwith, D.; Pedersen, M.; Reihill, M.; Ludwid, A.; Romero, A.; Oscarson, S.; Cudic, M.; Gabius, HJ. (2020) Galectin-Glycan Interaction: Guideline for Monitoring by  ⁷⁷Se NMR Spectroscopy and Solvent (H₂O/D₂O) Impact on Binding.  Eur. J.  DOI: 10.1002/chem.202003143.
5. Caballero, G.;  Beckwith, D.; Shilova, N.; Gabba, A.; Kutzner, T.; Ludwig, AK.; Manning, J.; Kaltner, H.; Sinowatz, F.; Cudic, M.; Bovin, N.; Murphy, P.; Gabius, HJ. (2020) Influence of Protein (Human Galectin-3) Design on Aspects of Lectin Activity.  Cell Biol.  DOI: 10.1007/s00418-020-01859-9.
6. Beckwith, D.; Cudic, M. (2020) Tumor-associated  O-glycans of MUC1: Carriers of the Glyco-Code and Targets for Cancer Vaccine Design. Semin. Imunol.  DOI: 1016/j.smim.2020.101389.
7. Singh, ; Al-Huniti, M.;  Beckwith, D.; Ayyalasomayajula, R.; Patino, E.; Miranda, W.; Wade, A.; Cudic, M. (2019) Positional Scanning MUC1 Glycopeptide Library Reveals the Importance of PDTR Epitope Glycosylation for Lectin Binding. J. Org. Chem.  DOI: 10.1021/acs.joc.9b02396.