Our Faculty

Anthony Kossiakoff, PhD

The Kossiakoff Group's research interests are to provide a molecular understanding of how molecular recognition governs virtually all aspects of biological function. To study these issues our group employs a combination of X-ray crystallography and cryo-EM, site-directed mutagenesis, phage display and biophysical analysis. The Kossiakoff group has also pioneered a new technology called “chaperone-assisted” crystallography, which has facilitated the structural analyses of protein systems that had been totally recalcitrant to other approaches. The group has also been at the forefront of developing synthetic antibodies. These synthetic antibodies are much more powerful that traditional monoclonal antibodies and have the potential to completely replace them for uses in live cell imaging and proteomics.

California Institute of Technology
Postdoc - Structural Biology
1975

University of Delaware
Ph.D - Physical Chemistry
1972

Davis and Elkins College
BS - Chemistry/Math
1968

Biophysical Basis of Paracellular Barrier Modulation by a Pan-Claudin-Binding Molecule.
Biophysical Basis of Paracellular Barrier Modulation by a Pan-Claudin-Binding Molecule. bioRxiv. 2024 Nov 11.
PMID: 39605593

Cryo-EM structures of Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin bound to its human receptor, claudin-4.
Cryo-EM structures of Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin bound to its human receptor, claudin-4. Structure. 2024 Nov 07; 32(11):1936-1951.e5.
PMID: 39383874

Structural insights into translocation and tailored synthesis of hyaluronan.
Structural insights into translocation and tailored synthesis of hyaluronan. Nat Struct Mol Biol. 2024 Sep 25.
PMID: 39322765

Structural insights into terminal arabinosylation biosynthesis of the mycobacterial cell wall arabinan.
Structural insights into terminal arabinosylation biosynthesis of the mycobacterial cell wall arabinan. bioRxiv. 2024 Sep 18.
PMID: 39345558

Mechanistic studies of mycobacterial glycolipid biosynthesis by the mannosyltransferase PimE.
Mechanistic studies of mycobacterial glycolipid biosynthesis by the mannosyltransferase PimE. bioRxiv. 2024 Sep 18.
PMID: 39345506

Cryo-EM Structure of Phospholipase Ce Defines N-terminal Domains and their Roles in Activity.
Cryo-EM Structure of Phospholipase Ce Defines N-terminal Domains and their Roles in Activity. bioRxiv. 2024 Sep 12.
PMID: 39314324

Engineered Protein-G variants for plug-and-play applications.
Engineered Protein-G variants for plug-and-play applications. bioRxiv. 2024 Aug 08.
PMID: 39211271

Chaperone-assisted cryo-EM structure of P. aeruginosa PhuR reveals molecular basis for heme binding.
Chaperone-assisted cryo-EM structure of P. aeruginosa PhuR reveals molecular basis for heme binding. bioRxiv. 2024 Aug 05.
PMID: 37577460

Cryo-EM Structures of Clostridium perfringens Enterotoxin Bound to its Human Receptor, Claudin-4.
Cryo-EM Structures of Clostridium perfringens Enterotoxin Bound to its Human Receptor, Claudin-4. bioRxiv. 2024 Jul 12.
PMID: 39026804

Structural Insights into the Roles of PARP4 and NAD + in the Human Vault Cage.
Structural Insights into the Roles of PARP4 and NAD + in the Human Vault Cage. bioRxiv. 2024 Jun 27.
PMID: 38979142

View All Publications

Christian Anfinsen Award
Protein Society
2019

Fellow of American Association for Advancement of Science
AAAS
2012

Honorary Degree Doctor of Science
Davis and Elkins College
2011

Alumni Hall of Fame
University of Delaware
2003

Chair Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
University of Chicago
1998 - 2011

Director Institute for Biophysical Dynamics
University of Chicago
1998 - 2003

Director Department of Protein Engineering
Genentech, Inc.
1983 - 1998