University of North Carolina at Charlotte B.S. Chemistry with emphasis in Biochemistry

Although the area was settled in 1750, the town of Hickory was named for a tavern of logs that was built beneath a huge hickory tree located at a stagecoach turnpike during the 1850's. The inn was known as "Hickory Tavern" and the turnpike was located at a point where the Cherokee and Catawba Indian trails crossed. With time, the turnpike was changed to a railroad depot and the town’s name was later changed to Hickory. You can still enjoy a cold beverage and watch the trains go by at the old depot now named the Hickory Station Restaurant.

Structure/function relationships in protein mechanisms.

Publications:

Roulhac, P.L., Powell, K.D., Dhungana, S.D., Weaver, K.D., Mietzner, T.A., Crumbliss, A.L., Fitzgerald, M.C.; "SUPREX (Stability of Unpurified Proteins from Rates of H/D Exchange) analysis of the thermodynamics of synergistic anion binding by ferric-binding protein (FbpA), a bacterial transferrin" Biochem. 2004, 43, 15767-15774.

Weaver, K.D., Crumbliss, A.L.; condensation/commentary on "High-resolution structure of an alternate form of the ferric ion binding protein from Haemophilus influenzae", Chemtracts-Inorg. Chem. 2003, 16, 715-721.

Presentations:
 

Weaver, K.D., Ferruzi, G., Bonaventura, C., Crumbliss, A.L.; “Effects of subunit cross-linking on hemoglobin oxidation states determined by spectroelectrochemistry” Division of Inorganic Chemistry, 231^st ACS National Meeting, Atlanta, GA, March 26-30, 2006. (oral)

Weaver, K.D., Gabričević, M., Crumbliss, A.L.; “Role of exogenous anion on iron(III) complexation by ferric binding protein” Division of Inorganic Chemistry, 228^th ACS National Meeting, Philadelphia, PA, August 22, 2004.(oral)

Weaver, K.D., Crumbliss, A.L.; In silico design and rationale for ferric binding protein mutants” Division of Inorganic Chemistry, 118^th NC-ACS Sectional Conference, Durham, NC, April 17, 2004.(poster)

Awards:

Fellow in the NIH sponsored Biological Chemistry work study program August 2002 to July 2004 at Duke University.

Research Synopsis

Currently working on four projects: (1) Spectroelectrochemical analysis of chemically modified hemoglobins being considered as cell free blood substitutes, human serotransferrin and human lactoferrin. (2) Stopped-flow absorbance/fluorescence kinetic analysis of iron loading into bacterial transferrin, ferric binding protein (FbpA). Comparing wild-type FbpA and Fe binding mutants that were designed in silico. (3) MADLI-TOF SUPREX investigation into the thermodynamic stability of various metalloprotein assemblies including, gallium loaded FbpA, ex vivo FbpA speciation in periplasmic cell lysate and iron loaded human serotransferrin while docked at transferin receptor I. (4) X-ray crystallography of small inorganic molecules, specifically naturally occurring siderophores and synthetic mimics.