Richard A. Laursen

Professor

Bioorganic and Protein Chemistry

Office: SCI 382
Phone: 617-353-2491
Fax: 617-353-6646
E-mail: laursen@bu.edu

Office hours: By appointment

• B.S. in Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, 1961
• Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1964
• Postdoctoral Fellow, Harvard University

• Awarded Honorary Professorship ("for great contributions to life science research"). Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, PRC, 1998
• Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1990
• First recipient of the Pehr Edman Award ("for outstanding ontribution to the methodology of protein sequence analysis"). Sponsored by Millipore Corp., 1988
• Alfred P. Sloan Fellow. 1972-1974
• Invited Guest Scientist. Max Planck Institut für Moleculare Genetik, Berlin, 1971
• NIH Research Career Development Awardee. 1969-1974
• NIH Postdoctoral Fellow. Harvard University, 1964-1966
• NIH Predoctoral Fellow. University of Illinois, 1962-1964

National Institute of Health

• CH 204 - Organic Chemistry II
• CH 612 - Separation Methods in Chemistry and Biochemistry
• CH 722 - Protein Chemistry

• For many years the work in my laboratory has had two themes: (1) development of techniques and methods for the study of protein structure and function and (2) the study of specific proteins by a variety of methods. In 1970, we developed one of the first automated protein sequencers, the solid-phase sequencer; more recently we have developed methods rapidly synthesizing large numbers of peptides for a variety of structure-function studies. We have sequenced or done structure/function studies on many proteins, including the first ribosomal protein L7/L12, human plasminogen, molluscan myoglobins, mussel adhesive protein (gene sequence), proteases from ginger root, and a new type of antifreeze protein. Most recently we have carried out extensive studies on type I alpha-helical antifreeze proteins, with the aim of learning how they bind to ice surfaces and inhibit ice crystal growth. Extending this work, we have designed and synthesized a helical peptide that binds to calcite and alters its crystal morphology or shape. Current work is focused on the following:
• Development of a DNA/peptide microarray fabricator. We are collaborating with investigators at the BU Engineering Department and Fraunhofer Institute to construct a device for synthesizing high densities (thousands per sq. cm.) of oligonucleotides or peptides on glass slides for genomics and proteomics, respectively, analysis.
• Analysis of artists' materials. I am interested in using available instrumentation (GC-MS, LC-MS, FTIR, and laser Raman microscopy) and in developing new techniques for the analysis of paint samples and other art and archeological objects. Currently we are developing methods for the analysis of yellow dyes from natural sources in textiles of historical interest.

• None

• Link to publications