BMBB professor receives international prize for groundbreaking work in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance.
Charalampos Kalodimos, a professor in the Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics (BMBB), is a 2016 recipient of The Raymond and Beverly Sackler International Prize in the Physical Sciences. He was recognized for using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to produce “beautifully detailed characterizations of structure, function and dynamics in a number of challenging and important biological systems.”
Kalodimos uses NMR to investigate a broad variety of questions on topics ranging from cancer to molecular chaperones. “The beauty of NMR is not only that you get high-resolution molecular structures, but also that you can see how they change over time, exactly where molecules bind, and where they are flexible,” says Kalodimos, who notes that the University of Minnesota has one of the best NMR centers in the country.
"Seeing the structures that Professor Kalodimos works on come to life is transformational,” says David Bernlohr, professor and head of BMBB. “His ability to convert sequence proteins and cartoons of complexes from guesses to reality is breathtaking. His work energizes the field and enables a vivid and complete picture of some of the most intricate components of life."
The prize was established to recognize and reward outstanding scientists under 45 who demonstrate a dedication to science, originality and excellence. Kalodimos and two other investigators will be honored at a ceremony and symposium in late February at Tel Aviv University.
“It is a great honor to receive the Sackler Prize,” says Kalodimos, who joined the college’s faculty in 2015. “It is a tribute to the hard work and passion by a number of talented people in my lab who, together, have pushed the limits of structural biology by exploring areas and biological systems that have remained intractable until recently. I am excited and emboldened by this recognition to continue this effort.”
"Seeing the structures that Professor Kalodimos works on come to life is transformational." —David Bernlohr
Read more about Kalodimos’ research here: A Long-Standing Cellular Puzzle, Solved