Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin go to home page university of texas at austin college of engineering U T direct
Lydia M. Contreras-Martin, PhD
Assistant Professor


Lydia Contreras
Office:   Mailing Address:
Phone: 518-402-2561 Wadsworth Center- NYS Department of Health
Fax: Center for Medical Sciences
Email: lcontrer@che.utexas.edu 120 New Scotland Avenue
UT Mail: C0400 Albany, New York 12208

Educational Qualifications:
Ph.D., Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University (2008)
B.S.E., Chemical Engineering, Princeton University (2003)
NIH Postdoctoral Fellow (Infectious Diseases), Division of Developmental Genetics and Bioinformatics, Wadsworth Center-New York State Dept. of Health, Albany, NY (2008-2010)

Recent Honors/Awards:

  • FASEB Postdoctoral Development and Enrichment Award, 2009
  • Edna and William Hooey Award, Chemical Engineering Dept. Cornell. University, 2007
  • NSF IGERT Fellow, Cornell University, 2004-2006

Focus:
Biomolecular engineering, Biotechnology, Metabolic and Cellular Engineering.

Research:
Our research combines biomolecular engineering, genetic studies and computational modeling to understand molecular features that lead to the specific recognition and interaction of RNAs and proteins. We apply fundamental concepts that emerge from experimental (and computational) work to re-design and engineer these molecules for novel technologies that could beneficially impact human health.

Overall research goals:

  • Diagnostics for RNA-related diseases
  • Discovery and delivery of drugs targeting RNAs
  • Optimization strategies for therapeutic RNA/protein expression

We welcome interest from motivated undergraduate students who want to pursue graduate research and from exceptional graduate students who are interested in postdoctoral research opportunities. Please don’t hesitate to contact Prof. Contreras-Martin for additional information.

Selected Publications

  • Contreras Martinez, L., Martinez-Veracoechea, F., Pohkarel, P., Stroock, A.D., Escobedo, F. and DeLisa, M.P. (2006) Protein translocation through a tunnel induces changes in folding kinetics: a lattice model study. Biotechnol Bioeng 94: 105-117.
  • Contreras Martinez, L. and DeLisa MP (2007) Intracellular ribosome display via SecM translation arrest as a selection for antibodies with enhanced cytosolic stability. J.Mol.Biol. 372(2): 513-524.
  • Contreras Martinez, L., Borrero, E.E., Escobedo, F. and DeLisa, M.P. (2007) In silico protein fragmentation reveals the importance of critical nuclei in domain reassembly BioPhys J. 94:1575-88.
  • Contreras Martinez, L. and DeLisa, M.P. (2007) Expression engineering of synthetic antibodies using ribosome display. In: Dyson, M. and Durocher, Y., editors. Expression Systems - Methods Express. Oxfordshire, UK: Scion Publishing.
  • Borrero, E.E., Contreras Martinez, L.,DeLisa, M.P., and Escobedo, F.  (2009) Kinetics and reaction coordinates of the reassembly of protein fragments via forward flux sampling. BioPhys J (submitted).
  • Dichiara, J.M. Contreras Martinez, L., Smith D., and Belfort M. (2009) Identification of small RNAs in the TB-complex bacterium Mycobacterium bovis BCG reveals a link to Crp/Cmr related metabolism (in preparation).

 

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