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George P Hess

Professor, Biochemistry

Primary Research Areas

  • biochemistry
  • biomedical sciences
  • biophysics
  • biotechnology
  • cell biology
  • molecular biology
  • neuroscience

Graduate Fields

Research Focus

Currently, my primary research focus is the development and application of rapid reaction techniques with a microsecond-millisecond time resolution for use with membrane-bound neurotransmitter receptor proteins. The techniques enable one to study the reaction mechanisms of the proteins with implications for the alleviation of problems that arise in disease.

Research Grants

  • RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PROTEIN STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION

Selected Publications

PubMed Listings
Niu, L.; Grewer, C.; Hess, G. P. Chemical kinetic investigations of neurotransmitter receptors on a cell surface in the microsecond time region. Techniques in Protein Chemistry 1996, VII, 139.

Gee, K. R.; Niu, L.; Schaper, K.; Hess, G. P. Caged bioactive carboxylates, synthesis, photolysis studies, and biological characterization of a new caged N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA). J. Org. Chem. 1995, 60, 4260.

Niu, L.; Wieboldt, R.; Ramesh, D.; Carpenter, B. K.; Hess, G. P. Synthesis and characterization of a caged receptor ligand suitable for chemical kinetic investigations of the glycine receptor in the 3-microsecond time domain. Biochemistry 1996, 35, 8136.

Hess, G. P.; Grewer, C. Development and application of caged ligands for neurotransmitter receptors in transient kinetic and neuronal circuit mapping studies. Methods in Enzymology 1998, 291, 443.

Gee, K. R.; Carpenter, B. K.; Hess, G. P. Synthesis, photochemistry and biological characterization of photolabile protecting groups for carboxylic acids and neurotransmitters. Methods in Enzymology 1998, 291, 30.

Li, H.; Avery, L.; Denk, W.; Hess, G. P. Identification of chemical synapses in the pharynx of Caenorhabiditis elegans. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 1997, 94, 5912.

Ulrich, H.; Ippolito, J. E.; Pagan, O. R.; Eterovic, V. A.; Hann, R. M.; Shi, H.; Lis, J. T.; Eldefrawi, M. E.; Hess, G. P. In vitro selection of RNA molecules that displace cocaine from the membrane-bound nicotinic receptor. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 1998, 95, in press.