1991 PhD in Chemistry at Yale University . Research in the laboratory of Thomas A. Steitz in collaboration with the laboratory of Donald M. Crothers . A main focus of the Hendrickson laboratory is the study of molecules involved in signal transduction using x-ray crystallography . My main interest is in the tyrosine kinase family of growth factor receptors . It has been shown that signalling is accomplished by dimerization of the receptors upon ligand binding.
Some ligands are disulfide-linked dimers that each bind one receptor molecule.
Others are bound by one receptor on each of two distinct faces. The fibroblast growth factor family is unique in that the ligands require heparin or the sugar moiety of the heparan sulfate proteoglycan that resides extracellularly to accomplish oligomerization that will result in signalling across the cell membrane. We have crystallized what we believe to be the biological dimer of human acidic FGF complexed with a heparin decasaccharide. For a more extensive description of my scientific career, check out my curriculum vitae. A hobby of mine for the past eight years.