Andrew Mehl

Professor of Chemistry

General Interests
"The general research interest for my laboratory is on protein structure and how the final 3-D structure is obtained; what provides stability to a protein and how does a newly synthesized protein fold into its final shape? We use a protein from E. coli called GrpE as a model protein to try to answer questions about folding and stability because it has some common and unique structural characteristics. For fun, when I'm not spending time with my wife and two daughters, I enjoy woodworking and vegetable gardening."

Years at Knox: 1993 to present

Education
Ph.D., Biochemistry, 1990, University of Maryland.
B.A., Chemistry and Biology, magna cum laude, 1985, McDaniel College.

Teaching Interests
General chemistry, biochemistry, proteins and enzymes, methods in biochemistry, biological spectroscopy.

Recent Recognition
Grants
Recipient, National Institutes of Health AREA grant. "Studying GrpE: Protein Function, Stability, and Folding," 2002.

Recent Accomplishments
Publications
"Determination of Myoglobin Stability by Circular Dichroism Spectroscopy: Classic and Modern Data Analysis", coauthored with Mary A. Crawford, and Lie Zhang. Journal of Chemical Education (2009).

"A Water Meditated Electrostatic Interaction Gives Thermal Stability to the 'Tail' Region of the GrpE Protein from E. Coli." Co-authored with B. Demeler, and A. Zraikat. The Protein Journal (2006).

"Insights into Dimerization and Four-Helix Bundle Formation Found by Dissection of the Dimer Interface of the GrpE Protein from E. coli." Co-authored with Luke D. Heskett, Sumesh S. Jain, and Borries Demeler. Protein Science 12 (2003): 1205.

"A GrpE Mutant Containing the NH-2-Terminal 'Tail' Region is able to Displace Bound Polypeptide Substrate from DnaK." Co-authored with Luke D. Heskett, '00, and Kristina M. Neal, '99. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 282 (2001): 562.

Campus & Community Involvement
Coordinator for Science Area Council (Knox College).

Coordinator for the CCHN program for the City of Galesburg.
Member of the Council on Undergraduate Research.
Member of Sigma Xi: The Scientific Research Society.
Member of the American Chemical Society.
Member of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
Member of the Protein Society.

What Students Say
"Professor Mehl combines an innate ability to work informally with students and a characteristic I like to call comfortable professionalism. His ability and attitude towards working with students is best exemplified by the number of students who have expressed great interest in conducting research for him. Andrew has allowed me to follow my own direction in scientific research, while guiding me along the correct path."
-Bevin Philip, biochemistry and chemistry major

Contact
309-341-7270
amehl@knox.edu