Katie Helland
- Program Year: 5
- Academic Institution: Iowa State University
- Field of Study: Materials Science
- Academic Advisor: Barb Helland
- Practicum(s): Practicum Not Yet Completed
- Degree(s):
B.S. Physics, Iowa State University, 2011
Summary of Research
This is a test: André Müller.The basic issue is the determination of the three-dimensional structure of large biopolymers from their amino acid sequence. It is this "folded" structure which dictates the function of these molecules in biological systems, functions which range from reaction catalysis to gene regulation and expression to intercellular transport and communication. The importance of these molecules in virtually all biological processes cannot be overstated. Indeed, the primary role of DNA is to encode genetic instructions for the construction of proteins; only through understanding the function of these pervasive biomolecules can we hope to unravel the information contained in the rapidly expanding genome libraries. A computational solution to the protein-folding problem is the subject of my research.