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The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology issued 12 awards to top scientists, including Brian Kuhlman, PhD, professor of biochemistry and biophysics.

Brian Kuhlman PhD professor of UNC biochemistry and biophysics
Brian Kulhman, PhD

The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology last week named a dozen scientists the winners of its annual awards. The winners were nominated by colleagues and other leaders in their fields for making significant contributions to biochemistry and molecular biology and the training of emerging scientists.

The recipients will give talks about their work at the society’s 2019 annual meeting, which will be held in conjunction with the Experimental Biology conference April 6–9, 2019 in Orlando.

Brian Kuhlman, PhD, professor of biochemistry and biophysics at the UNC School of Medicine and member of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, won the DeLano Award for Computational Biosciences. The award was established by family, friends, and colleagues to honor the legacy of Warren L. DeLano, the creator of the widely used PyMOL open-source molecular viewer. The award, which includes a $3,000 cash prize, is given to a scientist for the most accessible and innovative development or application of computer technology to enhance research in the life sciences at the molecular level.

Kuhlman’s latest research, done in collaboration with the lab of Aravinda de Silva, PhD, professor of microbiology and immunology at UNC, showed how key components of a potentially potent dengue virus vaccine fall apart due to body temperature, leaving us susceptible to severe infection.

Previously, his lab developed a way to embed light-responsive switches into proteins so that researchers can use lasers to manipulate protein movement and activity within living cells and animals.

Read about all the winners of ASBMB here. Read additional news post “Kuhlman solves protein puzzles with a modeling program” in ASBMBToday.


Thanks to UNC Healthcare Vital Signs for this news release. Please contact Carolyn_Clabo@med.unc.edu for news releases.