Currently, the McCoy Lab is involved in projects involving protein crystallography and structural modeling using CryoEM and creating detection assays for nutritional immunity proteins in C. acnes. The McCoy Lab is also working in collaboration with the Edwards Lab in the Center for Pharmacogenomics on projects investigating the expression and function of DNA methylation enzymes.
Structural Biology
Using state-of-the-art tools and techniques such as high-throughput protein crystallography and Cryo-Electron Microscopy, the McCoy Lab specializes in characterizing the physical structure and function of proteins at the molecular level and generating high-quality 3D structures for proteins with relevance to host interactions within the skin microbiome.
Detection Assay Development
Quick and easy-to-use detection assays for a wide range of proteins and molecules are indispensable tools in a variety of contexts, from field detection of environmental contaminants to clinical assays used to assist with accurate diagnosis. We are interested in developing immunoassays for nutritional immunity proteins in the common Acnes vulgaris-causing bacterium C. acnes and other microorganisms of the skin microbiome.
DNA Methylation
DNA methylation is an epigenetic process that regulates transcription and expression of genes by selectively blocking or allowing access to genetic information. In our collaboration with the Edwards Lab in the Center for Pharmacogenomics, we are investigating the structure and function of DNA methylation enzymes using bacterial expression vectors.