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Dr. Eric T. Boder

Contact Information:

Dr. Eric T. Boder
Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
University of Tennessee
437 Dougherty Hall
Knoxville, TN 37996-2200
Phone: (865) 974-6362
Fax: (865) 974-7076
E-mail: boder@utk.edu
  • Associate Professor
  • Chemical E, Washington University, 1993
  • Chemical E, University of Illinois, 1996
  • Chemical E, University of Illinois, 1999

Research Interests


            Protein drugs represent a rapidly developing product area in industry.  In many cases, the extreme specificity of molecular interactions required to inhibit certain disease states has limited the success of small organic pharmaceuticals in treatment.  Protein reagents have the potential to overcome this obstacle; however, the utility of proteins as therapeutic agents has been limited by the lack of a quantitative engineering approach to developing proteins with the appropriate molecular properties.  The broad goal of research in my group is to address this need.  This research must consider several critical points:

  • Selection of naturally existing proteins with properties suitable for the intended applications.
  • Development of protein engineering tools and methodologies for quantitatively altering the functional properties of the chosen reagent to optimize for the specific application.
  • Development of robust tools for incorporating engineered proteins into functional devices.
  • Development of methods for cost-effective protein production.

            My group focuses on biomolecular engineering of proteins for applications in immunology and nanotechnology, and emphasis is placed on directed molecular evolution approaches.  All projects apply molecular, cell, and microbiological methods as nontraditional engineering tools.


Selected Publications

R. Parthasarathy, S. Subramanian, and E.T. Boder:  Sortase A as a novel molecular “stapler” for sequence-specific protein conjugation. Bioconj. Chem., 18:469-476 (2007).
S. Subramanian, E.T. Boder, and D.E. Discher:  Phylogenetic Divergence in Human SIRPa-CD47 Interactions Reveals Locus of Species-specificity: Implications for the Binding Site.  J. Biol. Chem., 282:1805-1818 (2007).
J.H. Lee, M. Goulian, and E.T. Boder:  Autocatalytic Activation of Influenza Hemagglutinin.  J. Mol. Biol., 364:275-282 (2006).
L.R. Pepper, D.A. Hammer, and E.T. Boder: Rolling Adhesion of aL I Domain Mutants Decorrelated from Binding Affinity.  J. Mol. Biol., 360:37-44 (2006).
S. Park, Y. Xu, X.F. Stowell, F. Gai, J.G. Saven, and E.T. Boder:  Limitations of yeast surface display in engineering proteins of high thermostability.  Prot. Eng. Des. Sel., 19:211-217 (2006).
P. Derr, E. Boder, and M. Goulian:  Genetic selection for new bacterial chemoreceptors. J. Mol. Biol.  355:923-932 (2006).
R. Parthasarathy, S. Subramanian, E.T. Boder, and D.E. Discher:  Post-translational regulation of expression and conformation of an immunoglobulin domain in yeast surface display.  Biotechnol. Bioeng., 93:159-168 (2006).
R. Parthasarathy, J. Bajaj, and E.T. Boder:  Immobilized biotin ligase via surface display of E. coli BirA on Saccharomyces cerevisiae.  Biotechnol. Prog., 21:1627-1631 (2005).
E.T. Boder, J.R. Bill, A.W. Nields, P.C. Marrack, and J.W. Kappler:  Yeast surface display of a noncovalent MHC class II heterodimer complexed with antigenic peptide.  Biotechnol. Bioeng., 92:485-491 (2005).