Michael L. Gross, PhD

Professor of Chemistry, Medicine, Immunology

Washington University in St. Louis (WU)

Our general interests are in protein and DNA chemistry and mass spectrometry. In various collaborations (notably with E. Unanue at WU), we are seeking the class II peptide antigen that is responsible for Type I diabetes. We are also interested in developing biomarkers, especially for breast cancer. The guiding hypothesis is that women at risk have in imbalance in estrogen metabolism, leading to accumulation of reactive metabolites that modify DNA. We are searching for the modified DNA base in collaboration with R. Aft, a surgeon at WU. In the protein area, we are interested in developing and applying proteomics methods to understand how the muscle proteome is differentially modified in AIDS and aging (with K. Yarasheski at WU). We also wish to develop and apply biophysical methods using mass spectrometry to determine interfaces of proteins that are involved in toxicity and bacterial infections.

My laboratory is supported as an NCRR NIH Research Resource in Mass Spectrometry as part of a three laboratory facility (including the labs of J. Turk and R. Townsend at WU). We not only do basic research in mass spectrometry but also are available to collaborate with scientists who wish to use mass spectrometry and proteomics in their own clinical research.