In this fascinating episode, we sit down with Dr. Constance ("Connie") Jeffery from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Dr. Jeffery shares how she discovered moonlighting proteins, a field of study that has become her research focus. She also discusses her innovative response to the pandemic by creating an online, virtual summer undergraduate research and mentoring program (MSFP 2021) to serve students during a time of upheaval and uncertainty. She shares insights on how to provide meaningful research experiences to students in a remote environment and how this program has impacted the lives of those involved. Learn more: http://jefferylabuic.weebly.com/

Tune in to gain a deeper understanding of moonlighting proteins and how they function, as well as to hear about the importance of providing research opportunities to undergraduate students, particularly during challenging times. Learn more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hj8srnFCSo8&list=PLVFmEa7novObS_dZNrMaG-hGjsGFxJMsR&index=6&t=967s

Connie Jeffery is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Illinois, Chicago. She uses biochemistry, biophysics (X-ray crystallography), and bioinformatics to understand how protein sequences and structures relate to their functions.  Her current research topics include moonlighting proteins, pseudoenzymes, metamorphic proteins, and proteins involved in cancer and IBD.  Studies of individual proteins involve combinations of X-ray crystallography, ligand binding assays, catalytic activity assays, mutagenesis, and/or computer-based ligand docking simulations or analysis of disease-causing genetic mutations. Additional computer-based projects in the analysis of protein sequence, structure, and function are being performed to develop better methods to predict a protein's function(s) from its sequence or structure. Learn more: http://jefferylabuic.weebly.com/jeffery-lab-home.html