Assistant Professor of Chemistry
B.A., Smith College
Ph.D., University of Wisconsin
Prof. Dickson joined Lawrence in the fall of 2007, after completing her Ph.D. in the Department of Biochemistry at The University of Wisconsin and spending two years teaching at Macalester College. Kim's teaching includes courses in Biochemistry and Advanced Biochemistry as well as some introductory chemistry. She also does some teaching in Biology, which may include introductory biology or Molecular Biology.
Research Interests: Protein Structure and Function:
"
As a biochemist, I am fascinated with the molecules and chemical principles that govern processes in living organisms. Specifically, I study relationships between the structure and function of proteins. My current research involves a class of enzymes called ribonucleases, which degrade RNA. Although many of these enzymes have been thoroughly characterized in vitro, their physiological roles are poorly understood. Angiogenin (ANG) is one such ribonuclease that stimulates blood vessel proliferation and facilitates tumor growth by allowing new blood vessels to “feed” cancerous cell. Projects in my lab focus on (1) determining which RNA molecules in a cell are degraded by ANG, (2) identifying cellular proteins that interact with (or regulate) the activity of ANG, and (3) designing ANG mutants that disrupt the normal function of the protein."
Email: kimberly.dickson@lawrence.edu