Henry Jakubowski

THE COLLEGE OF SAINT BENEDICT/SAINT JOHN'S UNIVERSITY

THROMBIN RESEARCH PROJECT

My main interest of research, which has been funded by Research Corporation and the NIH, involves determining structural features of the bovine clotting enzyme thrombin which control its reactivity with other clotting factors in the blood. This work involves purification and characterization of many proteins from bovine blood and lungs, synthesis of peptides (by manual solid state techniques) and characterization (by chemical and chromatographic techniques), and the production of rabbit antibody fragments recognizing thrombin. Kinetic analyses of thrombin activities are routinely used to monitor changes in thrombin reactivity. Computer modeling of these structural features is also used. Students will acquire excellent experience in the purification and characterization of proteins, and in the development of immunoassays.