KU News Release

John Karanicolas

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• Center for Bioinformatics

LAWRENCE — John Karanicolas is on the cutting edge of bioinformatics research but became part of a trend at the University of Kansas when he was named the third faculty member in four years to land a prestigious research grant.

Karanicolas, assistant professor of molecular biosciences and bioinformatics, recently was selected to receive a Sloan Research Fellowship. The award provides $50,000 in research support for two years for young faculty members performing promising research in physics, chemistry, computational and evolutionary molecular biology, computer science, economics, mathematics and neuroscience.

Karanicolas’ research uses computer modeling to design proteins to carry out specific functions. His lab is focused on building proteins to track compounds known as tryptamines, which act as neurotransmitters. Following the movement of these tryptamines will provide clues as to how cells communicate with each other in the brain.

Karanicolas’ previous research, which is still ongoing, entailed designing smaller proteins known as peptides. Under certain conditions, some proteins can form chain-like structures that are involved in Alzheimer’s disease. Karanicolas used computer modeling to design peptides that cap these chains and prevent their elongation.

“We’re going to see if these new peptides have an effect on Alzheimer’s in mice,” he said.

The research support funds not only will help a faculty member, they’ll provide new opportunities for students. Karanicolas said he will use the funds to support two graduate student assistants who will help him carry out his research.

“The students are the ones who really do a lot of the hands on work,” he said. “They are absolutely critical to the research.”

In joining the ranks of Sloan Fellows, Karanicolas is among an elite group of researchers. Since the awards began in 1955, 38 fellows have gone on to receive Nobel Prizes. He is KU’s 14th Sloan Fellow and the third in four years from KU’s Center for Bioinformatics, following Wonpil Im in 2007 and Yang Zhang in 2008.

“It makes us all proud,” Ilya Vakser, director of the Center for Bioinformatics, said of the success. “A Sloan Fellowship is one of the highest recognitions for a young scientist in the United States and worldwide.”

Karanicolas agreed the Sloan Fellowship is an outstanding acknowledgement of the importance of his research and that of his colleagues.

“It’s tremendously rewarding and exciting,” he said. “It shows the growth of the center and shows there’s tremendous, strong research happening here.”