Dr. Brian Crane earned his B.S. degree from University of Manitoba and Ph.D. from the Scripps Research Institute. He is currently a Professor and Chair in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Cornell University. His research interests are focused on biophysical chemistry, protein structure and function as well as enzymology, protein crystallography, x-ray methods spectroscopy and chemical biology. His many honors include being a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Professor, an American Association of Arts and Sciences Fellow, a John Simon Guggenheim Fellow, an Alfred P. Sloan Fellow, a Searle Scholar, and a Helen Hay Whitney Fellow.
At Cornell, his research group studies structure, function and mechanism of protein systems that underlie signal transduction. Of particular emphasis are processes mediated by redox and photochemistry and those dependent on highly cooperative macromolecular assemblies. His lab’s research projects include understanding circadian clock light sensors, bacterial transmembrane signaling, nitric oxide enzymology and general aspects of protein electron transfer. His research related to Lyme disease focuses on antimicrobial treatment based on the inhibition of the spirochaete flagella hook cross-linking mechanism.