Dr. Daniel Kahne

Biography

Daniel Kahne's research group focuses on antibiotic resistance and the molecular mechanisms by which antibiotics inhibit fundamental cellular processes. His work primarily revolves around drugs targeting bacterial cell wall biosynthesis, including beta-lactams and vancomycin. Kahne's lab studies the protein machines that synthesize and degrade the bacterial cell wall, using E. coli as a model system. This research also includes mechanistic studies of enzymes, which provide insights into the factors that determine bacterial cell shape, growth, and division. Given the public health threat posed by antibiotic resistance, current investigations aim to enhance the fundamental understanding of bacterial cell envelope biogenesis pathways. His projects include the study of bacterial cell wall biosynthesis degradation and the inhibitory mechanisms of natural antibiotics, such as moenomycin. Kahne collaborates with others at Harvard Medical School to explore the structural requirements for inhibition of glycosyltransferases and to identify general principles that guide the assembly of membranes. His work serves to lay the groundwork for new antibacterial strategies in the face of rising resistance levels.

Research Interests