Dr. David Stokes

Biography

David L. Stokes is a professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology at New York University. His laboratory primarily focuses on the molecular mechanisms of membrane transport. He employs a variety of methods to study active transporters that directly utilize ATP as an energy source, as well as secondary transporters that couple their transport to the electrochemical gradient. Current research includes the KdpFABC complex in bacteria, which is responsible for the active import of potassium, and the YiiP transporter, which exports zinc using the proton motive force. He also studies the Bor1p transporter in yeast that imports borate. The structures of these transporters have been solved using X-ray crystallography, and cryo-electron microscopy (Cryo-EM) is utilized along with activity assays to characterize the functional parameters of transport. He is currently exploring a range of experimental and computational approaches to characterize the conformational changes that accompany transport, with the ultimate goal of developing a comprehensive understanding of the transport cycle from structural and energetic perspectives.

Research Interests