Dr. Gordon Hammes

Biography

Gordon G. Hammes is a University Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus in the Department of Biochemistry at Duke University. His research focuses on studying the dynamics of single enzyme molecules using fluorescence microscopy. The primary method involves fixing active enzymes onto a slide surface to observe their trajectories over time during ligand binding and catalysis. By labeling enzymes with fluorescent tags, he monitors the changes in fluorescence that indicate various events occurring within the enzyme. Hammes has developed methods for fluorescent labeling enzymes that attach to quartz slides, leading to the exploration of single molecule kinetics, which unveils steps in catalytic processes that cannot be observed through ensemble-averaged kinetics. His work includes direct observation of the coupling between enzyme conformation and catalysis and monitoring conformational changes in individual enzyme molecules. His studies on dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) and T4 DNA polymerase have provided insights into conformational changes and catalytic mechanisms. Hammes's contributions have enhanced the understanding of how enzymes catalyze physiological reactions.

Research Interests