Position(s):
Professor, Dept. of Biology

Office: 315 Stratton Hall
Lab: 220 Stratton Hall

Phone: (215) 895-1513 (Office)
            
Email: bentzj@drexel.edu

B.A. - Chemistry Reed College (1974)
Ph.D. - Biophysical Sciences SUNY at Buffalo (1979)

Courses Taught

UNIV101: University Seminar
BIO404: Biomolecules: Structure and Function
BIO409: Computational Biochemistry
BIO500: Biochemistry I
BIO615: Proteins
BIO620: Biomembranes

The lab is involved in two projects focused on protein-membrane interactions. The first is membrane transport and the second membrane fusion. The multidrug resistance protein P-gp is found in many human tissues, where it is responsible for inhibiting uptake of foreign molecules, e.g. the colon and the blood brain barrier. However, many cancer cells have acquired the gene for this transporter since it will also inhibit their uptake of chemotherapeutic agents. It is thought that this acquired resistance is responsible for much of the failure of cancer chemotherapy. Our approach is to create a rigorous analysis of its transport kinetics, which can guide more precise structure-function relationships for P-gp and, hopefully, the development of more effective inhibitors. The molecular mechanism by which the envelope glycoprotein hemagglutinin (HA) of influenza virus induces membrane fusion has been intensely studied, since it was the first fusion protein whose structure was solved, and its structure is related to other membrane fusion proteins. We are developing a comprehensive mass action kinetic model for HA mediated fusion based upon the known fusion intermediates. A clear molecular mechanism of membrane fusion can guide therapeutic intervention of the first step of all viral infections.

To view some of Dr. Bentz's published work [...click here...]

Post-Docs and Graduate Students

Deep Agnani: Modeling Microvilli Morphology and Density and Comprehending the Minimal Mass 
                     Action Kinetic Model 
Annie Albin: Kinetics of P-gp Efflux from a confluent monolayer of MDCKII-hMDR1 cells.

Personal/Laboratory Website(s):