Department of Chemistry |
(608) 363-2284 FAX: (608) 363-2052 EMAIL: griest@beloit.edu |
Education
Ph.D., Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2010
Dissertation: Characterizing Transient Intermediates during Stable, Open Complex Formation by E. coli RNA Polymerase.
B.S., Biochemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, 2004
Thesis: Towards the Characterization of the Rad50 Coiled Coil Domain
Experience
Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Chemistry, 2011 – present
Beloit College
Courses: DNA and Protein, 2011
Honorary Fellow, 2010 – present
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Department of Biochemistry, Dr. M. T. Record, Jr. Laboratory
Visiting Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Chemistry, 2010 – 2011
Beloit College
Courses: General Chemistry, 2010, 2011
Biochemistry of Macromolecules, 2010
Biochemistry of Metabolism, 2011
Graduate Research Assistant, 2005 – 2010
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Advisor: Dr. M. Thomas Record, Jr.
Teaching Assistant
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Courses: Introduction to Biochemistry, 2008
Biophysical Thermodynamics and Kinetics, 2007 – 2009
Biochemistry Peer-Mentor-Tutor Graduate Director, 2006 – 2008
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Course: Introduction to Biochemistry
Research Associate, 2004 – 2005
Indiana University
Advisor: Dr. Thomas Tolbert
Associate Instructor
Indiana University
Course: Biochemistry Laboratory, 2004
Undergraduate Researcher, 2003 – 2004
Indiana University
Advisor: Dr. Martha Oakley
Publications
Gries, TJ; Kontur, WS; Capp, MW; Saecker, RM; and Record, MT, Jr. (2010). One-step DNA melting in the RNA polymerase cleft opens the initiation bubble to form an unstable open complex. Proc Natl Acad Sci (USA) 107: 10418-23.
Gries, TJ; Kontur, WS; Capp, MW; Saecker, RM; and Record, MT, Jr. (2010). Probing DNA binding, DNA opening and assembly of a downstream clamp/jaw in E. coli RNA polymerase-lPR promoter complexes using salt and the physiological anion glutamate. Biochemistry 49: 4361-73.
Schroeder, LA; Gries, TJ; Saecker, RM; Record, MT, Jr.; Harris, ME; and DeHaseth, PL (2009). Evidence for a tyrosine-adenine stacking interaction and for a short-lived open intermediate subsequent to initial binding of Escherichia coli RNA polymerase to promoter DNA. Journal of Molecular Biology 385: 339-49.
Honors, Awards, and Fellowships
William R. and Dorothy E. Sullivan Distinguished Graduate Fellowship (2008-2010)
Graduated with Indiana University Chemistry Department Honors (2004)
Graduated with Indiana University College of Arts and Sciences Distinction (2004)
Phi Beta Kappa (2003)
Howard Hughes Medical Institute Capstone Award (2003)
Presentations
Gries, TJ. (2011). Is the White Whale’s Mouth Open? A how-to guide for trapping an characterizing transient intermediates of transcription initiation using solutes. Talk presented at Beloit College.
Gries, TJ; Kontur, WS; Capp, MW; Saecker, RM; and Record, MT, Jr. (2010). DNA Opening During Bacterial Transcription Initiation. Poster presented at the 54th Annual Biophysical Society Meeting.
Gries, TJ. (2010). Using Kinetics and Solutes to Study an Enzyme Mechanism: E. coli RNA Polymerase Transcription Bubble Formation. Talk presented at Beloit College
Gries, TJ; Kontur, WS; Capp, MW; Davis, CA; Drennan, AC; Saecker, RM; and Record, MT, Jr. (2009). Rapid-Quench Mixing and Use of Fast Footprinting to Characterize Late Steps during Open Complex Formation at lPR by E. coli RNA Polymerase. Talk presented at the Molecular Genetics of Bacteria & Phages Conference.
Gries, TJ; Kontur, WS; Capp, MW; Davis, CA; Drennan, AC; Saecker, RM; and Record, MT, Jr. (2009). Rapid-Quench Mixing and Use of Fast Footprinting to Characterize Late Steps during Open Complex Formation at lPR by E. coli RNA Polymerase. Poster presented at the Mechanisms and Regulation of Prokaryotic Transcription FASEB Summer Research Conference.
Gries, TJ; Kontur, WS; Capp, MW; Saecker, RM; and Record, MT, Jr. (2009). Rapid-Quench Mixing and Use of Fast Footprinting to Characterize Late Steps during Open Complex Formation at lPR by E. coli RNA Polymerase. Poster presented at the 53rd Annual Biophysical Society Meeting.
Gries, TJ; Kontur, WS; Capp, MW; Davis, CA; Drennan, AC; Saecker, RM; and Record, MT, Jr. (2008). Characterization of Late Steps during Open Complex Formation at lPR by E. coli RNA Polymerase. Poster presented at the 22nd Annual Gibbs Conference on Biothermodynamics.
Gries, TJ; Kontur, WS; Capp, MW; Davis, CA; Drennan, AC; Saecker, RM; and Record, MT, Jr. (2008). Characterization of Late Steps during Open Complex Formation at lPR by E. coli RNA Polymerase. Poster presented at the Michigan State University Summer Symposium on Transcriptional Regulation & Systems Biology.
Gries, TJ; Kontur, WS; Capp, MW; Davis, CA; Saecker, RM; and Record, MT, Jr. (2007). Probing Transcription Initiation by Investigating the Effects of Small Solutes on the Kinetics of Open Complex Formation. Poster presented at the Mechanisms and Regulation of Prokaryotic Transcription FASEB Summer Research Conference.