Cathrine Southern

Education

• Ph.D. University of Chicago (1996 — 2002)
• B.S. University of Notre Dame (1992 — 1996)

Companies

• Associate Professor DePaul University (2015)
• Assistant Professor DePaul University (2007 — 2015)

Research Interests

The examination of antibody structure via single molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET). This technique involves incorporating two dye molecules into a protein of interest at known locations. The distance between the two dye molecules can be determined based on their relative fluorescence intensities. By examining the fluorescence from individual proteins labeled with the dye molecules, a histogram of the observed distances between the dyes can be formulated. This histogram allows the presence of multiple protein conformations to be detected. The primary goal of Southern's research is to determine whether or not distinct antibody conformations exist. Southern​ is interested in antibody structure because it can be affected by mutations in the antibody, and can influence the ability of an antibody to instigate an immune response. In some cases, increasing an immune response is the desired effect; in others, such as autoimmune disorders, diminishing an immune response is preferred. Studying the structure of antibodies and how this structure is affected by mutations or the removal of sugars bound to antibodies can shed light on the role these structural changes play in generating an immune response.