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Research Interests
Biochemistry. I no longer have an active research laboratory at Texas State. In the past, my research focused upon the studying pokeweed antiviral protein which I identified and characterized as the first of a large family of plant enzymes known as ribosome specific N-glycosidases. This protein known by the acronym PAP was found to have potent inhibitory effects on eukaryotic protein synthesis and significant antiviral action against a wide range of viruses. It was one of the first proteins used to develop anticancer immunotoxins which proved to be extremely effective in killing cells in culture and in animal models but clinical trials were unsuccessful. The structure and antiviral mechanism of action of PAP and its isozymes continues to be studied in laboratories around the world. I have a limited connection with these efforts by continuing to provide samples of the PAP proteins to researchers, reviewing manuscripts and providing unpublished data and information when requested.
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