Graduate Field of Biochemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology

Barbara A. Baird Horace White Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology
Phone	607-255-4095
Address	Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology 460 Spencer T. Olin Laboratory Cornell University Ithaca, NY 14853-2703
Email
Web Sites	Lab Web Site Department Profile
Background	PhD, Cornell University, 1979 BS, Knox College, 1973 Harold Lamport Award for Biophysics and Physiology, New York Academy of Sciences National Science Foundation Women in Science and Engineering Faculty Award John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellow
Research Description	The Baird laboratory employs a broad range of biophysico-chemical methods to investigate the structure and molecular mechanisms of cell membrane receptor proteins. This biophysical characterization is carried out in conjunction with measurements of cellular activities so as to determine what features are critical for the initiation and regulation of signal transduction. Current studies focus on three receptor systems that operate in immunological and other inflammatory responses. The goal of these integrated studies is to understand complex biological systems on a molecular level; the information obtained also has important biomedical applications in drug design and clinical therapies. more
Publications	Orth, R., M. Wu, D.A. Holowka, H.G. Craighead, and B.A. Baird: Mast Cell Activation on Patterned Lipid Bilayers of Subcellular Dimensions. Langmuir 2003, 19, 1599. Ryan, R.M., D. Holowka, and B. Baird: A lipid raft environment enhances Lyn kinase activity by protecting the active site tyrosine from dephosphorylation. J. Biol. Chem. 2003, 278, 20746. Gidwani, A, H.A. Brown, D. Holowka and B. Baird: Disruption of lipid order by short chain ceramides correlates with inhibition of phospholipase D1 and downstream signaling by FceRI. J. Cell Sci. 2003, 116, 3177. Pyenta, P. P. Schwille, W. W. Webb, D. Holowka, B. Baird: Lateral Diffusion of Membrane Lipid-Anchored Probes Before and After Aggregation of Cell Surface IgE-Receptors. J. Phys. Chem. A 2003, 107, 8310. Baird, E. J., D. Holowka, G. W. Coates and B. Baird: Highly Effective Poly(Ethylene Glycol) Ligands for Specific Inhibition of Cell Activation by IgE Receptors. Biochemistry. In press. Click here for a full list of publications.