Ian Sitarik

Email: ims86@psu.edu 

Mailing Address

104 Chemistry Building 

University Park, PA 16802

Research Group

O'Brien

Research

My research is focused on developing a computational framework to build models describing the influence of synonymous codon mutations on protein structure and function in the context of allosteric ligand binding. Utilizing coarse-grained molecular dynamics I can observe ensembles of co- and post- translational protein folding pathways and how synonymous mutations perturb the flux through these pathways. The framework I am developing will key in identifying synonymous mutation pathologies previously unknown for common diseases such as cystic fibrosis and many cancers.