Harvard University · ChemistryOuter Membrane Biology Lab
Daniel Kahne · Cambridge, Massachusetts
Research Focus
Dr. Daniel Kahne's lab at Harvard University focuses on the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria, a critical structure that helps these pathogens resist many antibiotics. The lab investigates the protein machinery involved in assembling this membrane, aiming to uncover how certain antibiotics disrupt this process. By understanding these mechanisms, the lab hopes to develop new inhibitors that can effectively combat antibiotic-resistant infections.
Gram-negative bacteriaouter membraneantibiotic resistanceantibiotic targetslipopolysaccharide transportbiogenesismultidisciplinary studiesantibacterial peptidessuperbugs
Research Aims
4AIM 01Understand the structure and function of multi-protein machines that assemble the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria.
AIM 02Elucidate the mechanisms of action of peptide antibiotics targeting lipopolysaccharide transport via biochemical assays.
AIM 03Characterize the multiprotein complex targeted by murepavadin and screen for other antimicrobial peptides.
AIM 04Investigate protein-protein interactions involved in outer membrane assembly to identify novel antibiotic targets.
Skills the Lab Values
biophysical assayssingle molecule TIRF microscopybiochemical assaysin vivo crosslinkingstructural characterizationprotein purificationmolecular cloningmass spectrometrycell culture
Output against the department
Publications266top 44% of dept.95th of 216
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations26ktop 18% of dept.38th of 216
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.