University of Utah · BiologyChemotaxis and Bacterial Behavior Lab
John S Parkinson · Salt Lake City, Utah
Research Focus
Dr. John S. Parkinson's lab focuses on how bacteria sense and respond to their chemical environments, specifically through their chemoreceptors. By studying the mechanisms of chemotaxis in bacteria like E. coli, the lab aims to uncover the molecular details that enable bacteria to move toward beneficial chemicals and away from harmful substances. This research could lead to innovative treatments for bacterial infections and insights into microbial community behavior.
ChemotaxisBacterial BehaviorChemoreceptorsInfectionBiofilmsSignal TransductionMolecular DynamicsFluorescence Resonance Energy TransferEscherichia coliProtein Modeling
Research Aims
5AIM 01Investigate how bacterial chemoreceptors detect chemical signals in their environment.
AIM 02Elucidate the signaling mechanisms involved in chemotaxis of E. coli.
AIM 03Characterize the structural and dynamic changes in signaling proteins upon ligand binding.
AIM 04Assess the functional relationships between chemoreceptors and signaling proteins.
AIM 05Explore the potential therapeutic applications of targeting bacterial chemoreceptor systems.
Skills the Lab Values
In vivo crosslinking assaysFluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET)Molecular Dynamics SimulationsCryo-Electron MicroscopyBacterial Culture TechniquesProtein MutagenesisCell Signaling AnalysisBioinformaticsData VisualizationExperimental Design
Output against the department
Publications188top 34% of dept.354th of 1,033
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations12ktop 29% of dept.300th of 1,033
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.