Oksana Lockridge, Ph.D. Professor, the Eppley Institute, Department of Biochemistry University of Nebraska Medical Center 986805 Nebraska Medical Center ECI 6017 Omaha, NE 68198-6805 Tel: (402) 559-6032 Fax: (402) 559-4651 E-mail: olockrid@unmc.edu

The goals of our research are to develop a therapeutic reagent to prevent the toxicity of nerve agents and to treat the toxicity of organophosphorus pesticides. We are also developing a therapeutic to treat cocaine toxicity. The new treatment strategy uses human butyrylcholinesterase, an enzyme found in human blood. We make mutant forms of this enzyme that have increased potency toward these toxicants. In addition, we are looking for other enzymes that are inhibited by pesticides. The methods we use include site-directed mutagenesis, expression in cultured cells, enzyme purification, x-ray crystal structure, the making of knockout mice, gene therapy, testing and mass spectrometry for potency in mice.

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