Associate Professor,
Departments of Pharmacology
and Medicine
(Infectious Diseases Section)

M.D., 1982, Mayo Medical School

105 Johnson Pavilion 
Tel:  215-898-9238
Fax:  215-573-2236
Email: axe@pharm.med.upenn.edu

The biophysics of molecular recognition - understanding how bioactive molecules recognize their target sites of action, and how they accomplish their function after binding to their target site.  Our investigations are done using computer graphics modeling, molecular dynamics simulation, various forms of optical spectroscopy (infrared and fluorescence), NMR, and
x-ray crystallography, with a view towards the rational design of new pharmacological agents for use against infections, malignancies, cardiovascular, and neurological diseases.

Selected Publications:

Silvestro, L. and P.H. Axelsen (2000) Membrane-induced folding of Cecropin A.  Biophys. J. 79:1465-1477.

Koppaka, V. and P.H. Axelsen (2000) Accelerated accumulation of amyloid beta proteins on axidatively damaged lipid membranes. Biochemistry 39:10011-1001.

Weinstein, E.A., H. Li, J.A. Lawson, J. Rokach, G.A. FitzGerald and P.H. Axelsen (2000) Prothrombinase acceleration by oxidatively damaged phospholipids. J. Biol. Chem. 275:22925-22930. 

Loll, P.J., J. Kaplan, B.S. Selinksy and P.H. Axelsen (1999) Vancomycin binding to low affinity ligands: delineating a minimum set of interactions necessary for high affinity binding. J. Med. Chem. 42:4714-4719.

Koppaka, V., L. Silvestro, J. Engler, C.G. Brouillette, C.G. and P. H. Axelsen (1999) The structure of human lipoprotein A-I: evidence for the "belt" model. J. Biol. Chem. 274:14541-14544.