Program Director/Principal Investigator (Last, First, Middle):
Tamm, Lukas K.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Provide the following information for the Senior/key personnel and other significant contributors in the order listed on Form Page 2.
Follow this format for each person. DO NOT EXCEED FOUR PAGES.
NAME
POSITION TITLE
Tamm, Lukas K.
Harrison Distinguished Professor
eRA COMMONS USER NAME (credential, e.g., agency login)
lukastamm
EDUCATION/TRAINING (Begin with baccalaureate or other initial professional education, such as nursing, include postdoctoral training and
residency training if applicable.)
DEGREE
INSTITUTION AND LOCATION
MM/YY
FIELD OF STUDY
(if applicable)
Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
Stanford, University, Stanford, California
Grad Res
Dipl Biol II
Ph.D.
Postdoc-Res
1977-78
1978
1982
1982-1984
Biochem & Biophysics
Biological Sciences
Biophysics
Biophysics
A. Personal Statement
Dr. Tamm has studied lipid-protein interactions for over thirty years and membrane fusion for about twenty
years. In 1984, he originated the development of supported bilayers as a new model membrane system. Dr.
Tamm’s lab has used this system ever since to study interactions of peptides (including viral fusion peptides)
with lipid bilayers, fusion of influenza virus particles by TIRF microscopy, the structure and dynamics of
ordered lipid domains (“rafts”), and many other membrane properties. More recently, the lab has adapted the
system to also measure SNARE-mediated membrane fusion reactions. In parallel, Dr. Tamm has also studied
the structure and folding of membrane proteins by NMR and other techniques for many years. For example, in
2001, he described the first structure of a larger membrane protein (OmpA) determined by NMR spectroscopy.
These accomplishments make him well suited to undertake the proposed studies to understand the
mechanism of SNARE-mediated membrane fusion from a membrane-based structural biology vantage point.
Dr. Tamm has also served as the Director of the Biophysics Graduate Program (1999-2004) and currently
serves as the Director of the Center for Membrane Biology at the University of Virginia and Vice-Chair of the
Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia School of Medicine.
B. Positions and Honors:
1977-1978
Graduate Research Associate, Biochem, Cell & Mol Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY.
1979-1982
Graduate Research Associate, Biocenter, Biophys Chemistry, University of Basel, Switzerland.
1982-1984
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
1984-1990
Junior Group Leader (Research Assistant Professor), Biocenter, Department of Biophysical
Chemistry, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
1990-1994
Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of
Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA.
1994-2000
Associate Professor, Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of
Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA.
2000-2009
Professor, Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia
School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA
2008-present Director, Center for Membrane Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
2009-present Harrison Distinguished Professor of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of
Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA
2010-present Vice-Chair, Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia
School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA
Honors:
1977 Student Fellowship from the “Theodore Engelmann Stiftung” (Basel), Cornell University.
PHS 398/2590 (Rev. 06/09)
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Biographical Sketch Format Page
Program Director/Principal Investigator (Last, First, Middle):
1982
1989
1990
1990
2002
2008
Tamm, Lukas K.
Post-doctoral fellowship from the Swiss National Science Foundation (NSF), Stanford University.
Biophysics Prize 1989 of the German Biophysical Society
“Privatdozent” of the University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Life and Health Insurance Medical Research Fund Award
MERIT Award NIAID
Faculty of 1000 Biology
Editorial Boards:
1997-pres Journal of Structural Biology
2004-pres Biophysical Journal (since 2008: Associate Editor)
2005-pres Biochim Biophys Acta (Biomembranes)
2007-pres Journal of Biological Chemistry
2007-pres Protein Engineering, Design and Selection
National Committees:
1993-1997
NIH, Molecular Immunology and Diagnostics (SSS-4) Special Emphasis Panel (SBIR)
1994-pres
NSF, Biophysics Program, External Reviewer
1999, 2003
NICHD, Laboratory of Cell and Mol Biophysics, Intramural Review Panel
2001,2007
NIH, BBCB and BBM Study Sections, Adhoc
2001-2008
NIH, Several Special Study Sections for Members’ Conflicts
2002-2005
Council, Biophysical Society
2003
NIH Roadmap Advisory Panel “Visions for the Future of NIGMS”
2004-2008
NIH, Several Program Project Special Study Sections
2007
NIH, Membrane Protein Roadmap Mid-Course Review Panel
2009-2011
NIH, Biochemistry and Biophysics of Membranes (BBM) Study Section, Member
2011-2013
NIH, Biochemistry and Biophysics of Membranes (BBM) Study Section, Chair
B. Selected peer-reviewed publications (in chronological order):
Arora, A., Abildgaard, F., Bushweller, J.H., and Tamm, L.K. (2001) Structure of the outer membrane protein A
transmembrane domain by NMR spectroscopy. Nature Struct. Biol. 8:334-338.
Han, X., Bushweller, J.H., Cafiso, D.S. and Tamm, L.K. (2001) Membrane structure and fusion-triggering
conformational change of the fusion domain from influenza hemagglutinin. Nature Struct. Biol.8:715-720.
Wagner, M.L. and Tamm, L.K. (2001) Reconstituted Syntaxin1A/SNAP25 interacts with negatively charged
lipids as measured by lateral diffusion in planar supported bilayers. Biophys. J. 81:266-275.
Tamm, L.K., Crane, J., and Kiessling, V. (2003) Membrane fusion: a structural perspective on the interplay of
lipids and proteins. Curr. Op. Struct. Biol. 13:453-466.
Kiessling, V. and Tamm, L.K. (2003) Measuring distances in supported bilayers by fluorescence interference
contrast microscopy: Polymer supports and SNARE proteins. Biophys. J. 84:408-418.
Hong, H. and Tamm, L.K. (2004) Elastic coupling of integral membrane protein stability to lipid bilayer forces.
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 101:4065-4070.
Crane, J.M. and Tamm, L.K. (2004) Role of cholesterol in the formation and nature of lipid rafts in planar and
spherical model membranes. Biophys. J. 86:2965-2979.
Crane, J.M., Kiessling, V. and Tamm, L.K. (2005) Measuring lipid asymmetry in planar supported lipid bilayers
by fluorescence interference contrast microscopy. Langmuir 21:1377-1388.
Tamm, L.K. and Liang, B. (2006) NMR of membrane proteins in solution” Prog. NMR Spectrosc. 48:201-210.
Kiessling, V., Crane, J.M., and Tamm L.K. (2006) Transbilayer effects of raft-like lipid domains in asymmetric
planar bilayers measured by single molecule tracking. Biophys. J. 91:3313-3326; PMCID: PMC1614489.
Hong, H., Szabo, G., and Tamm, L.K. (2006) Electrostatic side-chain couplings in the gating of the OmpA ion
channel suggest a mechanism for pore opening. Nature Chem. Biol. 11:627-635.
Liang, B. and Tamm, L.K. (2007) Structure of outer membrane protein G by solution NMR. Proc. Natl. Acad.
Sci. USA 104:16140-16145.
Wan, C., Kiessling, V., and Tamm, L.K. (2008) Coupling of cholesterol-rich lipid phases in asymmetric bilayers.
Biochemistry 47:2190-2198.
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Program Director/Principal Investigator (Last, First, Middle):
Tamm, Lukas K.
Murray, D.H., Tamm, L.K., and Kiessling, V. (2009) Supported double membranes. J. Struct. Biol. 168:183189.
Murray, D.H. and Tamm, L.K. (2009) Clustering of syntaxin-1A in model membranes is modulated by
phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate and cholesterol. Biochemistry 48:4617-4625, PMCID: PMC2724070.
Domanska, M.K. Kiessling, V., Stein, A., Fasshauer, D., and Tamm, L.K. (2009) Single vesicle millisecond
fusion kinetics reveals number of SNARE complexes optimal for fast SNARE-mediated membrane fusion.
J. Biol. Chem. 284:32158-32166; PMCID: PMC2797286.
Ellena, J., Liang, B., Wiktor, M. Cafiso, D.S., Jahn, R., and Tamm, L.K. (2009) Dynamic structure of lipidbound synaptobrevin suggests a nucleation-propagation mechanism for trans-SNARE complex formation.
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 106:20306-20311; PMCID: PMC2787132.
Kiessling, V., Domanska, M.K., Murray, D., Wan, C., Tamm, L.K. (2009) Supported Lipid Bilayers:
Development and Applications in Chemical Biology. Wiley Encyclopedia of Chemical Biology, John Wiley &
Sons, Hoboken, Volume 4, pp. 411-422.
Liang, B., Arora, A., and Tamm, L.K. (2010) Fast-time scale dynamics of outer membrane protein A by
extended model-free analysis of NMR relaxation data. (Special issue: dynamics of membrane proteins by
NMR) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1798:68-76.
Lai, A.L. and Tamm, L.K. (2010) Shallow boomerang-shaped influenza hemagglutinin G13A mutant structure
promotes leaky membrane fusion. J. Biol. Chem. 285:37467-37475.
Domanska, M.K., Kiessling, V., and Tamm, L.K. (2010) Docking and fast fusion of synaptobrevin vesicles
depends on lipid compositions of the vesicle and the acceptor SNARE complex-containing target
membrane. Biophys. J. 99:2936-2946.
Kiessling, V., Domanska, M.K., and Tamm, L.K. (2010) Single SNARE-mediated vesicle fusion observed in
vitro by polarized TIRFM. Biophys. J. 99:4047-4055.
Arouri, A., Kiessling, V., Tamm, L.K., Dathe, M., and Blume, A. (2011) Morphological changes induced by the
action of antimicrobial peptides on supported lipid bilayers. J. Phys. Chem. B 115:158-167.
Wan, C., Kiessling, V., Cafiso, D.S., and Tamm, L.K. (2011) Partitioning of synaptotagmin I C2 domains
between liquid-ordered and liquid-disordered inner leaflet lipid phases. Biochemistry 50:2478-2485.
Gregory, S.M., Harada, E., Liang, B., Delos, S.E., White, J.M. and Tamm, L.K. (2011) Structure and function of
the complete internal fusion loop from Ebolavirus GP2. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 108, 11211-11216.
Lai, A.L., Tamm, L.K., Ellena, J.F., and Cafiso, D.S. (2011) Synaptotagmin 1 modulates lipid acyl chain order
in lipid bilayers by demixing phosphosphatidylserine. J. Biol. Chem. 286, 25291-25300.
Murray, D. and Tamm, L.K. (2011) Molecular mechanism of cholesterol- and phosphoinositide-mediated
syntaxin clustering. Biochemistry 50, 9014-9022.
Edrington, T.C., Kintz, E., Goldberg, J.B., and Tamm, L.K. (2011) Structural basis for the interaction of
lipopolysaccharide with the outer membrane protein OprH from Pseudomonas aeruginosa” J. Biol.
Chem. 286, 39211-39223.
C. Research Support
ONGOING:
P01 GM72694 (PI: L.K. Tamm)
NIH/NIGMS
Title: Structural dynamics of presynaptic membrane fusion
4/1/2005 – 6/30/2016
A program project, consisting of six projects and cores, to examine the mechanism of presynaptic
membrane fusion from a structural dynamical perspective.
R37 AI30557 (PI: L.K. Tamm)
(MERIT AWARD)
NIH/NIAID
Title: Molecular mechanisms of viral membrane fusion
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9/1/1991 – 3/31/2013
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Program Director/Principal Investigator (Last, First, Middle):
Tamm, Lukas K.
The objective of this project is to study the mechanism of membrane fusion as mediated by influenza virus
hemagglutinin and other viral fusion proteins using structural and biophysical approaches.
R01 GM51329 (PI: L.K. Tamm)
NIH/NIGMS
Title: Structure, assembly, and function of outer membrane proteins
3/1/1997 – 4/30/2013
The goal of this project is to determine structures, dynamical and the refolding of membrane proteins by
solution NMR and other techniques.
COMPLETED IN LAST THREE YEARS:
None.
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