Neil Osheroff
Professor of Biochemistry at Vanderbilt University
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Neil Osheroff is an American biochemist who is the John G. Coniglio Chair in Biochemistry, Professor of Biochemistry, and Professor of Medicine (Hematology/Oncology) at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.[1] He is also affiliated with the Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology.[2]
- Distinguished Career Award (2019)
- Mentoring, Innovation, and Leadership in Educational Scholarship Award (2023)
- Carl Brädén Award (2026)
- Hobart College (BA)
- Northwestern University (PhD)
Neil Osheroff | |
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| Occupations | Professor, Biochemist |
| Awards |
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| Academic background | |
| Education |
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| Academic work | |
| Discipline | Biochemistry, Hematology, Oncology |
Sub-discipline | Molecular biology, Enzymology |
| Institutions | Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology |
Main interests | Type II topoisomerases affecting DNA |
Early life and education
Osheroff earned a Bachelor's of Arts degree in chemistry in 1974 from Hobart College and a Ph.D. in biochemistry and molecular biology from Northwestern University in 1979.[3] And he was a Helen Hay Whitney Foundation Fellow at the Stanford University School of Medicine in 1983.[3][4]
Career
Osheroff joined Vanderbilt University in 1983 as an assistant professor in the Department of Biochemistry.[5] He currently serves as John G. Coniglio Chair in Biochemistry, Professor of Biochemistry, and Professor of Medicine.[1]
He is the Past-Director of Academy for Excellence in Education, and Co-Leader of Foundations of Medical Knowledge.[1][6]
Research
His laboratory studies how type II topoisomerases alters DNA structure. These studies help his lab design agents to treat a variety of cancers and bacterial infestions.[7][8]
His group's research spans over broad research areas such as enzymology, anti-cancer drugs and chemopreventative compounds, and antibacterial drug resistance.[7]
Honors and awards
Osheroff is an elected fellow of the 2018 American Association for the Advancement of Science,[9] and the 2024 Australia and New Zealand Academy of Health Professional Educators.[6] He has been awarded the 2019 Distinguished Career Award for Excellence in Teaching and Educational Scholarship from the International Association of Medical Science Educators,[10] the 2023 Mentoring, Innovation, and Leadership in Educational Scholarship Award from the Asia Pacific Medical Education Conference[11] and the 2026 Carl Brädén Award from the Protein Society.[12]
Selected publications
- Osheroff, Neil (1989). "Effect of antineoplastic agents on the DNA cleavage/religation reaction of eukaryotic topoisomerase II: inhibition of DNA religation by etoposide". Biochemistry. 28 (15): 6157–6160. doi:10.1021/bi00441a005. PMID 2551366.
- Deweese, Joseph E.; Osheroff, Neil (2009). "The DNA cleavage reaction of topoisomerase II: wolf in sheep's clothing". Nucleic Acids Research. 37 (3): 738–748. doi:10.1093/nar/gkn937. PMID 19042970. PMC 2647315.
- Aldred, Katie J.; McPherson, Sylvia A.; Turnbough, Charles L. Jr.; Kerns, Robert J.; Osheroff, Neil (2013). "Topoisomerase IV-quinolone interactions are mediated through a water-metal ion bridge: mechanistic basis of quinolone resistance". Nucleic Acids Research. 41 (8): 4628–4639. doi:10.1093/nar/gkt124. PMID 23460203. PMC 3632122.
- Aldred, Katie J.; Kerns, Robert J.; Osheroff, Neil (2014). "Mechanism of quinolone action and resistance". Biochemistry. 53 (10): 1565–1574. doi:10.1021/bi5000564. PMID 24576155. PMC 3985860.
- Gibson, Elizabeth G.; Bax, Ben; Chan, Pan F.; Osheroff, Neil (2019). "Mechanistic and structural basis for the actions of the antibacterial gepotidacin against Staphylococcus aureus gyrase". ACS Infectious Diseases. 5 (4): 570–581. doi:10.1021/acsinfecdis.8b00315. PMID 30757898. PMC 6461504.
- Collins, Jessica A.; Osheroff, Neil (2024). "Gyrase and topoisomerase IV: recycling old targets for new antibacterials to combat fluoroquinolone resistance". ACS Infectious Diseases. 10 (4): 1097–1115. doi:10.1021/acsinfecdis.4c00128. PMID 38564341. PMC 11019561.