9312160 Peacock-Lopez Dr. Enrique Peacock-Lopez is supported by a grant from the Theoretical and Computational Chemistry Program to continue his research in the theoretical treatment of biochemical reactions in solution and on surfaces. He has recently developed theoretical methods for studying rapid biomolecular processes on spherical surfaces,and has developed methodologies to analyze open systems far from equilibrium. Using these methods, he plans to study chemical and biochemical processes occurring on spherical surfaces such as those which occur in the the early steps of internalization of large macromolecules across the cell membrane via interaction with surface proteins. %%% After binding to a receptor at the surface of the cell, many proteins such as hormones trigger a cascade of chemical reactions which amplify this surface recognition signal and perform important biological functions within the cell. This cascade of events can be very complex, involving feedback and activation loops. Enrique-Lopez is interested in expanding upon an original minimal model of the activation pathway which he will use in conjunction with experimental results to elucidate a molecular level explanation of these amplification processes. ***
