Faculty

FLORIDA STATE   /   PEOPLE   /   FACULTY

Dr. Robert Silvers, Assistant Professor

Professional Preparation/Appointments

B.S. Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany (2007)
M.S. Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany (2007)
Ph.D. Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany (2012)
Postdoc, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2013-2018)

Contact Information

Email rsilvers@fsu.edu
Office 205 KLB 850.645.9649
Lab 219 KLB 850.644.3355

Programs of Research

Biochemistry

Research Specialties

Chemical Biology, Structural Biology

Research Interest

The Silvers laboratory is working to understand how proteins and RNA interact on a molecular level and how this interaction mediates function as well as dysfunction in diseases. In particular, our group is interested in the biogenesis of mitochondrial tRNA. The characterization of structure and dynamics of these ribonucleoproteins (RNPs) is achieved using state-of-the-art solution and solid-state NMR spectroscopy, besides other structural biological methods. Very few structures of RNPs involved in the biogenesis of mitochondrial tRNA have been obtained so far, however, the development of novel methods in solid-state NMR spectroscopy made it possible to study these important drug targets.

Faculty Interview

Publications

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Stefanovic, L.; Gordon, B.H.; Silvers, R.; Stefanovic, B. Characterization of sequence specific binding of LARP6 to the 5′ stem-loop of type I collagen mRNAs and implications for rational design of antifibrotic drugs. J. Mol. Biol. 2022, 434 (2), 167394.

Bahri, S.; Silvers, R.; Michael, B.; Jaudzems, K.; Lalli, D.; Casano, G.; Ouari, O.; Lesage, A.; Pintacuda, G.; Linse, S.; Griffin, R.G. 1H detection and dynamic nuclear polarization–enhanced NMR of Aβ1-42 fibrils. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 2022, 119 (1), e2114413119.

Silvers, R.; Stephan, J.R.; Griffin, R.G.; Nolan, E.M. Molecular Basis of Ca(II)-Induced Tetramerization and Transition-Metal Sequestration in Human Calprotectin Journal Article. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2021, 143 (43), 18073-18090.

Iadanza, M.G.; Silvers, R; Boardman, J.; Smith, H.I.; Karamanos, T.K.; Debelouchina, G.T.; Su, Y.; Griffin, R.G.; Ranson, N.A.; Radford, S.E. The structure of a β2-microglobulin fibril suggests a molecular basis for amyloid polymorphism. Nature Communications 2018, 9, 4517.

Colvin, M.T.; Silvers, R.; Zhe, N.Q.; Can, T.V.; Sergeyev. I.; Rosay, M.; Donovan, K.J.; Michael, B.; Wall, J.; Linse, S.; Griffin, R.G. Atomic Resolution Structure of Monomorphic Aβ42 Amyloid Fibrils. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2016, 138, 9663–9674.