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Benjamin Bobay

Assistant Professor in Radiology
Radiology
308 Research Dr, Durham, NC 27710
308 Research Dr, Durham, NC 27710

Overview


I am the Assistant Director of the Duke University NMR Center and an Assistant Professor in the Duke Radiology Department. I was originally trained as a structural biochemist with an emphasis on utilizing NMR and continue to use this technique daily helping collaborators characterize protein structures and small molecules through a diverse set of NMR experiments. Through the structural characterization of various proteins, from both planta and eukaryotes, I have developed a robust protocol of utilizing computational biology for describing binding events, mutations, post-translations modifications (PTMs), and/or general behavior within in silico solution scenarios. I have utilized these techniques in collaborations ranging from plant pathologists at the Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences department at the University of Amsterdam to biomedical engineers at North Carolina State University to professors in the Pediatrics department at Duke University. These studies have centered around the structural and functional consequences of PTMs (such as phosphorylation), mutation events, truncation of multi-domain proteins, dimer pulling experiments, to screening of large databases of ligands for potential binding events. Through this combination of NMR and computational biology I have amassed 50 peer-reviewed published articles and countless roles on scientific projects, as well as the development of several tutorials concerning the creation of ligand databases and high-throughput screening of large databases utilizing several different molecular dynamic and computational docking programs.

Current Appointments & Affiliations


Assistant Professor in Radiology · 2023 - Present Radiology, Clinical Science Departments

In the News


Published August 24, 2023
A Multi-Million “Treasure Hunter” Is Serving the Duke Research Enterprise

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Recent Publications


Observation of Dynamic Aggregation Behavior in Thermoresponsive Micro- and Nanoparticles via Diffusion-Ordered NMR Spectroscopy.

Journal Article J Am Chem Soc · March 19, 2025 Stimuli-responsive drug delivery systems have expanded the diversity of potential cargos by protecting payloads, extending circulation, and controlling payload release. However, quantitative characterization methods that accurately describe these complex s ... Full text Link to item Cite

Controlling glass forming kinetics in 2D perovskites using organic cation isomers.

Journal Article Chem Sci · May 1, 2024 The recent discovery of glass-forming metal halide perovskites (MHPs) provides opportunities to broaden the application domain beyond traditionally celebrated optoelectronic research fueled by associated crystalline counterparts. In this regard, it is cruc ... Full text Link to item Cite

Anionic nanoplastic contaminants promote Parkinson's disease-associated α-synuclein aggregation.

Journal Article Sci Adv · November 15, 2023 Recent studies have identified increasing levels of nanoplastic pollution in the environment. Here, we find that anionic nanoplastic contaminants potently precipitate the formation and propagation of α-synuclein protein fibrils through a high-affinity inte ... Full text Link to item Cite
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Recent Grants


Calcineurin Control over Aspergillus fumigatus Antifungal Response Mechanisms

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by Arkansas Children's Research Institute · 2024 - 2029

Protein Kinase A Control Over Autophagy in Aspergillus Fumigatus Virulence

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by Arkansas Children's Research Institute · 2024 - 2026

Structural Biological Development of Fungal-Specific Calcineurin Inhibitors

ResearchSenior Research Associate · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2014 - 2022

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Education, Training & Certifications


North Carolina State University · 2004 Ph.D.