Assistant Professor
Research Areas: Electron transport, EPR, Metalloproteins, Anaerobes, Methanogens, Physiology, Redox Reactions, Enzymes
Office: SLSRC 1200
Email: divya.prakash-1@ou.edu
Education and Past Employment:
Assistant Professor: 2022-26, School of Chemical and Biomolecular Sciences, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
Assistant Research Professor: 2017-22, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park
Postdoctoral Scholar, 2019 ̶ 2020, Pennsylvania State University, University Park
Ph.D.: Dec 2014, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Auburn University
Research Keywords:
Our research group investigates the molecular mechanisms, structures, and functions of metalloproteins that drive essential biological processes, including methane metabolism, respiration, photosynthesis, disulfide reduction, and ribonucleotide reduction. We focus on iron–sulfur (Fe–S) proteins, flavoproteins, and lanthanide-containing proteins that facilitate electron transfer, redox regulation, energy conservation, and mineral extraction in anaerobic microorganisms. Our interdisciplinary research integrates biochemistry, bioinorganic chemistry, and biophysics to understand how microorganisms regulate electron flow and conserve energy under anaerobic conditions. We combine molecular biology, genetics, protein expression and purification, spectroscopy, electrochemistry, transient-state kinetics, and structural biology to investigate these complex biological systems.
Major Research Areas
1. Redox Regulation by Ferredoxin–Thioredoxin Reductase (FTR) Proteins: Investigating the catalytic mechanisms, redox properties, and functional diversity of Fe–S cluster-containing FTR-domain proteins from bacteria and Archaea.
2. Electron Bifurcation in Methanogens: Elucidating the molecular mechanisms of electron bifurcation catalyzed by the heterodisulfide reductase HdrABC complex, a key component of energy metabolism in methanogenic microorganisms.
3. Oxidative Stress Responses in Anaerobic Microorganisms: Exploring how anaerobic methanogens respond to oxidative stress and regulate cellular redox balance to maintain metabolic activity and survival.
In addition to our core research, we collaborate with other research groups to investigate the role of isoflavones in modulating PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homolog)-mediated tumor suppression, with the broader goal of identifying potential strategies for cancer prevention.
Through these efforts, our laboratory seeks to advance fundamental understanding of microbial metabolism and electron-transfer mechanisms, with implications for the global carbon cycle, methane-based bioenergy, critical mineral recovery, and biomedical applications. For more information about our research, projects, and team, visit Divya Lab. (https://www.divyalab.com/ )
