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MSTP students in the Sahoo lab
Medical Scientist Training Program
Julian Grosskopf

Julian Grosskopf

G5 Student

Faculty Advisor

  • Michael Lerch, PhD, Biophysics

Locations

  • Medical Scientist Training Program

Contact Information

Education

BS, Biochemistry, Biomedical Science, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, 2019

Research Interests

Structural Biology & Biophysics

I am primarily interested in combining experimental and computational tools to address important biological and biophysical phenomena of proteins. I also work on novel biophysical method development such as pressure jump EPR spectroscopy and incorporating experimental distance data into protein modeling methods.

Research Experience

Medical College of Wisconsin, 2021-present
Advisor: Michael Lerch, PhD
Project: 1) Exploring the molecular mechanisms of lipid head group interactions with the beta-2 adrenergic receptor, 2) Molecular modeling of protein conformational ensembles from DEER spectroscopy data, 3) Using pressure jump EPR spectroscopy to evaluate kinetics of protein conformational rearrangement

University of Wisconsin – La Crosse 2016-2019
Advisors: Drs. Todd Weaver & Daniel Grilley
Projects: 1) Performing site-directed alterations to the hemolysin A non polar core to probe for critical residues of structural and functional importance concerning red blood cell lysis, 2) Calculating and extrapolating chemical and thermal stability of SS loop mutants within fumarase C as part of a larger project in exploring the SS loop and its importance in catalysis of fumarate to S-malate. 

Publications

Grosskopf JD, Kasson P, Lerch MT. ProGuide: a flexible framework for modeling global conformational rearrangements in proteins using DEER-derived distance restraints. bioRxiv 2025.06.05.658127; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.06.05.658127

Brennan PC, Grosskopf JD, Garces AM, Trier CL, Lerch MT. Capturing protein dynamics across timescales with site-directed spin labeling electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. Current Opinion in Structural Biology. 2025 Jun;93:103073. DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2025.103073. PMID: 40494166.

Grosskopf JD, Sidabras JW, Altenbach C, Anderson JR, Mett RR, Strangeway RA, Hyde JS, Hubbell WL, Lerch MT. A pressure-jump EPR system to monitor millisecond conformational exchange rates of spin-labeled proteins. Protein Sci. 2024 Dec;33(12):e5220. doi: 10.1002/pro.5220. PMID: 39565088; PMCID: PMC11577460.

Grosskopf JD, Sidabras JW, Altenbach C, Anderson JR, Mett RR, Strangeway RA, Hyde JS, Hubbell WL, Lerch MT. A pressure-jump EPR system to monitor millisecond conformational exchange rates of spin-labeled proteins. bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2024 May 11:2024.05.07.593074. doi: 10.1101/2024.05.07.593074. PMID: 38766191; PMCID: PMC11100676.

Stuttgen GM, Grosskopf JD, Berger CR, May JF, Bhattacharyya B, Weaver TM. Closed fumarase C active-site structures reveal SS Loop residue contribution in catalysis. FEBS Lett. 2020 Jan;594(2):337-357. doi: 10.1002/1873-3468.13603. Epub 2019 Sep 23. PMID: 31514245. 

Meeting Abstracts

Grosskopf JD, Kasson P, Lerch MT. Modeling biased GPCR conformations derived from DEER spectroscopy using ProGuide: an incremental and iterative modeling approach. Membrane Protein Folding GRC. July 2025. [Poster - selected for Student Poster Award]

Grosskopf JD, Kasson P, Lerch MT. Modeling protein conformational ensembles using experimental DEER spectroscopy data. Wisconsin Science Education and Research Consortium. October 2024. [Presentation]

Grosskopf JD, Brennan PC, Garces AM; Lerch, MT. Negatively charged phospholipids modulate the B2AR conformational landscape. Ligand Recognition and Molecular Gating GRC. March 2024. [Poster]

Grosskopf JD, Kasson P, Lerch MT. Modeling protein conformational ensembles using experimental DEER spectroscopy data. 39th Annual MD/PhD Student Conference. July 2024. [Poster]

Grosskopf JD, Sidabras JW, Altenbach C, Anderson JR, Mett RR, Strangeway RA, Hyde JS, Hubbell WL, Lerch MT. Characterization of Protein Conformational Exchange Kinetics Using Pressure-jump EPR. 2023. https://doi.org/10.56902/RMCMR.2023.63.1. [Poster]

Weaver T, Stuttgen G, Grosskopf J, Berger C, May J, Bhattacharyya B. Alterations within fumarase C reveal newly observed SS Loop conformations. 2019. FASEB J. 33(S1), 468.7-468.7. https://dx.doi.org/10.1096/fasebj.2019.33.1_supplement.468.7. [Poster]

Grosskopf J, Weaver T, Grilley D. Site-selective alterations within the hemolysin A non-polar core. FASEB J. 32(S1), 792.17-792.17. 2018. https://doi.org/10.1096/fasebj.2018.32.1_supplement.792.17. [Poster]

General Interests

Archery, computer science, functional fitness, and enjoying the outdoors with friends and family

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