David R. Friedmann
Papers
1
Total Citations
102
H-Index
1
About
David R. Friedmann is a structural biologist whose work has fundamentally advanced our understanding of how the Notch signaling pathway—a critical, evolutionarily conserved mechanism for cell-to-cell communication—is regulated at the molecular level. His research centers on the biophysical and structural basis of transcriptional control, particularly how allosteric changes drive complex assembly. His most cited work, "RAM-induced Allostery Facilitates Assembly of a Notch Pathway Active Transcription Complex" (2008, 102 citations), revealed a key mechanism: the RAM region of the Notch intracellular domain (NotchIC) induces a conformational change in the repressor CSL, converting it into a scaffold that can recruit NotchIC and Mastermind to form an active transcriptional complex. This study provided a structural blueprint for how a repressor is transformed into an activator, a paradigm with broad implications for signal-dependent gene regulation. Friedmann’s contributions have been instrumental in illuminating the precise allosteric switches that govern Notch signaling, earning him recognition among experts in gene regulation and developmental biology.
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