Thomas C. Irving , Ph.D.
Professor of Biology and PhysicsExecutive Associate Chair, Biology Division, BCS Department
Director, Biophysics Collaborative Access Team (BioCAT)
Office: 182B Life Sciences Building
Phone: 312.567.3489
Fax: 312.567.3494
Email: irving@iit.edu
Web: click here
Expertise
- Biophysics of muscle contraction, non-crystalline x-ray diffraction, synchrotron radiation instrumentation
Education
- B.S. University of Guelph
- M.S. University of Guelph
- Ph.D. University of Guelph
Curriculum Vitae
Research & Major Accomplishments
My research interests focus on the use of biophysical techniques to study the molecular basis for muscle physiology. My major research tool is small-angle X-ray diffraction which I use to study the ordered structures in muscle on the nm length scale. a major part of my R&D efforts go towards developing the BioCAT project, an NIH funded X-ray diffraction, scattering and spectroscopy facility at the Advanced Photon Source located at Argonne National labs, for a national and international community of users. This facility is arguably one of the best in the world for muscle studies of non-crystalline biological systems such as muscle and proteins in solution.
Current Projects
- Operate a Biotechnology Research Center at the Advanced Photon Source for non-crystalline diffraction scattering and x-ray spectroscopy of biological molecules, collaboration with NIH/NCRR
- Deduce the structural and functional l roles of My-BP-C in cardiac muscle contraction, collaboration with University of Wisconsin/NIH
- Deduce the structural and functional and structural roles of titin in muscle contraction, collaboration with University of Arizona/NIH
Awards/Honors
- Ontario Scholar (1974)
- I.O.D.E. Capt. Frederick Bond Memorial University Entrance Scholarship
- Ontario Graduate Scholarship (1983-84)(1985-86)
- Canadian Heart Foundation Post-doctoral Fellowship (1989 - 1991)
- IITRI fellow (1998- 2000)
- Sigma Xi / IIT Award for Excellence in University Research (senior division) 2007
Patents
Books
Selected Publications
Irving, T.C. 1998. A bright future for non-crystalline diffraction using synchrotron radiation. Nature Structural Biology, 5:Synchrotron Supplement, August 1998.
Colson, B.A., Bekyarova, T., Irving, T.C., and Moss, R.L (2008). Radial displacement of myosin cross-bridges in mouse myocardium due to ablation of myosin binding protein-C. J. Mol. Biol. 367, 36-41
Bekyarova T.I., Reedy M.C., Baumann B.A., Tregear R.T., Ward A., Krzic U., Prince K.M., Perz-Edwards R.J., Reconditi M., Gore D., Irving T.C., Reedy M.K. (2008). Reverse actin sliding triggers strong myosin binding that moves tropomyosin. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A.105:10372-7.
Michael Dickinson, Gerrie Farman, Mark Frye, Tanya Bekyarova, David Gore, David Maughan and Thomas C. Irving. Molecular Dynamics of Cyclically Contracting Insect Flight Muscle. Nature 433:330-333R.
Fischetti, S. Stepanov, G. Rosenbaum, R. Barrea, D. Gore, R. Heurich, E. Kondrashkina, S. Wang, Ke Zhang, T.C. Irving and G.B. Bunker. The BioCAT Undulator Beamline 18ID: A Facility for Biological Non-Crystalline Diffraction and X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy at the Advanced Photon Source. Journal of Synchrotron Radiation,11:399-405.
Tsuruta H, Irving TC. (2008) Experimental approaches for solution X-ray scattering and fiber diffraction. Curr Opin Struct Biol. 18(5):601-8
Professional Society Memberships
Editorial Board Service
Professional Society Service
- Biophysical Society
- American Crystallographic Association
- Sigma Xi
