Denise Okafor

Huck Early Career Chair in Biophysics, Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Denise Okafor

Research Summary

Structural mechanisms of signaling and regulation in protein complexes.

Huck Graduate Students

Huck Affiliations

Links

Most Recent Publications

Enhanced dynamic coupling in a nuclear receptor underlies ligand activity

Tracy Yu, Priscilla Villalona, Sabab Hasan Khan, Noriko Mikeasky, Emily Meinert, Jill Magafas, Thilini Pulahinge, Ameen Bader, C. Denise Okafor, 2025, Journal of Biological Chemistry

Impact of Replicas and Simulation Length on In Silico Behaviors of a Protein Domain

Arumay Biswas, Riley K. Eisert-Sasse, C. Denise Okafor, 2025, ChemPhysChem

Nuclear Receptor Interdomain Communication is Mediated by the Hinge with Ligand Specificity

Saurov Hazarika, Tracy Yu, Arumay Biswas, Namita Dube, Priscilla Villalona, C. Denise Okafor, 2024, Journal of Molecular Biology

Illuminating ligand-induced dynamics in nuclear receptors through MD simulations

Tracy Yu, Nishanti Sudhakar, C. Denise Okafor, 2024, Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Gene Regulatory Mechanisms

Ancient and modern mechanisms compete in progesterone receptor activation

Sabab Hasan Khan, Namita Dube, Nishanti Sudhakar, Olivia Fraser, Priscilla Villalona, Sean M. Braet, Stephanie Leedom, Erin R. Reilly, Jacob Sivak, Kenidee Crittenden, C. Denise Okafor, 2024, RSC Chemical Biology on p. 518-529

How nuclear receptors transition between active and inactive forms: An energetic perspective

Saurov Hazarika, Matthew Fehrle, C. Denise Okafor, 2024, Journal of Chemical Physics

Accelerating the discovery of alkyl halide-derived natural products using halide depletion

Nathaniel R. Glasser, Dongtao Cui, Douglas D. Risser, C. Denise Okafor, Emily P. Balskus, 2024, Nature Chemistry on p. 173-182

Simulations Reveal Unique Roles for the FXR Hinge in the FXR-RXR Nuclear Receptor Heterodimer

Tracy Yu, Arumay Biswas, Namita Dube, C. Denise Okafor, 2024, ACS Bio and Med Chem Au

The nuclear receptor LRH-1 discriminates between ligands using distinct allosteric signaling circuits

Suzanne G. Mays, David Hercules, Eric A. Ortlund, C. Denise Okafor, 2023, Protein Science

Two enhancer binding proteins activate σ<sup>54</sup>-dependent transcription of a quorum regulatory RNA in a bacterial symbiont

Ericka D. Surrett, Kirsten R. Guckes, Shyan Cousins, Terry B. Ruskoski, Andrew G. Cecere, Denise A. Ludvik, C. Denise Okafor, Mark J. Mandel, Tim I. Miyashiro, 2023, eLife

Most-Cited Papers

Bile acids and the gut microbiota: metabolic interactions and impacts on disease

S Collins, Jonathan Stine, Jordan E. Bisanz, C. Denise Okafor, D Okafor, Andrew Patterson, 2022, Nature Reviews Microbiology on p. 236-247

Structure and assembly of the diiron cofactor in the heme-oxygenase–like domain of the N-nitrosourea–producing enzyme SznF

M McBride, S Pope, K Hu, C. Denise Okafor, C Denise Okafor, E Balskus, J Bollinger, J. Martin Bollinger, Amie K. Boal, 2021, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

The first crystal structure of a DNA-free nuclear receptor DNA binding domain sheds light on DNA-driven allostery in the glucocorticoid receptor

Filipp Frank, C. Denise Okafor, Eric A. Ortlund, 2018, Scientific Reports

Development of the First Low Nanomolar Liver Receptor Homolog-1 Agonist through Structure-guided Design

Suzanne G. Mays, Autumn R. Flynn, Jeffery L. Cornelison, C. Denise Okafor, Hongtao Wang, Guohui Wang, Xiangsheng Huang, Heather N. Donaldson, Elizabeth J. Millings, Rohini Polavarapu, David D. Moore, John W. Calvert, Nathan T. Jui, Eric A. Ortlund, 2019, Journal of Medicinal Chemistry on p. 11022-11034

Iron mediates catalysis of nucleic acid processing enzymes: Support for Fe(II) as a cofactor before the great oxidation event

C. Denise Okafor, Kathryn A. Lanier, Anton S. Petrov, Shreyas S. Athavale, Jessica C. Bowman, Nicholas V. Hud, Loren Dean Williams, 2017, Nucleic Acids Research on p. 3634-3642

Structural and Dynamics Comparison of Thermostability in Ancient, Modern, and Consensus Elongation Factor Tus

C. Denise Okafor, Manish C. Pathak, Crystal E. Fagan, Nicholas C. Bauer, Megan F. Cole, Eric A. Gaucher, Eric A. Ortlund, 2018, Structure with Folding & design on p. 118-129.e3

Ribosomal small subunit domains radiate from a central core

Burak Gulen, Anton S. Petrov, C. Denise Okafor, Drew Vander Wood, Eric B. O'Neill, Nicholas V. Hud, Loren Dean Williams, 2016, Scientific Reports

Crystal structures of the nuclear receptor, liver receptor homolog 1, bound to synthetic agonists

Suzanne G. Mays, C. Denise Okafor, Richard J. Whitby, Devrishi Goswami, Józef Stec, Autumn R. Flynn, Michael C. Dugan, Nathan T. Jui, Patrick R. Griffin, Eric A. Ortlund, 2016, Journal of Biological Chemistry on p. 25281-25291

Structural analysis of the glucocorticoid receptor ligand-binding domain in complex with triamcinolone acetonide and a fragment of the atypical coregulator, small heterodimer partner

Emily R. Weikum, C. Denise Okafor, Emma H. D'Agostino, Jennifer K. Colucci, Eric A. Ortlund, 2017, Molecular Pharmacology on p. 12-21

Structure and dynamics of the liver receptor homolog 1-PGC1α complex

Suzanne G. Mays, C. Denise Okafor, Micheal L. Tuntland, Richard J. Whitby, Venkatasubramanian Dharmarajan, Józef Stec, Patrick R. Griffin, Eric A. Ortlund, 2017, Molecular Pharmacology on p. 1-11

News Articles Featuring Denise Okafor

May 29, 2024

Denise Okafor named Huck Early Career Chair in Biophysics

Denise Okafor, assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular biology in the Eberly College of Science at Penn State, has been awarded a Dorothy Foehr Huck and J. Lloyd Huck Early Career Chair in Biophysics.

Full Article

Oct 23, 2023

731: Investigating the Mechanisms of Signaling and Regulation in Protein Complexes - Dr. Denise Okafor

Learn more about the research and life of Denise Okafor

Full Article

Jul 14, 2023

Bioluminescent bacteria coordinate signaling to colonize squid’s light organ

Bioluminescent bacteria and the Hawaiian bobtail squid have formed a longstanding mutually beneficial relationship.

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Feb 16, 2023

Penn State biochemist Denise Okafor receives 2023 Marion Milligan Mason Award

C. Denise Okafor, assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular biology and of chemistry at Penn State, has been selected as a recipient of the 2023 Marion Milligan Mason Award for Women in the Chemical Sciences by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

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Jan 03, 2022

Okafor receives 2021 National Science Foundation CAREER Award

C. Denise Okafor, assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, has been honored with a Faculty Early Career Development award from the U.S. National Science Foundation. The award is the NSF’s most prestigious honor in support of early-career faculty members who have the potential to serve as academic role models.

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