Photo of Jeffrey C. Hoch, Ph.D.

Jeffrey C. Hoch, Ph.D.

Director, Gregory P. Mullen NMR Structural Biology Facility
Professor, Department of Molecular Biology and Biophysics
Academic Office Location:
Molecular, Microbial and Structural Biology
UConn Health
263 Farmington Avenue
Farmington, CT 06030
Phone: 860-679-3566
Fax: 860-679-3408
Email: hoch@uchc.edu
Website(s):

Molecular Biology & Biochemistry Graduate Program

Education
DegreeInstitutionMajor
B.A.Boston UniversityChemistry
M.A.Harvard UniversityPhysical Chemistry
Ph.D.Harvard UniversityPhysical Chemistry

Awards
Name of Award/HonorAwarding Organization
Election to Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering (CASE) Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering
Henry C. Allen Lecture Clark University, Worcester, MA
Council Representative 2001-2003 Gordon Research Conferences
Merck Award, Department of Chemistry Boston University
Society of Fellows and Scholars 1975-1976Boston University
Harold C. Case Scholar 1975-1978Boston University
Phi Beta Kappa, Epsilon of Massachusetts Boston University
Name & DescriptionCategoryRoleTypeScopeStart YearEnd Year
Journal of Biomolecuar NMRProfessional/Scientific JournalGuest EditorExternalNational20122013
Dean’s CouncilEducation CommitteeRepresentativeUConn HealthUniversity20122013
Gordon Research Conference on Computational Aspects of Biomolecular NMR, Barga, ItalyOtherSession ChairExternalInternational20112011
Search Committee (Chair, Department of Cell Biology)Advisory CommitteeMemberUConn HealthUniversity20102010
NMR and Cancer, Farmington, CTOtherOrganizerExternalLocal20102010
Uconn Health Center Ad Hoc Appeals CommitteeAdvisory CommitteeMemberUConn HealthUniversity20102010
NIH SEP Study Section, P41 Study SectionMemberExternalNational2009
Department of Molecular, Microbial, & Structural Biology Faculty Search CommitteeAdvisory CommitteeMemberUConn HealthUniversity20092010
UCHC Research Council Advisory CommitteeMemberUConn HealthUniversity2009
Faculty/Staff Philanthropy CommitteeAdvisory CommitteeMemberUConn HealthUniversity2009
UConn Partnership for Excellence in Structural BiologyEducation CommitteeDirectorUConn HealthUniversity20092012
Workshop on Sparse Data Collection and Processing, Asilomar, CAOtherOrganizerExternalNational20082008
NMR Bootcamp, Joint workshop with Canadian National NMR Facility OtherOrganizerExternalInternational20082008
NMRDP International SummitOtherOrganizerExternalInternational20082008
Molecular, Microbial, & Structural Biology Faculty Search CommitteeAdvisory CommitteeChairUConn HealthUniversity20082008
Search Committee (Assistant Vice President of IT– Research Computing)Advisory CommitteeMemberUConn HealthUniversity2008
UConn Partnership for Excellence in Structural Biology Professional/Scientific OrganizationDirectorExternalUniversity2007
North Eastern Structure Symposium: Protein – Nucleic Acid Interactions, Storrs, CT OtherCo-ChairExternalRegional20072007
Biophysical Core Facility, Department of Molecular, Microbial, & Structural BiologyAdvisory CommitteeDirectorUConn HealthUniversity2007
UConn Partnership for Excellence in Structural Biology Professional/Scientific OrganizationAssociate DirectorExternalUniversity20062009
Study Section Computational Biophysics (ZRG1)Study SectionAd Hoc MemberExternalNational2006
Advances in Biomolecular NMR Spectroscopy, Boston, MA Professional/Scientific OrganizationCo-ChairExternalLocal2005
NIH Macromolecular Structure and Function Study SectionStudy SectionAd Hoc MemberExternalNational2005
Advances in Biomolecular NMR Spectroscopy, Boston, MA OtherCo-ChairExternalNational20052005
Department of Molecular, Microbial, & Structural Biology, Symposium on Understanding Proteins: A Celebration of Contributions by Zheng-yu PengOtherOrganizerUConn HealthUniversity20052005
Molecular, Microbial, & Structural Biology Seminar OtherCoordinatorUConn HealthUniversity20052006
Molecular, Microbial, & Structural Biology Faculty Search CommitteeAdvisory CommitteeMemberUConn HealthUniversity20052006
New England Structural Symposium: NMR Perspectives on Biological Problems, Storrs, CTOtherCo-ChairExternalRegional20042004
UConn Health Center, Graduate Admissions CommitteeAdvisory CommitteeMemberUConn HealthState2004
University of Connecticut, Executive Committee, Partnership for Excellence in Structural Biology Education CommitteeMemberUConn HealthUniversity2004
Gregory P. Mullen NMR Structural Biology Facility, Department of Molecular, Microbial, & Structural BiologyAdvisory CommitteeDirectorUConn HealthUniversity2004
NIH Special Study Section, SBIR Study SectionChairExternalNational2002
Council Representative, Gordon Research Conferences Professional/Scientific OrganizationMemberExternalNational20012003
Advisory Board, BioMagResBank Advisory CommitteeChairExternalLocal20002004
NIH Study Section Molecular and Cellular Biophysics (BBCA)Study SectionAd Hoc MemberExternalNational20002000
Gordon Research Conference on Computational Aspects of Biomolecular NMR, Barga, ItalyOtherChairExternalInternational19991999
NIH Study Section Molecular and Cellular Biophysics Study SectionAd Hoc MemberExternalNational19961996
Biohazard Safety Committee Advisory CommitteeMemberExternalUniversity19962000
Advisory Board, Biological Magnetic Resonance Data Bank (BioMagResBank), Madison, Wisconsin Advisory CommitteeMemberExternalState19942004
NIH Special Study Section, Research ResourceStudy SectionMemberExternalNational19941994
NIH Study Section Molecular and Cellular Biophysics (BBCA)Study SectionAd Hoc MemberExternalNational19931993
NIH Special Study Section, Program ProjectStudy SectionMemberExternalNational19921992
NATO Advanced Research Workshop on Computational Aspects of the Study of Biological Macromolecules by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, Barga, Italy Professional/Scientific OrganizationDirectorExternalInternational1990
NIH Special Study Section, Shared InstrumentationStudy SectionMemberExternalNational19901990
NATO Advanced Research Workshop on Computational Aspects of the Study of Biological Macromolecules by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, Barga, ItalyOtherDirectorExternalInternational19901990
Rowland Institute, Library CommitteeAdvisory CommitteeMemberExternalUniversity19892002
Rowland Institute, Seminar CoordinatorAdvisory CommitteeCoordinatorExternalUniversity19852002
Boston University, President’s Host (Student Representatives)Education CommitteePresident’s Host ExternalUniversity19751976
American Chemical SocietyProfessional/Scientific OrganizationMemberExternalNational
Protein SocietyProfessional/Scientific OrganizationMemberExternalNational
Journal of Molecular BiologyProfessional/Scientific JournalReviewerExternalNational
Journal of Magnetic ResonanceProfessional/Scientific JournalReviewerExternalNational
BiochemistryProfessional/Scientific JournalReviewerExternalNational
Journal of the American Chemical SocietyProfessional/Scientific JournalReviewerExternalNational
Biophysical JournalProfessional/Scientific JournalReviewerExternalNational
Magnetic Resonance in ChemistryProfessional/Scientific JournalReviewerExternalNational
Analytical ChemistryProfessional/Scientific JournalReviewerExternalNational
National Science FoundationStudy SectionGrant ReviewerExternalNational
Canadian National Research CouncilProfessional/Scientific JournalReviewerExternalInternational
National Science Foundation of IrelandProfessional/Scientific JournalReviewerExternalInternational
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (USA)Professional/Scientific JournalReviewerExternalNational

Our laboratory works on problems related to the physical basis for the biological activity of proteins. Broadly, this includes their structure, dynamics, stability, and interactions with other molecules. Some specific questions we are interested in include:


The relationship of protein dynamics and structure to biological activity. An example is the role of structure and dynamics in the interaction between prolactin and the prolactin receptor. Prolactin is involved in hundreds of biochemical pathways, and has been shown to be involved in cancer (expression levels of both prolactin and its receptor are elevated in some forms of breast cancer). Understanding the physical basis for prolactin-receptor interaction will aid the search for molecules that inhibit or enhance the signaling functions of prolactin.


In collaboration with Professor Choukri Ben-Mamoun we are investigating the structural biology of Plasmodium falciparum, the parasite that causes malaria. Despite the devastating impact of malaria on the developing world, cheap, safe, and effective treatments for malaria remain elusive. We are solving the structure of an enzyme that is essential for the survival of Plasmodium that has no homologs in mammals, and thus is potentially an important drug target. We plan to solve the structures of additional Plasmodium proteins.


We are collaborating with Professor Sandra Weller on structural studies of proteins from herpes simplex virus. These are particularly challenging proteins to investigate, but the insights that can be derived from these studies should shed light on mechanisms of essential processes such as DNA replication, and could guide the discovery of novel antiviral compunds.


We employ a variety of physical and computational methods, especially NMR, and also circular dichroism, fluoresence, and ultraviolet/visible absorption spectroscopies, water activity, differential and isothermal titration calorimietry, non-Fourier spectrum analysis, and molecular dynamics simulations.


The NMR resources at the UConn Health Center are outstanding, and include spectrometers operating at 400, 500, 600, and 800 MHz. The latter three instruments are equipped with state-of-the-art cryogenically cooled probes. Computational resources include a power 1000-node cluster shared with the Center for Cell Analysis and Modeling.

Accepting Lab Rotation Students: Fall 2022 and Spring 2023

Journal Articles

Books

  • Hoch J, Stern AS NMR Data Processing 1996 Jan;
  • Hoch JC, Poulsen FM, Redfield C (eds.) Computational Aspects of the Study of Biological Macromolecules by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy 1991 Jan;

Book Sections

  • Maximum Entropy Reconstruction
    Jeffrey C. Hoch Encyclopedia of Biophysics 2012 Jan;
  • Maximum Entropy: Multidimensional Methods
    Hoch JC, Mobli M Encyclopedia of Magnetic Resonance 2009 Jan;
  • Nonuniform sampling in biomolecular NMR
    Maciejewski MW, Stern AS, King GF, Hoch JC Modern Magnetic Resonance 2006 Jan;1287-1293
  • Bayesian Restraint Potentials for Consistent Inference of Biomolecular Structure from NMR Data
    Hoch JC, Stern AS Structure, Dynamics and Function of Biological Macromolecules and Assemblies 2005 Jan;
  • Signatures and Consequences of Hydrophobic Strain in Globular Proteins
    Hoch JC, Stern AS Dynamics, Structure, and Function of Biological Macromolecules 2001 Jan;
  • Fitting Protein Structures to Experimental Data: Lessons from Before Your Mother Was Born
    Hoch JC, Stern AS Protein Dynamics, Function, and Design 1998 Jan;
  • Maximum Entropy Reconstruction in NMR
    Stern AS, Hoch JC Encyclopedia of NMR 1996 Jan;
  • Solution Structure of the Long Neurotoxin LSIII, With Possible Implications for Binding to the Acetylcholine Receptor
    Connolly PJ, Stern AS, Hoch JC Dynamics and the Problem of Recognition in Biological Macromolecules 1996 Jan;
  • Bons Baisers de Boston
    Hoch JC Plaisirs de la table 1993 Jan;30-31
  • An Amateur Looks at Error Analysis in the Determination of Protein Structure by NMR
    Hoch JC Computational Aspects of the Study of Biological Macromolecules by NMR Spectroscopy 1991 Jan;253-267
  • Computer Assisted Assignment of Two-Dimensional NMR Spectra of Proteins
    Hoch JC, Burns MM, Redfield C Frontiers of NMR in Molecular Biology 1990 Jan;167-175

Letters

Notes

Reviews

Title or AbstractTypeSponsor/EventDate/YearLocation
Non-Fourier Methods of Signal Processing; Fundamentals of Uniform and Nonuniform SamplingLectureGregory P. Mullen NMR Structural Biology Facility2012Farmington, CT
NMR in Biology: An EvergreenLectureUniversity of Massachusetts Boston2012Boston, MA
ABC's of NUSLectureExperimental NMR Conference2012Miami