Grant Kemp, PhD

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Availability

Book an appointment here: https://calendar.app.google/A6fB5tcv7pSn5Kc5A

Area of Study / Keywords

Biochemistry Biophysics Protein Chemistry Molecular Biology Structural Biochemistry

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About

My primary goal is to make life easier for researchers in the Faculty of Science by streamlining administrative processes, expanding faculty support systems and helping secure funding for high-impact projects. Working closely with the associate deans of research, I focus on:

• Expanding research capacity: Streamlining internal workflows and optimizing core research services and supports so researchers can spend more time on discovery and less on administrative hurdles.
• Proposal and project strategy: Helping build competitive, high-value grant applications and large-scale initiatives that position science research for global impact.
• Navigating campus resources: Serving as a main bridge to central university units — including the College, VPR, VPIE and RAS — to ensure researchers and faculty get targeted support, partnership and visibility.

Whether scaling up a lab, pursuing major collaborative funding or navigating university research systems, I am here to help turn strategic ideas into funded, well-supported research.

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Research

My interest in research was really sparked by my introduction to metabolism in high school biology. I was fascinated by the complexity of metabolic networks as well as how enzymes and transporters worked in balance to create, store, and consume energy. This evolved into a desire to understand the details of how proteins, especially membrane proteins function. I worked with Drs. Howard Young and Larry Fliegel in the Department of Biochemistry at the UofA during my PhD to understand the structure and function of eukaryotic ion transporters. In Sweden I worked first with Prof. Gunnar von Heijne to understand how proteins are synthesized and folded into their final 3D structures in living cells and then went on to work on dissecting the biophysical and functional details of large bioenergetic membrane protein complexes with Prof. Ville Kaila. In my spare time I developed my independent interests in investigating a new and exciting group of miniproteins (<100 amino acids long) and particularly those found in the membrane.

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Teaching

Lab coordinator and Lecturer, Protein Structure and Function I (Masters’ Level)
Developed from scratch a new lab component for a redeveloped course (protein purification, CD, and ITC)

Lecturer, Experimental Chemical Methods (Bachelor’s Level)
Introduction to protein structure determination and biological, medical and industrial applications

Lecturer, Structural Biochemistry (Masters’ Level)
Macromolecular Structure and Function, and Protein Folding

NATURE COMMUNICATIONS. 2024 January; 10.1038/S41467-024-53194-5

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BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS. 2024 January; 10.1016/J.BBABIO.2024.149209

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PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 2020 January; 10.1073/PNAS.1909683117

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PROTEIN SCIENCE. 2020 January; 10.1002/PRO.3927

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JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR BIOLOGY. 2019 January; 10.1016/J.JMB.2019.01.043

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PLANT JOURNAL. 2014 January; 10.1111/TPJ.12501

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Current Protocols in Protein Science. 2014 January; 10.1002/0471140864.ps2908s75

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BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY. 2014 January; 10.1515/HSZ-2014-0213

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View additional publications

• Researcher Resources