Lipid Biochemistry at Vassar

A chinese lion statue

The research in the Garrett lab primarily focuses on the biosynthesis and function of headgroup acylated lipids in the Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli. We use a variety of biochemical techniques to investigate the enzymes that biosynthesize headgroup acylated GPLs such as N-acyl PE and acyl PG. We are particularly interested in how the metabolic pathways involved in N-acyl PE and acyl PG biosynthesis interact with other GPL metabolic pathways in E. coli. We routine culture bacteria, construct plasmids, extract lipids, perform thin layer chromatography, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and in vitro enzyme assays. In addition, we make heavy use of electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry to identify, quantify, and structurally characterize lipids.

Recent news

Our latest paper in BBRC

Posted by Teresa Garrett on May 30th, 2017

Here is a link to our recent paper in BBRC

Article on Vassar's Amazing Posse Veterans

Posted by Teresa Garrett on May 30th, 2017

A Vassar Alumna wrote this article about Vassar's Posse program. I am so proud of Vassar's Veterans!!

Review published in BBA-Molecular and Cellular Biology of Lipids

Posted by Teresa Garrett on May 30th, 2017

Here is a link to review I wrote on new bacterial lipids characterized using mass spectrometry

Fun photos of the President Search Committee with Betsy Bradley!

Posted by Teresa Garrett on January 30th, 2017

This issue of the Vassar Quarterly has a great article about Betsy Bradley and fun pictures from our photo shoot in the new Bridge for Laboratory Sciences Building.

The Bridge for Laboratory Sciences

Posted by Teresa Garrett on January 30th, 2017

This article highlights so many great aspects of our new building. Come visit!

Vassar has a new President!

Posted by Teresa Garrett on January 30th, 2017

Meet Elizabeth Howe Bradley, Vassar's eleventh president. So excited for her to take the helm!

The Miscellany News interviews my URSI student!

Posted by Teresa Garrett on September 1, 2016

An article about Kate Sworden, '15 and her time in the lab this summer.

Former student talks about her life one year out!

Posted by Teresa Garrett on September 1, 2016

An article about Anu Sopeyin, '15, now in her first year at Yale Medical School.

My Alter Ego!

Posted by Teresa Garrett on September 1, 2016

An article about my life as a faculty-athlete. I hope I can live up to the hype!

Vassar is searching for new President!

Posted by Teresa Garrett on June 1, 2016

Cappy Hill will be finishing her time as Vassar's 11th president. The search is on for new leader of this amazing institution! If you or someone you know is interested in the job check out here.

NSF-MRI funded for a new NMR!

Posted by Teresa Garrett on May 1, 2016

Joe Tanski and I were awarded a grant to purchase a 400 MHz NMR. This was installed in the new Bridge for Laboratory Sciences and written up in this article. Thank you NSF!

NSF-RUI Renewed!

Posted by Teresa Garrett on May 1, 2016

The NSF has renewed funding of our Research at Undergraduate Institutions grant! This grant will support undergraduate researchers, a full-time research associate and the Diving into Research Program for three years.

Vassar Track and XC Quarterly Write-up

Posted by Teresa Garrett on May 1, 2016

Have a peak at this article that I wrote as the Track FAST representative. You can also check out the fall Q and A. It is great to be part of the team!

Work with collaborators published!

Posted by Teresa Garrett on January 1, 2016

Two papers were recently published with our collaborators at Rutgers University and McMaster University. Click here and here for a link to the abstracts.

Doing that thing that scientists do!

Posted by Teresa Garrett on January 31, 2015

A paper on our new discovery-driven lab module for biochemistry teaching was recently published in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education.

BBRC paper published!

Posted by Teresa Garrett on January 31, 2015

A paper demonstrating the broad substrate specificity of the Arabidopsis thaliana At1g78690 acyltransferase was recently published with an undergraduate co-author.

Chemical Science collaboration paper published!

Posted by Teresa Garrett on December 1, 2014

A paper on reconstituting teichoic acid biosynthesis in vitro was recently published in Chemical Science. This paper was a collaboration with the Brown Lab at McMaster University.

Molecular Microbiology collaboration paper published!

Posted by Teresa Garrett on December 11, 2013

A paper on the role of lipid A palmitolation in Pseudomonas aruginosa was recently published in Molecular Microbiology. This paper was a collaboration among researchers in Massachusetts, Maryland, Washington, Canada, Thailand, and Switzerland!

Remembrance of Chris Raetz in Annual Review of Biochemistry

Posted by Teresa Garrett on November 20, 2013

A lovely review of the life and work of my mentor and friend Christian R. H. Raetz was published in Annual Review of Biochemistry. This was a collaborative work by his colleagues. He is missed!

Anu speaks at URSI Symposium!

Posted by Teresa Garrett on March 4, 2013

Anu was chosen to speak on her summer research project at the URSI symposium. See a write up about it here.

PLoSOne paper published!

Posted by Teresa Garrett on March 4, 2013

A paper on the lipid composition of A. pallida and its symbiont Symbiodinium was recently published in PLoSOne.

BAMBED paper published!

Posted by Teresa Garrett on February 23, 2013

A paper on a Biochemistry laboratory module on two-dimensional NMR was recently published in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education.

RCM paper published!

Posted by Teresa Garrett on August 16, 2012

A paper on the cardiolipin composition of E. coli was recently published in Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry.

NSF RUI Grant funded!

Posted by Teresa Garrett on June 16, 2012

A grant to fund our research on headgroup acylated lipids in E. coli has been funded by the National Science Foundation. This three year grant will support student summer stipends, travel and supplies for our research group.

BBA paper published!

Posted by Teresa Garrett on August 31, 2011

Check out our recent paper published in Biophysica Biochimica Acta!

JBC paper published!

Posted by Teresa Garrett on August 25, 2011

Check out our recent paper published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry!