This article profiles Dr. Jason Hurlbert, an associate professor of chemistry at Winthrop University who does protein crystallography research. His goal is to determine the 3D structures of proteins, like sphingosine kinase which is overexpressed in some cancers, in order to help design inhibitors that could shut down cancer cells. He works with students in his lab, helping them gain hands-on research experience, which he sees as more important than his own research goals.

1. Kate Rishebarger
MCOM 343
Statement of Purpose: This article focuses on Dr. Hurlbert, a former St. Jude’s
researcher and current Winthrop professor, who does work in the field of
crystallography. He builds proteins, crystallizes them, x-rays the crystals, and then
uses the data to form the structure of the protein. Knowing the structure helps
scientists understand how each protein works. One of the proteins that Hurlbert is
trying to solve could be key to shutting down cancer cells. Through his research,
Hurlbert can focus on another of his passions – training the next generation of
scientists.
About The Scientist’ audience: The audience for this publication ranges from
researchers and science professionals to readers with a higher education that have
an interest in science. Some of the articles get a little technical, but usually the
technical terms are either explained or their meanings can be assumed through
context. The particular article that I have written is meant for the Notebook section
of The Scientist, a section that focuses on features stories about scientists and their
research.
Type of Story: This feature story is a profile of a scientist and an overview of his
research. To quote The Scientist’s description of the Notebook section, it is “a look
behind the scenes” at Dr. Hurlbert’s research.

2. From Crystals to Cancer: A Professor’s Search for Structure
Imagine working with something so small that you can’t see it, but in order to
do your job, you have to know exactly what it looks like to know how it works. Dr.
Jason Hurlbert, associate professor of chemistry at Winthrop University, is a protein
crystallographer who formerly worked at St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.
His current research could be key to saving the lives of cancer patients – as long as
he can find the structure of the proteins he studies.
According to Hurlbert’s research page on the Winthrop University website,
one of his projects is to solve the structure of sphingosine kinase, a protein that
controls cellular processes. This protein is over expressed in certain types of cancer,
including those effecting the colon, breast, and liver.
“If the protein is over expressed, it results in a particular chemical reaction
that tells the cell to stay alive, actively grow and divide, and differentiate,” Hurlbert
said. “Which is the last thing you want a tumor cell to do.”
Due to this reaction, even when a patient undergoes chemotherapy
treatments to kill cancerous cells, the cells can go into overdrive. Hurlbert said that
if he can determine what the protein looks like in 3 dimensions, other researchers
can design an inhibitor for the protein to stop the chemical reaction. That way, the
signal that tells the cell to grow and divide can’t get made and the cell will die.

3. “The hope is that we can reestablish the sensitivity of these types of cancer
cells to different types of chemotherapeutics and radiation treatments,” Hurlbert
said.
The process of protein crystallography starts with targeting the gene that
codes for a specific protein and cloning that gene. The gene is introduced into a
bacterium and the bacterium is tricked into making the proteins that Hurlbert
needs. These proteins are purified and then mixed with different kinds of solutions,
such as salts, so that they will form useable crystals.
The crystals are then sent to an x-ray generator. The waves that the x-ray
shoots at the crystal are diffracted off and form a spot pattern behind the crystal.
The crystal is repeatedly rotated by half a degree and x-rayed until the whole crystal
has been analyzed. Then, Hurlbert can take a collection of spot patterns and create a
3-D structure of the protein crystal.
X-ray generators like the one that Hurlbert needs for his research are usually
found at large, well-funded schools. Winthrop does not have one, but Hurlbert has
been able to collaborate with Dr. Chris Davies at the Medical University of South
Carolina. According to Dr. Davies’ faculty page on the MUSC website, his lab is using
their crystallography research to target enzymes involved in antibiotics and
pathenogenic bacteria.
“Not many people are going to let me drive down to their lab and use their
$500,000 instrument whenever I want,” Hurlbert said. “Who just hands you the keys
to their Ferrari and says, ‘Have fun,’ and walks away?”

4. In addition to the broader influence his work would have on cancer research,
Hurlbert is also making an impact on the students who work in his lab. His passion
for science spills over into his teaching career.
“Unlike some of the larger schools, our goal here was to really get students
involved in research,” Hurlbert said. “The really cool thing about this is that we can
take what a student would learn in the classroom on how amino acids interact with
each other… and then we can see how they actually work.”
He said that working in a lab often makes all the difference for students. He
remembers back when he was an undergraduate – he didn’t like lecture classes
because he couldn’t see the connections between the lectures and the actual science.
When he went back for his masters and was able to work in a lab, his mentor
allowed him the freedom to learn what worked and what didn’t.
“If I designed an experiment that worked and proved something, then great,
but a lot of times I made bad experiments,” Hurlbert said. “I think you can be in a lab
where your mentor pushes you to do things right every time, or you can be in a lab
where your mentor just wants you to grow and get better every time. And that’s
going to involve a lot of broken test tubes and crappy experiments.”
His students enjoy working with him and see the value of working in the lab
as undergraduates. Kelsey Aadland, a senior biology major at Winthrop University,
is working on a protein project that is linked to plant pathogens.

5. “I got recruited to work with [Hurlbert],” Aaland said. “It’s awesome to get
good research experience.”
Hurlbert said that he’s looking at getting his students published, which is
great for undergraduates. In the end, he puts training the next generation of
scientists above his own work.
“Though solving the structure for me would be great, having a student there
learning to do lab work as we go through this is the most important thing,” Hurlbert
said. “Because they’re going to leave, but the experience that they take… that’s the
biggest thing.”