About
Dr. Bryan A. Krantz is an Associate Professor in the Department of Microbial Pathogenesis at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry. His laboratory investigates the fundamental biophysical chemistry of membrane proteins, cellular transport, and molecular machines. By rigorously applying statistical mechanics and thermodynamics to biological systems, the Krantz Lab focuses on decoding how complex protein assemblies function at the single-molecule level.
A major focus of the laboratory involves the anthrax toxin translocase, which Dr. Krantz has fundamentally redefined from a static pore to a dynamic, environmentally sensing Brownian ratchet. This work spans structural biology, single-channel electrophysiology, and advanced physics-informed machine learning (PIML). Currently, the lab is leveraging this dynamic translocase to develop massively parallel, solid-state nanopore sensor arrays capable of single-molecule proteomics and label-free peptide sequencing.
Beyond infectious disease and structural engineering, Dr. Krantz’s research extends into metabolic psychiatry and neuroimmunology. His group investigates the thermodynamic and metabolic failures of the brain’s GPCR sensor arrays, mapping the bioenergetic etiology of conditions like schizophrenia and multiple sclerosis to understand how upstream metabolic interventions can restore cellular function.
Dr. Krantz leads the The Krantz Lab in the rigorous application of physical chemistry and thermodynamics to biological systems.
