Dr. Marie Pak, professor in the department of chemistry, has been teaching at PUC for close to two decades, since 1999. She specializes in biochemistry and spent six years as a postdoctoral research fellow at the National Institutes of Health in Rockville, Maryland. She enjoys reading, going to state fairs, and watching movies. Let’s spend a few minutes getting to know Dr. Pak!

Name: Dr. Marie Pak
Title: Professor of Chemistry
Email: mpak@puc.edu
Faculty since:  1999

Classes taught: Introductory Chemistry, Survey of Organic Chemistry, Survey of Biochemistry, Biochemistry, Biochemistry Lab

Education: B.S. in Biochemistry from Indiana University, M.S. and Ph.D. in Developmental and Molecular Biology from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine

What made you decide to be a teacher?  

Teaching allowed me to share my passion for chemistry and to have time for my son.

What are some of your hobbies?  

I enjoy cooking, watching documentaries, reading, going to state fairs, and nurturing plants.

What’s something people might be surprised to know about you?  

I know some NASCAR trivia.

What’s your favorite thing about PUC?  

PUC’s serene environment and its trees.

What’s your favorite spot on campus?  

Chan Shun 328 laboratory with windows.

What’s your favorite movie? (pick one)

“Seven Samurai”

What advice would you give to an incoming freshman?  

Follow your heart when choosing your major.

Professional activities (Note: Only the most recent three in each category are listed.)

Publications

19322. Pak, J.R. Hoskins, S.K. Singh, M. Maurizi, and S. Wickner (1999).  Concurrent chaperone and protease activities of ClpAP and the requirement for the N-terminal ClpA ATP binding site for chaperone activity.  The Journal of Biological Chemistry, 274, 19316-19322.
19323. Anderson, L. Phan, R. Cuesta, B.A. Carlson, M. Pak, K. Asano, G.R. Bjork, M. Tamame, and A.G. Hinnebusch (1998).  The essential Gcd10p-Gcd14p nuclear complex is required for 1-methyladenosine modification and maturation of initiator methionyl-tRNA.  Genes Dev., 12, 3650-3662.

Presentations

1. Pak and S. Wickner (1996).  Molecular chaperone function of ClpA in plasmid P1 RepA activation and degradation. Protein folding and assembly in the cell, FASEB summer research conference, July 27-Aug 1, Saxtons River, Vermont.
2. Pak, H. Pelka, I. Willis, and L.H. Schulman (1993).  In vivostudy of E. colitRNATrpidentity.  15th international tRNA workshop, May 30-June 4, Cap d’Agde, France.