Allen Price

Associate Professor of Physics

I have a passion for science, and believe it represents an important path to truth. As a physicist, I search for fundamental explanations for our experience. For me, understanding how life can arise from the physical interactions of matter and energy is the greatest mystery. In my research, I apply quantitative methods to complex biological problems.

What I Love About Emmanuel:

I love that Emmanuel is a community. It is a place where students and faculty can know each other and work together in a way that would not be possible at larger institutions.

Ph.D., M.S., University of Washington; B.S., California Institute of Technology

  • PHYS2201 General Physics I
  • PHYS2202 General Physics II
  • PHYS1121/1122 Energy and the Environment
  • PHYS2410 Sustainability Science
  • CHEM1110 Introduction to Physical Science
  • CHEM2111 Biochemistry I
  • CHEM3121 Introduction to Molecular Modeling
  • CHEM4160 Senior Seminar in Chemistry
  • CHEM4194-4195 Research Internships in the Natural Sciences I & II
  • "Salt concentration modulates the DNA target search strategy of NdeI," R.M. Ferreira, A.D. Ware, E.K. Matozel, A.C. Price, Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications (2020).
  • "Parallel High Throughput Single Molecule Kinetic Assay for Site-Specific DNA Cleavage," E.K. Matozel, N. Dale, A.C. Price, J. Vis. Exp. 159: e61236, doi:10.3791/61236 (2020).
  • "The role of noncognate sequences in the 1D search mechanism of EcoRI", S. Piatt, J.J. Loparo, A.C. Price, Biophysical Journal 116: 2367-2377 (2019).
  • "Analyzing dwell times with the Generalized Method of Moments," S. Piatt, and A.C. Price, PLOS ONE 14.1: e0197726 (2018).
  • “A single molecule assay for measuring site-specific DNA cleavage,” S. Gambino, B. Mousley, L. Cathcart, J. Winship, J.J. Loparo, A.C. Price, Analytical Biochemistry 495: 3-5 (2016).
  • “DNA motion capture reveals the Mechanical Properties of DNA at the Mesoscale,” A.C. Price, K.R. Pilkiewicz, T.G.W. Graham, D. Song, J.D. Eaves, J.J. Loparo Biophysical Journal 108(10): 2532-2540 (2015).
  • “Tethered particle motion with single DNA molecules,” D. Song, B. Mousley, S. Gambino, E. Helou, J. Loparo, A.C. Price, American Journal of Physics 83(5): 418-426 (2015). 
  • "A single molecule DNA flow stretching microscope for undergraduates," K. Williams, B. Grafe, K. Burke, N. Tanner, A. M. van Oijen, J. Loparo and  A.C. Price, American Journal of Physics 79(11): 1112-1120 (2011). 
  • “Synthesis and characterization of a BODIPY-labeled derivative of Soraphen A that binds to acetyl-CoA carboxylase,” Raymer B, Kavana M, Price A, Wang B, Corcoran L, Kulathila R, Groarke J, Mann T Bioorg Med Chem Lett.May 15;19(10):2804-7. (2009).
  • “The structure of the BIR3 domain of cIAP1 in complex with the N-terminal peptides of SMAC and caspase-9,” R. Kulathila, B. Vash, D. Sage, S. Cornell-Kennon, K. Wright, J. KoehnT. Stams, K. Clark, A. Price, Acta Cryst. D65, 58-66 (2009).
  • "Mutation of a Conserved Active Site Residue Converts Tyrosyl-DNA Phosphodiesterase I into a DNA Topoisomerase I-dependent Poison," He X, van Waardenburg RC, Babaoglu K, Price AC, Nitiss KC, Nitiss JL, Bjornsti MA, White SW, J Mol Biol. 372, 1070 (2007).
  • “Structure-activity relationships at the 5-position of thiolactomycin: an intact (5R)-isoprene unit is required for activity against the condensing enzymes from Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Escherichia coli,” Kim P, Zhang YM, Shenoy G, Nguyen QA, Boshoff HI, Manjunatha UH, Goodwin MB, Lonsdale J, Price AC, Miller DJ, Duncan K, White SW, Rock CO, Barry CE 3rd, Dowd CS., J Med Chem. 49, 159 (2006).
  • “Cofactor-induced Conformational Rearrangements Establish a Catalytically Competent Active Site and a Proton Relay Conduit in FabG,” A.C. Price, Y.M. Zhang, C.O. Rock and S.W. White, Structure 12, 417 (2004).
  • “The 1.3 Angstrom Resolution Crystal Structure of beta-Ketoacyl-[Acyl Carrier Protein] Synthase II from Streptococcus pneumoniae,” A.C. Price, C.O. Rock and S.W. White, Journal of Bacteriology 185, 4136 (2003).
  • “A Missense Mutation in the fabB (beta-Ketoacyl-[Acyl Carrier Protein] Synthase I) Gene Confers Thiolactomycin Resistance to Escherichia coli,” S. Jackowsi, Y.M. Zhang, A.C. Price, S.W. White and C.O. Rock, Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 46, 1246 (2002).
  • “The Structure of beta-Ketoacyl-[Acyl Carrier Protein] Reductase from Escherichia coli: Negative Cooperativity and its Structural Basis,” A.C. Price, Y.M. Zhang, C.O. Rock and S.W. White, Biochemistry 40, 12772 (2001).
  • “Inhibition of beta-Ketoacyl-[Acyl Carrier Protein] Synthase by Thiolactomycin and Cerulenin: Structure and Mechanism,” A.C. Price, K.H. Choi, R.J. Heath, Z. Li, S.W. White and C.O. Rock, Journal of Biological Chemistry 276, 6551 (2001).
  • “Identification and Analysis of the Acyl Carrier Protein (ACP) Docking Site in beta-Ketoacyl-Acyl Carrier Protein Synthase III,” Y.M. Zhang, M.S. Rao, R.J. Heath, A.C. Price, A.J. Olsen, C.O.Rock and S.W. White, Journal of Biological Chemistry 276, 8231 (2001).
  • “Coherent Soft X-Ray Dynamic Light Scattering from Smectic-A Films,” A.C. Price, L.B. Sorensen, S.D. Kevan, J. Toner, A. Poniewierski and R. Holyst, Physical Review Letters 82, 755 (1999).
  •  “Dynamic Critical Behavior of the Landau-Peierls Fluctuations: Scaling form of the Dynamic Density Autocorrelation Function for Smectic-A Films,” A. Poniewierski, R. Holyst, A.C. Price and L.B. Sorensen, Physical Review E 59, 3048 (1999).
  • “The Dynamic Correlation Functions for Finite and Infinite Smectic-A Systems: Theory and Experiment,” A. Poniewierski, R. Holyst, A.C. Price, L.B. Sorensen, S.D. Kevan and J. Toner, Physical Review E 58, 2027 (1998).

In 2021, Dr. Price was awarded a three-year, $378,754 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to investigate how proteins find specific locations in DNA. The grant, and the research, marks the continuation of a decade-long project that began with an initial NSF grant in 2012 and another in 2017, for a total of nearly $1 million. Through their research, Dr. Price and a team of undergraduates have worked to understand how cells access genetic information and how they use it.

In 2017, Dr. Price received a three-year, $341,217 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to investigate how protein molecules are able to find specific locations in the genome accurately and quickly-work that could have beneficial implications for the emerging field of gene editing, as well as the treatment of genetic diseases.

In 2012, Dr. Price, was awarded $232,922 over three years from the National Science Foundation for Developing Models of Facilitated Diffusion for DNA Binding Proteins. Professor Price will study DNA binding proteins and the ways that these diffuse one-dimensionally along the DNA until they find their targeted sequence. Research results will have translational impact as well as contribute to understandings important to lab-on-a-chip applications. Performing this research as an undergraduate institution, Professor Price will train and employ Emmanuel undergraduates in his lab, develop introductory Physics course materials, and create a professional development course for high school teachers.

I use quantitative science to understand the molecular basis of life. My students and I have developed methods to observe interactions between individual molecules of DNA and proteins. Our data has helped us understand how DNA binding proteins search the genome for their specific binding sites. This work has contributed to our fundamental understanding of genetic regulation in cells as well as to evolving biotechnology such as gene editing. We are also developing and applying methods in data science, such as computer vision and numerical simulations, to complex biomolecular processes.