D. Scott Witherow
Associate Professor of Chemistry
Office: SC 204
Email: switherow@ut.edu
- 1997 A.B. in Chemistry, Rollins College
- 2002 Ph.D. in Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, University of Miami School of Medicine (with Dr. Vladlen Slepak)
Postdoctoral Training:
- 2003-2005, Duke University Medical Center (with Dr. Robert Lefkowitz)
- 2005-2007, Duke University Medical Center (with Dr. Ann Marie Pendergast)
- 2008-2010, North Carolina State University (with Dr. Susan Carson)
Research Interests
My research interests are rather varied, and I always encourage students interested in biochemical research to come to talk to me about potential options. That being said, here are a couple of highlights:
Biochemistry Pedagogy
I enjoy coming up with new experiments to teach in the lab. If you look through my publications, you'll see that I have a number of paper 
s dedicated to the design of new experiments/courses in the field of biochemical education. In doing this type of research, it is essential to have students go through and perform the experiments on their own. In many cases, these labs involve mini-projects that students perform over the course of a semester. I frequently have student research projects that involve the optimization of these experiments. (Figure 1, left: Molecular Biology Techniques)
G Protein and Cell Signaling
Historically, my research has focused on various aspects of cell signaling. How do cells take a signal from outside of the cell and make changes happen inside a cell? One primary mechanism by which this happens is through a process called G protein-mediated signaling. These signaling pathways are important in many physiologic pathways. For instance, for vision to occur, G protein 
signaling occurs in the retina, which leads to a signal being sent to the brain. I've conducted research on various aspects of these signaling transduction pathways. One of the most recent projects I've been working on is trying to purify a particular G protein from coral that is thought to be important for coral to "see" various colors. Healthy coral reefs are bright and vibrant. we hypothesize that a G protein is important for coral larvae to recognize these bright colors when they decide to settle into a spot on a reef to grow. (Figure 2, left: G Protein-Signaling Coral)
Miscellaneous
I have also supervised student-designed research projects. Have an interesting idea of something biochemical you want to pursue? Let's talk about it and see if there's a way to make it happen. I find that when students have true ownership over a project, they are more motivated and put more work into it, which in turn means they get more out of it. Because of this, I am happy to work together with students who might have their own ideas for research, assuming they have some experience with the work and techniques necessary to do the project.
The research projects described above are geared toward undergraduates. These projects give biochemistry students a chance to apply their classroom knowledge. Instead of doing problems from textbooks, students can devise, perform, interpret and troubleshoot experiments aimed at solving new problems that have never before been solved. Undergraduate researchers in the lab would perform a wide variety of standard biochemical and molecular biological techniques, such as PCR, DNA cloning, protein expression and purification, western blotting, cell culture and others. While most of the work students will be performing at UT, external collaborations are possible for students whose research requires it. Modern science is largely a collaborative process. To solve complex problems, scientists with different backgrounds and areas of expertise frequently team up to make the best use of the resources available, and the research performed here is no different. Students performing research in the lab should expect to think independently, apply classroom knowledge to practical applications and learn how to do real-world science. It is a challenging process that can be both fun and rewarding at the same time! Students who are self-motivated and independent are generally the best fit for research in my laboratory. If you're interested in learning more about potential opportunities, please reach out to me!
Pictured above, student Al McDonnell presents her research under mentor Associate Professor Witherow, "Characterization of Previously Mutated Proteus mirabilis Lipase in Methyl Acetate."
(Undergraduate co-authors in bold type. *Corresponding author.)
Susan Carson, Heather B. Miller, Melissa Srougi, and D. Scott Witherow. Molecular Biology Techniques: A Classroom Laboratory Manual, Fourth Edition. Academic Press, London, UK, 2019.
D. Scott Witherow*. (2016) “A ten-week biochemistry lab project studying wild-type and mutant bacterial alkaline phosphatase”. Biochem Mol Biol Educ. 44(6):555-564. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/bmb.20982
Melissa C. Srougi, Heather B. Miller, D. Scott Witherow, Susan Carson*. (2013) “Assessment of a novel group-centered testing schema in an upper-level undergraduate molecular biotechnology course.” Biochem Mol Biol Educ. 41(4):232-41. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/bmb.20701
Susan Carson, Heather B. Miller, and D. Scott Witherow. Molecular Biology Techniques: A Classroom Laboratory Manual, Third Edition. Academic Press, London, UK, 2012.
Heather B. Miller, D. Scott Witherow, and Susan Carson*. (2012) “Student Learning Outcomes and Attitudes when Biotechnology Lab Partners are of Different Academic Levels”. CBE Life Sci Educ. 11(3):323-32. http://dx.doi.org/10.1187/cbe.11-10-0094
D. Scott Witherow* and Susan Carson (2011) “A laboratory-intensive course on the experimental study of protein-protein interactions”. Biochem Mol Biol Educ. 39(4):300-8. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/bmb.20506
Joanna Miller, D. Scott Witherow, and Susan Carson*. (2009) “Assessment of a Novel Laboratory-Intensive Course on RNA Interference.” CBE Life Sci Educ. 8(4):316-25. (including cover art) http://dx.doi.org/10.1187/cbe.09-02-0012
Patricia A. Zipfel, Steven C. Bunnell, D. Scott Witherow, Jing J. Gu, Elizabeth M. Chislock, Colleen Ring, and Ann M. Pendergast* (2006) “Role for the Abi/Wave Protein Complex in T Cell Receptor-Mediated Proliferation and Cytoskeletal Remodeling” Curr Biol. 6(1):35-46. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2005.12.024
D. Scott Witherow, Tiffany R. Garrison, William E. Miller, and Robert J. Lefkowitz* (2004) “beta-Arrestin inhibits NF-kappaB activity by means of its interaction with the NF-kappaB inhibitor IkappaBalpha” Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 101(23):8603-7. http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0402851101
D. Scott Witherow and Vladlen Z. Slepak* (2004) “Biochemical purification and functional analysis of complexes between the G protein subunit Gβ5 and regulators of G protein signaling (RGS) proteins” Meth Enzymol. 391:149-162. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0076-6879(04)90010-9
D. Scott Witherow and Vladlen Z. Slepak* (2003) “A novel kind of G protein heterodimer: the G5-RGS complex” Receptors Channels. 9(3):205-12. http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/10606820308239
D. Scott Witherow, Steven C. Tovey, Qiang Wang, Gary B. Willars, and Vladlen Z. Slepak* (2003) “Gβ5-RGS7 inhibits Gαq-mediated signaling via a direct protein-protein interaction” J Biol Chem. 278(23):21307-13. http://dx.doi.org/10.1074/jbc.m212884200
Oliver N. Hausmann, Wen-Hui Hu, Tal Keren-Raifman, D. Scott Witherow, Qiang Wang, Konstantin Levay, Beata Frydel, Vladlen Z. Slepak*, and John R. Bethea* (2002) “Expression of RGS7 Protein in Neurons, Microglia and Macrophages following Spinal Cord Injury in Rats” Eur J Neurosci. 15(4):602-12. http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1460-9568.2002.01916.x
Tal Keren-Raifman, Amal K. Bera, Dror Zveig, Sagit Peleg, D. Scott Witherow, Vladlen Z. Slepak, and Nathan Dascal* (2001) “Expression levels of RGS7 and RGS4 proteins determine the mode of regulation of the G protein activated K+ channel and control regulation of RGS7 by Gβ5” FEBS Lett. 492(1-2):20-8. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0014-5793(01)02220-7
D. Scott Witherow, Qiang Wang, Konstantin Levay, Jorge L. Cabrera, Jeannie Chen, Gary B. Willars, and Vladlen Z. Slepak* (2000) “Complexes of the G protein subunit G5 with the regulators of G protein signaling RGS7 and RGS9. Characterization in native tissues and in transfected cells.” J Biol Chem. 275(32):24872-80. http://dx.doi.org/10.1074/jbc.m001535200
