Joel Butterwick, PhD
Associate Professor of PharmacologyDownloadHi-Res Photo
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Pharmacology
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Associate Professor of Pharmacology
Biography
Joel obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of Alberta, Canada, and his Ph.D. from Columbia University. He received postdoctoral training in the MacKinnon and Ruta Laboratories at The Rockefeller University before joining the Department of Pharmacology at Yale in 2020. As a postdoc, Joel used single-particle cryo-electron microscopy to determine the first high-resolution structure of an olfactory receptor, the insect Orco. At Yale, Joel is continuing to study smell and taste receptors to elucidate the elementary principles of chemosensory detection.
Last Updated on March 20, 2024.
Appointments
Pharmacology
Associate Professor on TermPrimary
Other Departments & Organizations
Education & Training
- Research Associate
- The Rockefeller University (2020)
- Postdoctoral Associate
- The Rockefeller University (2014)
- PhD
- Columbia University, Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics (2006)
- BSc
- University of Alberta, Biochemistry (1999)
Research
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Overview
Medical Research Interests
Biochemistry; Biophysics; Cryoelectron Microscopy; Electrophysiology; Ligand-Gated Ion Channels; Neurosciences; Pharmacology; Smell; Taste
Public Health Interests
Mosquito-borne Diseases; Vector-borne Diseases
ORCID
0000-0002-5631-7774
Research at a Glance
Publications Timeline
A big-picture view of Joel Butterwick's research output by year.
Research Interests
Research topics Joel Butterwick is interested in exploring.
11Publications
910Citations
Cryoelectron Microscopy
Taste
Publications
Featured Publications
Cryo-EM structure of the insect olfactory receptor Orco
Butterwick JA, del Mármol J, Kim KH, Kahlson MA, Rogow JA, Walz T, Ruta V. Cryo-EM structure of the insect olfactory receptor Orco. Nature 2018, 560: 447-452. PMID: 30111839, PMCID: PMC6129982, DOI: 10.1038/s41586-018-0420-8.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricThe molecular basis of sugar detection by an insect taste receptor
Gomes J, Singh-Bhagania S, Cenci M, Chacon Cordon C, Singh M, Butterwick J. The molecular basis of sugar detection by an insect taste receptor. Nature 2024, 629: 228-234. PMID: 38447670, PMCID: PMC11062906, DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07255-w.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetric
2025
Functional dissection of the zDHHC palmitoyltransferase 5–golgin A7 palmitoylation complex
Kahlson M, Ritho J, Gomes J, Wang H, Butterwick J, Dixon S. Functional dissection of the zDHHC palmitoyltransferase 5–golgin A7 palmitoylation complex. Journal Of Biological Chemistry 2025, 301: 110694. PMID: 40930250, PMCID: PMC12528901, DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2025.110694.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricA structural perspective on insect gustatory receptors
Gomes J, Reilly R, Butterwick J. A structural perspective on insect gustatory receptors. Chemical Senses 2025, 50: bjaf053. PMID: 41208322, PMCID: PMC12635824, DOI: 10.1093/chemse/bjaf053.Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus StatementsCitationsAltmetric
2014
Conformational Preferences Underlying Reduced Activity of a Thermophilic Ribonuclease H
Stafford KA, Trbovic N, Butterwick JA, Abel R, Friesner RA, Palmer AG. Conformational Preferences Underlying Reduced Activity of a Thermophilic Ribonuclease H. Journal Of Molecular Biology 2014, 427: 853-866. PMID: 25550198, PMCID: PMC4349505, DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2014.11.023.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH KeywordsAmino Acid SequenceBinding SitesCrystallography, X-RayEscherichia coliHot TemperatureHydrophobic and Hydrophilic InteractionsModels, MolecularMolecular Dynamics SimulationMutationNuclear Magnetic Resonance, BiomolecularPrincipal Component AnalysisProtein BindingProtein ConformationRibonuclease HThermodynamicsThermus thermophilusPhosphatidic acid modulation of Kv channel voltage sensor function
Hite RK, Butterwick JA, MacKinnon R. Phosphatidic acid modulation of Kv channel voltage sensor function. ELife 2014, 3: e04366. PMID: 25285449, PMCID: PMC4212207, DOI: 10.7554/elife.04366.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetric
2010
Solution Structure and Phospholipid Interactions of the Isolated Voltage-Sensor Domain from KvAP
Butterwick JA, MacKinnon R. Solution Structure and Phospholipid Interactions of the Isolated Voltage-Sensor Domain from KvAP. Journal Of Molecular Biology 2010, 403: 591-606. PMID: 20851706, PMCID: PMC2971526, DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2010.09.012.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetric
2009
Pulsed Electron−Electron Double-Resonance Determination of Spin-Label Distances and Orientations on the Tetrameric Potassium Ion Channel KcsA
Endeward B, Butterwick JA, MacKinnon R, Prisner TF. Pulsed Electron−Electron Double-Resonance Determination of Spin-Label Distances and Orientations on the Tetrameric Potassium Ion Channel KcsA. Journal Of The American Chemical Society 2009, 131: 15246-15250. PMID: 19919160, PMCID: PMC2779547, DOI: 10.1021/ja904808n.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetric
2006
An inserted Gly residue fine tunes dynamics between mesophilic and thermophilic ribonucleases H
Butterwick JA, Palmer AG. An inserted Gly residue fine tunes dynamics between mesophilic and thermophilic ribonucleases H. Protein Science 2006, 15: 2697-2707. PMID: 17088323, PMCID: PMC2242442, DOI: 10.1110/ps.062398606.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitations
2005
Solution Structure of the Vts1 SAM Domain in the Presence of RNA
Edwards TA, Butterwick JA, Zeng L, Gupta YK, Wang X, Wharton RP, Palmer AG, Aggarwal AK. Solution Structure of the Vts1 SAM Domain in the Presence of RNA. Journal Of Molecular Biology 2005, 356: 1065-1072. PMID: 16405996, DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2005.12.004.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetric
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
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Activities
activity Association for Chemoreception Sciences
2023 - 2025Professional OrganizationsMember
Honors
honor Whitehall Foundation Research Grant
09/01/2022National AwardWhitehall FoundationDetailsUnited States
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Locations
Dr. Butterwick's Office
Academic Office
Sterling Hall of Medicine, B-Wing
333 Cedar Street, Ste SHM B326C
New Haven, CT 06510
Butterwick Lab
Lab
Sterling Hall of Medicine, B-Wing
333 Cedar Street, Ste SHM B334
New Haven, CT 06510