Alemayehu (Alex) Gorfe grew up in a small town located in east central Ethiopia. Inspired by the natural world, Gorfe’s interest in science first began to blossom in the 7th grade, with an intense interest in chemistry and biology during his high school years. In college at Addis Ababa University, Gorfe studied industrial chemistry with plans to work as a chemist in an industrial plant. However, by chance, Gorfe ended up working in a hospital for several years during this time and began to see the connection between chemistry and biomedicine. Based on these experiences, by the time he began graduate school at the University of Tromsoe in Norway, Gorfe knew he wanted to study something at the interface of the physical and biological sciences. Yet, it wasn’t until his MSc thesis advisor showed Gorfe a picture of an electrostatic surface potential of trypsin, and explained how such an image could be obtained by solving the Poisson-Boltzmann equation in computers, that Gorfe was introduced to the field of biophysics.
As with most successful people, Gorfe has had several outstanding mentors who have touched his life in various ways. “Dr Tim Forestor” says Gorfe, “introduced me to Monte Carlo simulations as my undergraduate thesis advisor; Arne Smalas, my MSc thesis advisor, taught me continuum electrostatics and extremophiles; I learned much about molecular simulations and biophysical techniques from Ilian Jelesarov and Amedeo Caflisch. Andy McCammon nurtured me in so many ways and allowed me to pursue my passion in Ras proteins, which remain the main theme of my laboratory. I am truly blessed to have known and worked with these outstanding scientists and amazing persons.
Today, Gorfe runs lab at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston, where he received tenure in 2014. There, he examines new ways of developing treatment for cancer. Specifically, the Gorfe Research Group focuses on the Ras family of lipid-modified enzymes that regulate a variety of cell signaling pathways. Gorfe and his team work towards elucidating how dynamics and lateral distribution of Ras and related G-proteins on membrane surfaces regulate signaling events, and leverage insights from their basic research to design novel anti-cancer drugs. Other interests of the group include membrane biophysics, transient signaling complexes, and partitioning of specific drugs into membranes. When asked what he finds to be the most rewarding aspect of his work, Gorfe says, “I like the challenge, the constant search for something new, something novel; the occasional successes after so many failures; working with a diverse group of people, both in my own lab and around the world. Simply put, life in research is never boring.”
Outside of the lab, Gorfe loves reading, particularly books on history, historical novels and fiction, and spending time with his children, Sam and Kidus.