Signal Transduction Research
The means whereby the activities of different cell types are harmonized to provide integrated responses in an organism is the key feature that allows multi-celled organisms to flourish. This coordination is achieved by the activities of a dazzling array of neurotransmitters, hormones and growth factors, which operate on timescales of milliseconds to days. The study of these processes is known as signal transduction, or cellular signaling, which is one of the key areas of biomedical research, because of what it tells us about normal functions and the therapeutic opportunities that it identifies. The department of Pharmacology has built up its strength in cellular signaling over the years to now being one of the most prominent departments in the US in this critical area. Investigators study ion channels, second messengers, growth factor-signaling and the cell cycle.
Primary Faculty
Bayer, K. Ulrich Molecular memory mechanisms in cellular signal transduction and neuronal function; CaMKII and Ca2+ signaling
Churchill, Mair E. A. Structure and mechanism in gene regulation; biophysical and structural studies of protein-nucleic acid and protein-protein complexes in chromatin and bacterial pathogenesis
Dell'Acqua, Mark L. Organization of signaling complexes by protein kinase and phosphatase anchoring proteins; mechanisms regulating neuronal second messenger signaling in synaptic plasticity
Heidenreich, Kim A. Signal transduction pathways that regulate neuronal survival and apoptosis
Maller, James L. Biochemistry of cell division and early development; cell cycle control; protein phosphorylation and oncogene action
Sather, William A. Structural basis of calcium channel function, including selective ion permeability and neuromodulation of channel gating
Schiemann, William P. Mechanisms of TGF-β-mediated tumor suppression and tumor promotion; cloning and characterization of TFG-β-regulated signaling molecules and secretory proteins; expression proteomics and genomics, biochemistry, and cell biology
Sorkin, Alexander D. Endocytosis, intracellular trafficking and signaling of growth factor receptors, dopamine transporter, dopaminergic neurons
Secondary Faculty
Heasley, Lynn E. Investigating the role of MAP kinases and specific receptor tyrosine kinases in normal and transformed growth of lung epithelial cells using techniques of molecular and cell biology in lung epithelial cells and human lung cancer cell lines
Henson, Peter M. Inflammatory process as a paradigm of complex interacting cell networks and communication molecules and as a component of human diseases
Nemenoff, Raphael A. Signaling pathways controlling growth and differentiation of vascular smooth muscle cells; Role of eicosanoids in lung cancer
Port, J. David G-protein linked receptors and their regulation; regulation of mRNA stability