Michael J. Bouchard, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
PhD (1997), Microbiology, Columbia University
Telephone: 215-762-1898
michael.bouchard@drexelmed.edu
Research Interests: Liver cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide, and 80% of liver cancers can be attributed to chronic infection with the Hepatitis B virus (HBV). The HBV HBx-protein is essential for HBV replication and thought to have a role in HBV-associated liver cancer. HBx is a multifunctional protein that influences transcription, cell cycling, apoptosis, and cellular signal transduction cascades. Recently, we demonstrated that one activity associated with HBx expression is modulation of cellular calcium signaling. Alterations in calcium signaling have many consequences for cellular metabolism and therefore, may explain the diverse functions that have been attributed to HBx. The research of this laboratory is aimed at understanding the molecular mechanisms through which HBx influences cellular signaling cascades and the consequences of this for HBV replication and the development of liver cancer. | more information
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Irwin M. Chaiken, Ph.D.
Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ph.D. (1968) Biological Chemistry, University of California at Los Angeles
Telephone: 215-762-4197
irwin.chaiken@drexelmed.edu
The research of the Chaiken Group is centered in the area of protein recognition in biology, biotechnology and medicine. Research interests include protein structure-function, engineering and design; interaction analysis using immobilized ligands; and application of the principles of macromolecular recognition to molecular design. | more information
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Jane Azizkhan Clifford, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ph.D. (1978), Developmental & Cellular Biology, University of Maryland
Telephone: 215-762-4424
jane.clifford@drexelmed.edu
Research Interests: Cell growth is exquisitely regulated; perturbations in this regulation can result in anomalous development or disease processes such as malignant transformation. Many DNA viruses target the host cell to alter cellular proliferation. The research program of the laboratory is focused on understanding at a molecular level the events involved in gene expression changes that regulate cellular proliferation and the cell cycle. | more information
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Denise Ferrier, Ph.D.
Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ph.D. (1976) Biology & Biochemistry, Bryn Mawr College
Telephone: 215-991-8292
denise.ferrier@drexelmed.edu
Interests: As a full-time medical educator and the course director for Biochemistry, my major interests are the development of curricula (both lecture and problem-based), and of methods to assist and assess student progress through the curricula. Over the last several years, I have been a member of a group of educators at Drexel University College of Medicine that developed and implemented a lecture-based curriculum (Interdisciplinary Foundations of Medicine) that uses medical symptoms as the organizing principle. This approach is designed to integrate basic, behavioral, and clinical science. Additionally, I am involved in our problem-based curriculum (Program for Integrated Learning) as a case writer and faculty resource. | more information
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Bradford A. Jameson, Ph.D.
Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ph.D. (1984) Molecular Biology, S.U.N.Y. @ Stony Brook
Telephone: 215-762-6088
bradford.jameson@drexelmed.edu
Research Interests: Our laboratory is currently studying the role of serotonin as an essential autocrine growth factor. We are looking at its role in the cell cycle and in the proliferation of both normal and
cancerous cells. As an important growth signal, we are also looking at the control of serotonergic signals as a means of therapeutically controlling cell growth in both cancer and autoimmune diseases. We have
also recently discovered a potentially new type of serotonin receptor and are trying to characterize this protein. | more information
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Marilyn S. Jorns, Ph.D.
Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ph.D. (1970) Biochemistry, University of Michigan
Telephone: 215-762-7495
marilyn.jorns@drexelmed.edu
Research Interests: The broad area of interest to this laboratory is the molecular basis of biological catalysis with focus on the structure and function of enzymes of biomedical significance. Key techniques used in our studies include crystallography, spectroscopy, cloning and expression of recombinant proteins, mutagenesis and pre-steady state kinetics. Much of the current focus is on a recently discovered enzyme superfamily that exhibits a requirement for covalent incorporation of flavin, the biologically active form of the vitamin riboflavin. Flavin is one of the most versatile redox co-factors in nature and is used by many enzymes to perform a remarkable range of functions. | more information
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Patrick J. Loll, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ph.D. (1989) Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Telephone: 215-762-7706
patrick.loll@drexelmed.edu
Research Interests: Research in my lab revolves around the structural basis of macromolecular interactions. These interactions control cell function in both normal and diseased cells, as well as the action of therapeutic drugs. Specific areas of interest include the mechanism of antibiotic action and the design of novel antimicrobials, studies of anesthetic interaction with proteins, mechanisms of deubiquitylation by Josephin family proteins, and the molecular basis of polyglutamine disease. | more information
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Alexander V. Mazin, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ph.D. (1984) Institute of Cytology & Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Telephone: 215-762-7195
alexander.mazin@drexelmed.edu
Research Interests: Research is focused on the study of homologous recombination (HR) in human cells. DNA damage may give rise to mutations that lead to premature aging, cancer and other genetic diseases. Homologous recombination (HR) is a very important cellular system that repairs damaged DNA; it deals with potentially lethal lesions, e.g., DNA double-stranded breaks (DSB) and inter-strand cross-links. To repair damaged DNA, the HR system uses a homologous dsDNA as a template. This mechanism includes recognition of two homologous DNA sequences, their pairing, and exchange of DNA strands between homologous partners. Due to this unique and evolutionary conserved mechanism, HR corrects damaged DNA, generally, error-free, operating preferentially in actively proliferating cells, e.g., embryonic stem cells and generative cells, where no errors can be tolerated. | more information
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Joseph Nickels, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ph.D. (1993) Microbiology & Immunogenetics, University of Medicine and Dentistry, New Jersey (UMDNJ)
Telephone: 609-570-1046
jnickels@mdlab.com
Research Interests: Our laboratory has a basic research focus in two different areas. The first area is aimed at understanding the signals that are used in controlling the cell cycle. Under normal circumstances, the cell cycle is carefully controlled to ensure that cells replicate at the "right time." A loss of appropriate cell cycle signaling can result in uncontrolled growth, which often manifests itself as a form of cancer. The other focus of our laboratory is directed at an understanding of the checks and balances governing sterol synthesis. Sterol synthesis is one of the major therapeutic targets in the control of heart disease. Both of these research projects involve extremely complicated regulatory signals. To aid in our basic understanding, we have adopted the yeast system as a means of addressing our experimental questions. | more information
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Eishi Noguchi, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ph.D. (1997) Molecular Biology, Kyushu University, Japan
Telephone: 215-762-4825
eishi.noguchi@drexelmed.edu
Research Interests: Our lab is interested in genome maintenance mechanisms in large part because genomic instability is thought to be a contributing factor to many diseases, including cancer. To ensure genomic integrity, eukaryotic cells are equipped with dedicated sensor response mechanisms referred to as cell cycle checkpoints. The checkpoints ensure the high-fidelity transmission of genetic information mainly by controlling DNA replication and cell cycle progression. Our research focuses on the DNA replication checkpoint control that is essential when DNA replication is impeded. Impeded replication forks are among the most serious causes for DNA damage and as such pose a grave threat to cell survival and genomic integrity. We work with the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe and mammalian cell culture. Fission yeast has proven to be an exceptional model system for studying genome maintenance mechanisms, most of which appear to be highly conserved between yeast and humans. Our general approach will be to define principles and identify important proteins in fission yeast and then determine whether human homologs of these proteins have related functions using mammalian cell culture. | more information
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Mauricio J. Reginato, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ph.D. (1998) Pharmacology, University of Pennsylvania
Telephone: 215-762-3554
mauricio.reginato@drexelmed.edu
Research Interests: The extracellular matrix (ECM) plays a key role in maintaining tissue architecture, as most cells require adhesion to ECM for growth, differentiation and survival. In order to maintain normal tissue architecture, cells displaced from the ECM undergo apoptosis, referred to as anoikis. Tumor cells display significant resistance to anoikis, as they can survive in the absence of matrix attachment and thus contributing to anchorage independence. Our lab is interested in understanding the molecular mechanisms regulating adhesion-dependent apoptotic pathways and how these pathways are disrupted by oncogenes. We are using 3-dimensional basement membrane culture model in which cultured mammary epithelial cells form hollow, acini-like structures, which recapitulates many architectural characteristics observed in normal mammary acini in vivo, to investigate how these pathways regulate changes in tissue architecture and may contribute to early events in breast cancer. | more information
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Gerald Soslau, Ph.D.
Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ph.D. (1970) Biochemistry, University of Rochester School of Medicine
Telephone: 215-762-7831
gerald.soslau@drexelmed.edu
Research Interests: Work in the laboratory is primarily focused on platelet biochemistry. Human platelets are anucleated cells in the blood that play a central role in hemostasis and thrombosis. Current studies are involved in defining the roles of three different platelet thrombin receptors in platelet aggregation. Turtle and avian blood, which contain nucleated platelets (thrombocytes), are also being studied relative to human platelets to ascertain evolutionary relationships. | more information
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John B. Swaney, Ph.D.
Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ph.D. (1970) Chemistry/Biochemistry, Northwestern University
M.B.A. (2000) Villanova University
Telephone: 215-991-8285
john.swaney@drexelmed.edu
Research Interests: While my major activities at Drexel University College of Medicine focus on teaching Biochemistry and Nutrition in the Medical and Graduate programs, research interests remain in the area of the role of lipoproteins in the development of heart disease. | more information
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Keith Vosseller, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ph.D. (1998) Cornell University
Telephone: 215-762-8789
keith.vosseller@drexelmed.edu
We're interested in a novel type of protein glycosylation known as O-GlcNAc. Unlike other types of glycosylation, O-GlcNAc modifies cytosolic and nuclear proteins and is responsive to a variety of cellular stimuli. Our work has implicated O-GlcNAc functionally in diverse systems such as insulin signal transduction and signaling at neuronal synapses. Our fundamental goal is to understand site-specific O-GlcNAc regulatory roles in signal transduction. Mass spectrometry based proteomic approaches for defining protein complexes and mapping sites of O-GlcNAc and phosphorylation will provide a basis for our functional studies. The work will lead to an understanding of roles for O-GlcNAc in signaling and will contribute to a molecular understanding of disease states such as diabetes and neurodegeneration. | more information
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Michael M. White, Ph.D.
Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ph.D. (1982) Biochemistry, Brandeis University
Telephone: 215-762-2355
michael.white@drexelmed.edu
Research Interests: Ligand-gated ion channels such as the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR), the GABAA (GABAAR) receptor, the glycine receptor (GlyR), and the serotonin type 3 receptor (5HT3R) play important roles in signaling in the central and peripheral nervous systems, and are targets for a number of therapeutic agents. We use an approach that combines molecular biology, biochemistry, electrophysiology, and molecular modeling to analyze the structural basis of ligand-gated ion channel function, in particular the architecture of the ligand-binding domains. A series of well-defined, mutant channels or receptors, which differ from the wild-type by one or two amino acids, are generated using site-directed mutagenesis. The mutant proteins are then expressed in transfected mammalian cells, where their functional properties are studied. Detailed comparison of the electrophysiological (macroscopic current dose-response relationships, kinetics of gating and desensitization, single-channel conductance, etc.) and biochemical (ligand affinity using radioligand-binding assays, expression levels, etc.) properties of the mutant channels or receptors with those of the wild-type can allow the elucidation of the structural features that underlie various aspects of ion channel or receptor function and expression. Our current studies focus on architecture of the ligand-binding domain of the serotonin type 3 receptor (5HT3R). | more information
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Peter D. Adams, Ph.D. Chromatin structure and its impact on cell proliferation, senescence, differentiation and genome stability; and ultimately human cancer, aging and cancer therapy.
Alfonso Bellacosa, M.D. DNA repair of mismatched bases and the cellular response to DNA damage. Identification of early genetic alterations in tumorigenesis.
Jonathan Chernoff, M.D., Ph.D. Signal transduction by small G proteins and their effectors and the role of these proteins in regulating cytoskeletal structure, tumor invasion, and metastasis; regulation of insulin signaling.
Roland Dunbrack, Ph.D. Computational structural biology, including homology modeling, fold recognition, molecular dynamics simulations, statistical analysis of the PDB, and bioinformatics.
Andrew K. Godwin, Ph.D. Bench to bedside science: personalizing medicine to improve the care of patients with cancer. Basic and translational studies to 1) identify genetic factors and understand how they contribute to hereditary and non-hereditary forms of breast and ovarian cancer, 2) evaluate the mechanisms of action of novel molecular-targeted therapies used in the treatment of patients with ovarian cancer and gastrointestinal stromal tumors, and 3) identify biomarkers of cancer risk and response to therapy using genomic and proteomic approaches.
Erica Golemis, Ph.D. Understanding points of communication between the cell cycle machinery and cell shape controls, with particular reference to how these processes are simultaneously disrupted in cancer; the HEF1, HEI10, and HEI-C proteins, which function in cell cycle-cell attachment control pathways.
Elizabeth Petri Henske, M.D. The genetics and cell biology of tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), an inherited disorder characterized by seizures, mental retardation, and benign tumors; inhibition of mTOR by the TSC gene products.
Maureen Murphy, Ph.D. The mechanism of induction of apoptosis by the p53 tumor suppressor protein; coding region polymorphisms in p53, and their influence on apoptotic function.
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