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2010 Publications:

• Baker C, Sturt BL, Bamber BA. Multiple roles for the first transmembrane domain of GABAA receptor subunits in neurosteroid modulation and spontaneous channel activity. Neurosci Lett. 2010 473(3):242-7.
• Davis KM, Sturt BL, Friedmann AJ, Richmond JE, Bessereau JL, Grant BD, Bamber BA. Regulated lysosomal trafficking as a mechanism for regulating GABAA receptor abundance at synapses in Caenorhabditis elegans. Mol Cell Neurosci. 2010 44(4):307-17.
• Harris G, Mills H, Wragg R, Hapiak V, Castelletto M, Korchnak A, Komuniecki RW. The monoaminergic modulation of sensory-mediated aversive responses in Caenorhabditis elegans requires glutamatergic/peptidergic cotransmission. J Neurosci. 2010 30:7889-99.
• Cheriyath, V., D.W. Leaman and E.C. Borden. (2010) Emerging Roles of FAM14 Family Members (G1P3 /ISG 6-16 and ISG12) in Innate Immunity and Cancer.  J. Interferon and Cytokine Res.
• He J, Gray J, Leisner S. A Pelargonium ARGONAUTE4 gene shows organ-specific expression and differences in RNA and protein levels.  J Plant Physiol. 2010 167:319-25.
• Messmer-Blust AF, Balasubramanian S, Gorbacheva VY, Jeyaratnam JA, Vestal DJ. The interferon-gamma-induced murine guanylate-binding protein-2 inhibits rac activation during cell spreading on fibronectin and after platelet-derived growth factor treatment: role for phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase. Mol Biol Cell. 2010 Jul;21(14):2514-28.
• Vestal, D.J. and Jeyaratnam, J.A. (2010) The Guanylate-Binding Proteins (GBPs): Emerging insights into the biochemical properties and functions of this family of large interferon-induced GTPases. Journal of Interferon and Cytokine Research.
• Liu Q, Basu S, Qiu Y, Tang F, Dong F. A role of Miz-1 in Gfi-1-mediated transcriptional repression of CDKN1A. Oncogene. 2010 29(19):2843-52.
• Malathi K, Saito T, Crochet N, Barton DJ, Gale M Jr, Silverman RH. RNase L releases a small RNA from HCV RNA that refolds into a potent PAMP.  RNA. Nov;16(11):2108-19, 2010.
• Chadee DN, Kyriakis JM. Activation of SAPK/JNKs in vitro. Methods Mol Biol. 2010;661:59-73.
• Zhan Y and Chadee DN. (2010) Inhibition of Cdc42-mediated activation of MLK3 by the tumor suppressor Merlin. Small GTPases 1:183-186.
• Kaur H, Bekier ME, Taylor WR. Regulation of Borealin by phosphorylation at serine 219. J Cell Biochem. 2010 Dec 1;111(5):1291-8.
• Fornalé S., Shi X., Chai, C., Encina A., Irar, S., Capellades M., Fuguet E., Torres J-L., Rovira P., Puigdomènech P., Rigau J., Grotewold E., Gray J., and Caparrós-Ruiz D. ZmMYB31 directly represses maize lignin genes and redirects the phenylpropanoid metabolic flux. The Plant Journal 64, (4), 633–644, 2010
• Linkes S, Fry C, Quinn A. Antigen-Experienced CD4lo T Cells Are Linked to Deficient Contraction of the Immune Response in Autoimmune Diabetes. Autoimmune Dis. 2010 Sep 29;2010:920148.
• Kullyev A, Dempsey CM, Miller S, Kuan CJ, Hapiak VM, Komuniecki RW, Griffin CT, Sze JY. (2010) A genetic survey of fluoxetine action on synaptic transmission in Caenorhabditis elegans. Genetics. Nov;186(3):929-41.

2011 Publications:

• Balasubramanian S, Fan M, Messmer-Blust AF, Yang CH, Trendel JA, Jeyaratnam JA, Pfeffer LM, Vestal DJ. (2011) The interferon-{gamma}-induced GTPase, mGBP-2, inhibits TNF-{alpha}-induction of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) by inhibiting NF-{kappa}B and Rac. J Biol Chem. 3;286(22):20054-64
• Balasubramanian S, Messmer-Blust AF, Jeyaratnam JA, Vestal DJ. (2011) Role of GTP Binding, Isoprenylation, and the C-Terminal α-Helices in the Inhibition of Cell Spreading by the Interferon-Induced GTPase, Mouse Guanylate-Binding Protein-2. J Interferon Cytokine Res.
• Rasche S, Phillips, McInerney, M., Sercarz, E and Quinn A. (2011) IL-13-mediated regulation of autoimmunity to GAD65. 2011 Diabetes Jun;60(6):1716-25
• Tipton AR, Wang K, Link L, Bellizzi JJ, Huang H, Yen T, Liu ST. (2011) BUBR1 and closed MAD2 (C-MAD2) interact directly to assemble a functional mitotic checkpoint complex (MCC). J Biol Chem. 286(24):21173-9.
• Zhan Y, Modi N, Stewart AM, Hieronimus RI, Liu J, Gutmann DH, Chadee DN. (2011) Regulation of mixed lineage kinase 3 is required for Neurofibromatosis-2-mediated growth suppression in human cancer. Oncogene. 30:781-9.
• Khandekar S, Leisner S. (2011) Soluble silicon modulates expression of Arabidopsis thaliana genes involved in copper stress. J Plant Physiol. 168(7):699-705.
• Rosebeck, S., Sudini, K, Chen, T. and Leaman DW. (2011) Involvement of Noxa in mediating cellular ER stress responses to lytic virus infection. Virology. Sep 1;417(2):293-303.
• Hu S, Pawson T, Steven RM. (2011) UNC-73/Trio RhoGEF-2 Activity Modulates Caenorhabditis elegans Motility Through Changes in Neurotransmitter Signaling Upstream of the GSA-1/G{alpha}s Pathway. Genetics. Sep;189(1):137-51.
• Dreier MR, Bekier ME 2nd, Taylor WR. (2011) Regulation of sororin by Cdk1-mediated phosphorylation. J Cell Sci. Sep 1;124(Pt 17):2976-87.
• Zellner W, Frantz J, Leisner S. (2011) Silicon delays Tobacco ringspot virus systemic symptoms in Nicotiana tabacum. J Plant Physiol. Oct 15;168(15):1866-9.
• Tao J, Oladimeji P, Rider L, Diakonova M. (2011) PAK1-Nck Regulates Cyclin D1 Promoter Activity in Response to Prolactin. Mol Endocrinol. Sep;25(9):1565-78.
• Rider L, Diakonova M. (2011) Adapter protein SH2B1beta binds filamin A to regulate prolactin dependent cytoskeletal reorganization and cell motility. Mol Endocrinol. Jul;25(7):1231-43.
• Harris G, Korchnak A, Summers P, Hapiak V, Law WJ, Stein AM, Komuniecki P, Komuniecki R. (2011) Dissecting the serotonergic food signal stimulating sensory-mediated aversive behavior in C. elegans. PLoS One. 6(7):e21897.
• Raikhy G, Krause C, Leisner S. (2011) The Dahlia mosaic virus gene VI product N-terminal region is involved in self-association. Virus Res. Jul;159(1):69-72.
• Bazeley PS, Nestor Kalinoski AL, Ways JA, Liu ST, Ramdath RS, Matsui SI, Allison DC. (2011) A model for random genetic damage directing selection of diploid or aneuploid tumours. Cell Prolif. Jun;44(3):212-23.
• Tipton, A.R., Tipton, M., Yen, T. J., Liu, S.T. (2011) Closed MAD2 (C-MAD2) is selectively incorporated into the mitotic checkpoint complex (MCC). Cell Cycle. 10(21): 3740-50.
• Kiraly A, Koffman B, Hacker M, Gunning W, Rasche S, Quinn A. (2011) A novel aza-anthrapyrazole blocks the progression of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis after the priming of autoimmunity. Clin Immunol. 2011 Dec;141(3):304-16.
• Frantz, JM., Khandekar, S. and S. Leisner. (2011) Silicon differentially influences Cu toxicity response in silicon-accumulator and non-accumulator species. J. A, Soc. Hort. Sci. 136:329-338.
• Mills H, Wragg R, Hapiak V, Castelletto M, Zahratka J, Harris G, Summers P, Korchnak A, Law W, Bamber B, Komuniecki R. 2011Monoamines and neuropeptides interact to inhibit aversive behaviour in Caenorhabditis elegans. EMBO J. Nov 29;31(3):667-78.
• Harris G, Korchnak A, Summers P, Hapiak V, Law WJ, Stein AM, Komuniecki P, Komuniecki R. (2011) Dissecting the serotonergic food signal stimulating sensory-mediated aversive behavior in C. elegans. PLoS One. 6(7):e21897.

2012 Publications:

• Lin, L, Tran, T., Hu, S., Cramer, T, Komuniecki, R. and Steven, R. (2012) C. elegans RHGF-2 is an essential RHO-1 specific RhoGEF that binds to the multi-PDZ domain scaffold protein MPZ-1. PLoS ONE 7(2):e31499
• Purohit AA, Li W, Qu C, Dwyer T, Shao Q, Guan KL, Liu G. (2012) Down Syndrome Cell Adhesion Molecule (DSCAM) Associates with Uncoordinated-5C (UNC5C) in Netrin-1-mediated Growth Cone Collapse. J Biol Chem. 2012 Aug 3;287(32):27126-38.
• Liu, Q. and F. Dong. (2012) Gfi-1 inhibits the expression of eosinophil major basic protein (MBP) during G-CSF-induced neutrophilic differentiation. Int J Hematol. 95(6):640.
• Tipton AR, Wang K, Oladimeji P, Sufi S, Gu Z, Liu ST. (2012) Identification of novel mitosis regulators through data mining with human centromere/kinetochore proteins as group queries. BMC Cell Biol. Jun 19;13(1):15.
• Cai C, Hsieh CL, Gao S, Kannan A, Bhansali M, Govardhan K, Dutta R, Shemshedini L. (2012) Soluble guanylyl cyclase α1 and p53 cytoplasmic sequestration and down-regulation in prostate cancer. Mol Endocrinol. Feb;26(2):292-307.
• Zhan Y, Abi Saab WF, Modi N, Stewart AM, Liu J, Chadee DN. (2012) Mixed lineage kinase 3 is required for matrix metalloproteinase expression and invasion in ovarian cancer cells. Exp Cell Res. Aug 15;318(14):1641-8.
• Abi Saab, WF., Brown, MS and Chadee, DN. (2012) MLK4b functions as a negative regulator of MAPK signaling and cell invasion. Oncogenesis. 1:1-6.
• Komuniecki R, Law WJ, Jex A, Geldhof P, Gray J, Bamber B, Gasser RB. (2012) Monoaminergic signaling as a target for anthelmintic drug discovery: receptor conservation among the free-living and parasitic nematodes. Mol Biochem Parasitol. May;183(1):1-7.
• Komuniecki R, Harris G, Hapiak V, Wragg R, Bamber B. (2012) Monoamines activate neuropeptide signaling cascades to modulate nociception in C. elegans: a useful model for the modulation of chronic pain? Invert Neurosci. Jun;12(1):53-61.
• Date, D, Dreier, MR, Borton, MT, Bekier, ME and Taylor, WR.  (2012).  Effects of Phosphatase and Proteasome Inhibitors on Borealin Phosphorylation and Degradation. Journal of Biochemistry, 151:361-369.

Other Recent Publications from the Department of Biological Sciences

Biological Sciences Researchers In the New
Interdisciplinary research team swimming together to track fish killer - Dr. Douglas Leaman
Cellular research yields body of knowledge to fight disease, disorders - Dr. Tomer Avidor-Reiss

Recent External Grant Awards in Biological Sciences:

Song-Tao Liu, Ph.D., an Assistant Professor in the department, was recently awarded an NSF grant titled “Assembly, Disassembly and Function of the Mitotic Checkpoint Complex”.  The total award request was for $658,406 for three years, and funding began 3-1-11. 

 This grant will study the regulation of cellular division, in particular the molecular control of a cell’s decision of whether to divide or not.  Since cancer cells often exhibit uncontrolled division, these studies could have implications in cancer, but the primary focus is to study the basic cellular process in order to gain a better understanding of how all cells regulate this important cellular process.

 Guofa Liu, Ph.D., an Assistant Professor who joined our department in 2008, recently received a Whitehall Foundation Award entitled “Coordination of Neuronal Guidance in the developing Nervous System”. The total award amount is $225,000 for three years (3-1-2011 to 2-28-14).

 Dr. Guofa Liu has also received an NIH R15 entitled “The coordination of Netrin Signal Transduction”. This grant includes total costs of approximately $438,000 and will run from 5-1-2011 to 4-30-2014.

 Congratulations to both of these outstanding faculty members in the department!

 These grants are in addition to other recent awards to faculty in our department, including:

• Dr. Maria Diakonova recently received an NIH R01 award ($1,250,000 over 5 years) to study the role of JAK2- PAK1 interaction in prolactin-dependent signaling.  R01 grants are considered the “pinnacle” of individual grants in science, and Dr. Diakonova is to be commended.
• The R01 grant is added to an existing NIH R15 grant awarded to Dr. Diakonova in 2008   to study the role of JAK2-PAK1 interaction in human breast cancer.  This R15 award   runs through 2011.  Congratulations Dr. Diakonova!     
• Dr. Malathi Krishnamurthy was awarded a NIH R15 grant ($462,000 over 3 years) to study the role of small cellular RNAs in amplifying the cellular responses to virus infections.  This grant will allow Dr. Krishnamurthy, who just joined us in January, to establish her new laboratory with a strong financial footing.  Congratulations Dr. Krishnamurthy!

In addition to these external awards, Dr. Robert Steven received competitive internal funding in 2011, in the form of a D’Arce award.

 Other External Grant Awards in the Department of Biological Sciences

Recent Accolades for Department Faculty

Dr. Deborah Chadee received the University of Toledo’s “Honors College Professor of the Year” award for 2011. Dr. Harmych received her award at a banquet on April 17, 2011

 In receiving this award, she joins other past departmental winners including Dr. Brian Ashburner and Dr. John Plenefisch.

 Congratulations!

 

Recent Graduates from the Departmental graduate degree programs:

Dr. Sarah Rache – Ph.D. – Dissertation Title. “Processing and Presentation of Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase 65 T cell-Inducing Epitopes: Implications in the Non Obese Diabetic Mouse Model of Type 1 Diabetes” Laboratory of Dr. Anthony Quinn

Dr. Xinhui Shi – Ph.D. – Dissertation Title “Regulatory Functions of ZmMYB31 and ZmMYB42 in maize phenylpropanoid pathway”. Laboratory of Dr. John Gray

Nicole Bearss – M.S. – Thesis Title “Inhibition of prostate cancer via inhibition of peptidylglycine alpha-amidating monooxygenase (PAM)”. Laboratory of Dr. Paul Erhardt (Pharmacy)

       

Department of Biological Sciences Awards - Spring 2012

Outstanding Student (Dean’s Medalist):                    Amanda Kitson*

*Amanda also won the Outstanding Arts and Sciences Undergraduate award for 2011. Congratulations!

High Academic Achievement (High GPA):               Amanda Kitson

Undergraduate Research Symposium:

1^st Place -                                                             Andrew Stein

2^nd Place –                                                             Amanda Kitson

Honorable Mention –                                              Lindsey Foster

Outstanding Undergraduate TA                               Dan Hettel

Outstanding Peer Mentor                                         Sydni Coleman

C.V. Wolfe Scholarship                                            Abigail Wagner

Fred O. Hartman Scholarship                                   Matthew S. Fischer

 

 

 Please see the news archive page for past events.