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Jill P. Adler, Ph.D., Professor. Immunology, Medical Microbiology, Liposome Biotechnology. Biotechnology; Immune response to fungal infections; Encapsulation of pharmaceuticals into liposomes for treatment of disease processes; Testing of liposome-encapsulated drugs. Electron microscopic studies of microbes, infected tissue, and cancer cells.
Steve Alas, Ph.D. Assistant Professor. Genetics/Immunology. My laboratory studies the DNA damage response and DNA repair mechanisms in various model systems, including bacterial, yeast and tumor cells. A major focus of this work is the signaling of Programmed Cell Death and cell cycle control by DNA damage. Another major area I examine is how tumor cells become resistant to chemotherapeutic drugs, utilizing a variety of tumor cell models.
Keith E. Arnold, Ph.D., Professor. Marine biology, Physiological Ecology of Seaweeds, Bioenergetics, Ecological Energetics; Form and function in seaweeds; Photosynthetic physiology of kelps; Carbon allocation strategies; Utilization of D.O.M. by seaweeds.
Ed Bobich, Ph.D., Assistant Professor. Plant organismal biology.
Kristin R. Bozak , Ph.D., Professor. Molecular Biology, Plant Physiology. Expression of genes involved in ripening of avocado; hormonal and developmental control of gene expression; genetic elements involved in regulation and expression.
Graciela Brelles-Mariño, Ph.D. Associate Professor. Microbial ecology / Phytobacteriology. Molecular microbial ecology, quorum-sensing in Gram-negative bacteria, soil microbiology, plant-bacteria interactions, nitrogen fixation, biodiversity, and bacterial fingerprinting.
Gil D. Brum, Ph.D., Professor. Plant Ecology, Pollination Biology, Habitat Restoration, Air Pollution Damage to Plants; Plant reproductive genetics; Plant reproductive strategies; Restoration of habitats damaged by ORV use or during construction; Effects of air pollution on plant growth and development; Community level dynamics.
Stephen H. Bryant , Ph.D., Professor. Population Biology, Genetics, Evolution, Ecology, Statistics; Population biology of Drosophila, especially D. pseudoobscura , in Death Valley; Desert plant polymorphisms. Determination of species relationships using mitochondrial DNA sequence studies.
Nancy E. Buckley , Ph.D., Associate Professor. Cell, Molecular, and Developmental Biology; Localization of cannabinoid receptor gene expression in mammals; Elucidation of the functional role of the peripheral cannabinoid expression receptor (CB2) using a CB2 knockout mouse model system.
Gary C. Carlton , Ph.D., Professor. Plant ecology; structural and functional attributes of natural communities; response of plant populations and communities to disturbance; multiple-resource limitation of plant growth; mathematical models.
John K. Chan, Ph.D., Professor. Basic immunology, Clinical Immunology; Elucidation of the immune response of hosts to nicotine exposure; phagocytic cells and killer cells in this infection system. Chief health professions advisor.
J. Curtis Clark , Ph.D., Professor. Plant Systematics and Evolutionary Biology. Evolution of Asteraceae, Papaveraceae; Speciation; Biogeography; Computer applications in biology. Dr. Clark is not accepting new graduate students at this time.
Wendy J. Dixon, Ph.D. Associate Professor. Microbiology, Cell and Molecular Biology; Elucidation of phosphorylation pathways involved in regulating cell-cycle genes and initiatiing DNA replication in budding yeast; Location, movement and interactions of DNA replication initiators during the cell cycle; Effect of over-expression of cell-cycle genes on cell growth and tumor formation.
Sepehr Eskandari, Ph.D., Associate Professor. Physiology and Neuroscience.
Research in this laboratory focuses on the brain γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) transporters. These molecules are involved in the regulation of inhibitory neuronal signaling in the brain and, in addition, are the targets of several important experimental and clinical drugs. Because GABA is the most abundant inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain, the GABA transporters are implicated in the treatment of epileptic seizures, and in the control of the devastating consequences of stroke. Our goal is to elucidate a comprehensive understanding of GABA transporter structure and function. In addition, we are interested in the nature of drug interaction with the GABA transporters. Our functional experiments examine wild-type, chimeric, and mutant transporters and are designed with the goal of gaining a deeper understanding of the mechanism of transport cycle. The pharmacological experiments focus on identifying the minimum substrate structural features needed for recognition and translocation by the transporter. The long-term goal of the pharmacological studies is to identify/develop compounds that selectively target various isoforms of the GABA transporters found in different brain regions. Such research will pave the way for localized pharmacological treatment of epileptic seizures, stroke, and other pathophysiological conditions in which neurons enter hyper-excited states. Electrophysiological (two-electrode voltage clamp, patch clamp, ion-selective electrodes), molecular and cell biological (site-directed mutagenesis, western blots, etc.), imaging (light and fluorescence microscopy, thin section and freeze-fracture electron microscopy), as well as isotope methods are used to achieve these goals.
Selected publications:
•Gonzales, A.L., Lee, W., Spencer, S.R., Oropeza, R.A., Chapman, J.V., Ku, J.Y., Eskandari, S. Turnover rate of the γ-aminobutyric acid transporter GAT1. J. Membr. Biol., in press.
•Livesay, D.R., Kidd, P.D., Eskandari, S., Roshan, U. Assessing the ability of sequence-based methods to provide functional insight within membrane integral proteins: A case study analyzing the neurotransmitter/Na+ symporter family. BMC Bioinformatics, in press.
•Paroder, V., Spencer, S.R., Paroder, M., Arango, D., Schwartz, S., Mariadason, J.M., Augenlicht, L.H., Eskandari, S., Carrasco, N. (2006) Na+/Monocarboxylate transport (SMCT) protein expression correlates with survival in colon cancer: Molecular characterization of SMCT. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 103, 7270–7275.
•Meyer, A., Eskandari, S., Grallath, S., Rentsch, D. (2006) AtGAT1, a high affinity transporter for γ-aminobutyric acid in Arabidopsis thaliana. J. Biol. Chem. 281, 7197–7204.
•Cohen-Kfir, E., Lee, W., Eskandari, S., Nelson, N. (2005) Zinc inhibition of γ-aminobutyric acid transporter 4 (GAT4) reveals a link between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 102, 6154–6159.
•Karakossian, M.H., Spencer, S.R., Gomez, A.Q., Padilla, O.R., Sacher, A., Loo, D.D.F., Nelson, N., Eskandari, S. (2005) Novel properties of a mouse γ-aminobutyric acid transporter (GAT4). J. Membr. Biol. 203, 65–82.
Frank Ewers, Ph.D., Professor and Chair. Plant ecology, anatomy and evolution. Water transport, plant structure and biomechanics are all examined to determine whether form follows function. Our research is on the structure, function and ecophysiology of plants. This includes especially the biology of chaparral shrubs of California, mangrove trees of Mexico, and temperate and tropical climbing plants. At Cal Poly Pomona the central focus to our research program will be on native and invasive plants of the Voorhis Ecological Reserve. We will explore the wood structure/function/ecology/evolution at the tissue, organ, whole plant, community and landscape levels. A central theme will be the functioning of native versus exotic species and examination of the conditions that result in invasions of the native plant community.
Wely Floriano, Ph.D., Assistant Professor. Bioinformatics. Dr. Floriano’s research involves the development and application of computational tools to simulate biologically relevant molecular interactions. This includes the development of computer programs to predict three-dimensional structure from genetic data, find potential binding sites in proteins, and scan virtual libraries of chemicals for potential drugs.
One of the biological fields we are currently active is the study of the chemical senses (taste and olfaction). The study of taste and olfaction from a molecular point of view has become increasingly important with the availability of the receptors repertoire from mouse and human genomes. Using computational techniques, we can study correlations between chemical structure and sensorial response from both a ligand-only and a binding to biological target perspectives. Computer assisted molecular design (CAMD) techniques can aid the development of new and modified chemical entities, such as new sweeteners and taste or odorant inhibitors. Computational tools are also useful to process proteomic data, understand the molecular basis of individual differences in taste and odor preferences, and study the physical-chemical principles of taste and odor recognition.
Research in taste and olfaction has potential application in various industries. Examples of applications include the design of taste modifiers (new artificial sweeteners, blockers for bitter taste in food and medicines, enhancers of unpleasant taste response for treatment of food-related disorders such as obesity and addictions to alcohol and tobacco), and the development of odor sensors for use in health (disease identification using characteristic smells present in body fluids), food and perfume manufacturing, and defense (identification of explosives, drugs and chemical weapons agents).
Chris D. George , Ph.D., Professor. Entomology; Ant biology and behavior; Ecology of desert and tropical ant communities; Insect-plant and insecti-vertebrate interactions in desert, chaparral, and tropical communities; Hummingbird and insect pollination of flowering plants.
Kristine Behrents Hartney , Ph.D., Professor. Experimental field studies. Marine biology, ecology of temperate water reef fishes, and fish/invertebrate associations. Desert/marine system parallels, population dynamics and patterns of sexual expression in Atriplex hymenelytra (Chenopodiaceae). Effects of teaching innovations on learning outcomes.
Donald F. Hoyt , Ph.D., Professor. Physiological Ecology of Terrestrial Vertebrates. Integrated biology of vertebrate terrestrial locomotion: behavior, energetics, biomechanics, and muscle function. Energetics and water balance of avian embryos, comparative physiology of detraining in hibernators. Dr. Hoyt is not accepting new graduate students at this time.
Glenn H. Kageyama, Ph.D., Professor. Neurobiology; Enzyme histochemistry, Electron microscopy. Developmental plasticity of central nervous system synapses. Development and plasticity of oxidative and glycolytic pathways in the central nervous system.
Craig W. LaMunyon, Ph.D., Associate Professor. Research in my lab deals with sexual conflict. Sexual conflict arises when the reproductive interests of males and females do not coincide, and we focus on the effects of sexual conflict on sperm. One set of studies we undertake involves the competition between sperm from two males as a result of female multiple mating. We investigate a number of aspects of sperm competition, such as the effects of sperm competition on the evolution of the size and shape of the sperm, and the mechanisms that operate within the female reproductive tract to determine the outcome of the competition. Presently, our main research focuses on the nearly universal maternal inheritance of mitochondria: those mitochondria from the sperm are destroyed after entering the egg. My lab has been involved in several studies to determine both why and how the sperm mitochondria are destroyed. First, we have generated mutants that show survival of some paternal mitochondria. These mutants should allow us to discover the genes involved in destroying the paternal mitochondria. Second, we are using genomics and reverse genetics to knock out specific genes that we think might be involved in mitochondrial inheritance. We are also investigating the 'health' of sperm mitochondria, because theories for the evolution of maternal mitochondrial inheritance predict that the sperm mitochondria become damaged.
A. Kristopher Lappin, Ph.D., Assistant Professor. Evolutionary ecology; herpetology; functional morphology.
Joan M. Leong , Ph.D., Associate Professor. Pollination ecology, biology and ecology of native bees, plant-insect interactions; conservation and restoration of wetland habitats (esp. CA vernal pool); insect sampling methods, biodiversity surveys, population monitoring.
Wei-Jen Lin , Ph.D., Associate Professor. Microbiology, bacterial pathogenesis and molecular biology. Molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis of bacteria and their toxins. Including protein-protein interaction of bacterial toxins, cross-species transfer of pathogenic genes, controls of bacterial infection and intoxication, and host immune defense of bacterial infection. Bacterial gene expression system with focus on promoter function and reporter gene activity.
Junjun Liu, Ph.D., Assistant Professor. This lab studies the regulation of mitosis, particularly the events regulated by mitotic kinases. The focus of the study is polo-like kinases (Plks), which play a pivotal role in regulating the progression of mitosis and have recently emerged as promising targets for cancer therapy. Another area this lab is interested in is epigenetic reprogramming in Xenopus oocytes and oocyte extracts.
David J. Moriarty , Ph.D., Professor. Ecology; Evolutionary ecology of populations and communities; Structure and dynamics of avian communities; Applied statistical analysis; Computer applications.
Bijay K. Pal, Ph.D., Professor. Molecular Biology of Recombinanat DNA, Virology; Molecular biology of retrovirus-induced cancer; Regulation of gene expression; Tumor targeting of antineoplastic drugs. Gene therapy approaches using Ribozymes in retroviral vector.
Ronald D. Quinn, Ph.D., Professor. Field Ecology; Plant-animal interactions; Fire ecology; Chaparral, Mammals, and Radiotelemetry; California walnuts; rare and endangered species; landscape ecology. Dr. Quinn is not accepting new graduate students at this time.
Pamela J. Sperry , Ph.D., Professor. Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology; Signal transduction pathways controlling growth and differentiation of skin epidermal cells. Phagocytosis and antigen presentation by epidermal Langerhans cells, immune cells in the skin. Dr. Sperry is not accepting new graduate students at this time.
Christos Stathopoulos, Ph.D. Assistant Professor. Medical Microbiology; Molecular Biotechnology; Bacterial Pathogenesis; Vaccine Development. Current research projects in my laboratory focus on various aspects of secretion of virulence factors in gram-negative bacterial pathogens and their role in microbial pathogenesis. The majority of our effort is spent on (i) the elucidation of the molecular mechanism of autotransporter secretion across the gram-negative bacterial cell envelope (Type V secretion), (ii) the identification and characterization of novel virulence factors of Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of plague, and (iii) the identification of novel protective antigens for the development of vaccines against plague and infectious diseases caused by pathogenic E. coli strains. Our approaches include molecular biology methodologies, genomics, proteomics, and experiments with animals. Selected Recent Publications:
Robert Talmadge , Ph.D., Associate Professor. Primary research interests include identification of cellular mechanisms involved in skeletal muscle adaptation following chronic alterations in muscle activity, such as spinal cord injury, space flight, exercise and disease states such as muscular dystrophy and congestive heart failure. Other research interests include age-associated sarcopenia, muscle physiology and neural adaptation of the spinal cord locomotor networks following spinal cord injury.
Lenard R. Troncale, Ph.D., Professor. Cellular and Molecular Biology; Systems Science; Biosystems Allometry; Biohierarchies; Molecular Evolution; Theory of Systems Emergence; Proteins of the chromosome scaffold and nuclear matrix of eo-eukaryotes; Organization and function of the nucleus; Theoretical models of cell differentiation.
Ángel A. Valdés, Ph.D., Assistant Professor. Valdés' research focuses on the systematics and biogeography of opisthobranch mollusks. Opisthobranch mollusks, or seaslugs, are a diverse group of almost exclusively marine, hermaphroditic organisms. Sea slugs are closely related to pulmonate gastropods (terrestrial snails and slugs) and display remarkable adaptations to different environmental conditions in the ocean. About 6,000 species are known worldwide but new species are constantly been discovered and named. A particularly rich source of new species is the deep sea, which remains largely unexplored.
One of the key factors in the evolutionary success of opisthobranchs is their trend towards the reduction or loss of the shell. In order to protect their exposed bodies, opisthobranchs have developed chemical defenses, which they obtain from their prey or synthesize on their own, as well some remarkable cases of warning colorations and mimicry. Because their morphological plasticity, opisthobranchs are an ideal subject to the study of evolution.
Current projects in the lab include:
Systematics and biogeography of Caribbean opistobranchs
Genetic diversity of southern California opistobranchs
Systematics of deep sea opisthobranchs
Phylogenetics of Aeolidacea
Phylogenetics of Dendronotus
Biodiversity and new species descriptions from the eastern Pacific and other regions
Yuanxiang (Ansel) Zhao, Ph.D., Assistant Professor. Stem cell biology. Interested in understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying adipogenesis and cardiogenesis using human adult stem cells (human mesenchymal stem cells) and human embryonic stem cells as our in vitro cell models, and using these differentiation models to study obesity, diabetes, cardiac disease related biological processes, as well as applying these cellular models on pharmaceutical drug and environmental chemical toxicity tests.
