ROMAN RODIONOV

Thesis Title: Role of Asymmetric Dimethylarginine in Hyperhomocysteinemia-Induced Vascular Dysfunction
Defense Date: 11/26/2007
Mentor: Steven Lentz

Committee Members:
Steven Lentz, Professor
Christie Thomas, Professor
Sarah England, Associate Professor
David Motto, Assistant Professor
Frank Faraci, Professor

Publications:
Lentz, S.R., Rodionov, R.N., Dayal, S. Hyperhomocysteinemia, endothelial dysfunction, and cardiovascular risk: the potential role of ADMA. Atheroscler. Suppl. 4:61-65, 2003.

Dayoub, H., Rodionov, R.N., Lynch, C., Cooke, J.P., Arning, E., Bottiglieri, T., Lentz, S.R., and Faraci, F.M. Overexpression of dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase inhibits ADMA-induced endothelial dysfunction in cerebral circulation. Stroke (in press)

Dayal, S., Rodionov, R.N., Arning, E., Bottiglieri, T., Kimoto, M., Faraci, F.M., and Lentz, S.R. Endothelial dysfunction and tissue specific downregulation of dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase in hyperhomocysteinemic mice. (in preparation)

Rodionov, R.N., Dayoub, H., Lynch, C., Wilson, K.M., Kimoto, M., Arning, E., Bottiglieri, T., Cooke, J.P., Faraci, F.M., and Lentz, S.R. Overexpression of dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase lowers ADMA and partially protects from vascular dysfunction in hyperhomocysteinemic mice. (in preparation)

JAMES DENKER, M.S.

Thesis Title: MMP-9 Mediated Airway Epithelia Apoptosis
Defense Date: 8/16/2007
Mentor: Joseph Zabner

Committee Members:
Joseph Zabner
Charles Yeaman
Christie Thomas

Publications:

NATALIE MELROSE , M.S.

Thesis Title: Sphingosine Kinase 1 in Macrophages: Translocation to the Phagosome and Role in Phagosome Maturation
Defense Date: 9/28/2007
Mentor: David Kusner

Committee Members:
Mary Wilson
Mark Stamnes
Anton McCaffrey

Publications:

Thompson, C.R., Iyer, S.S., Melrose, N., VanOosten, R., Johnson, K., Pitson, S.M., Obeid, L.M., and Kusner, D.J. Sphingosine kinase 1 (SK1) is recruited to nascent phagosomes in human macrophages: inhibition of SK1 translocation by Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
J. Immunol. Mar 15;174(6):3551-61, 2005.

Daines, D.A., Bothwell, M., Furrer, J., Unrath, W., Nelson, K., Jarisch, J., Melrose, N., Greiner, L., Apicella, M., and Smith, A.L. Haemophilus influenzae luxS mutants form a biofilm and have increased virulence. Microb. Pathog. 39(3):87-96, 2005.

Kusner, D.J., Thompson, C.R., Melrose, N., Pitson, S.M., Obeid, L.M. and Iyer, S.S. The Localization and Activity of Sphingosine Kinase 1 are Coordinately Regulated with Actin Cytoskeletal Dynamics in Macrophages. J. Cell Biol. November 2006

CHRISTOPHER van de WETERING

Thesis Title: Regulation of Chromosomal Instability and Lymphomagenesis by the Bcl-2 Family
Defense Date: 7/31/2007
Mentor: Mike Knudson

Committee Members:
Michael Knudson
Michael Cohen
Rick Domann
Al Klingelhutz
Douglas Spitz

Publications:
Alisky, J.M., van de Wetering, C.I., and Davidson, B.L. Widespread dispersal of cholera toxin subunit b to brain and spinal cord neurons following systemic delivery. Exp Neurology 178:139-146, 2002.

Luke, J.J., van de Wetering, C.I., and Knudson, C.M. Lymphoma development in Bax transgenic mice is inhibited by Bcl-2 and associated with chromosomal instability. Cell Death Differ 10:740-8, 2003.

van de Wetering, C.I., Horne, M.C., Knudson, C.M. Chromosomal instability and supernumerary centrosomes represent precursor defects in a mouse model of T-cell lymphoma. Cancer Res. 67(17):8081-8, 2007.

SARA BINZ

Thesis Title: Phosphorylation Induced Intersubunit Regulatory Interactions in Replication Protein A
Defense Date: 7/27//2007
Mentor: Marc Wold

Committee Members:
Marc Wold
Dan Weeks
Anton McCaffrey
Robert Malone
Todd Washington

Publications:
Binz, S.K., Lao, Ye, Lowry, D.F. and Wold, M.S. The Phosphorylation Domain of 32-kDa Subunit of Replication Protein A (RPA) Modulates RPA-DNA Interactions. J. Biol. Chem. 278 (37): 35584-35591, 2003.

Wyka, I.M., Dhar, K., Binz, S.K. and Wold, M.S. Replication Protein A Interactions with DNA: Differential Binding of the Core Domains and Analysis of the DNA Interaction Surface. Biochemistry. 42 (44): 12909-12918, 2003.

Binz, S.K., Sheehan, A. and Wold, M.S. Replication Protein A Phosphorylation and the Cellular Response to DNA Damage. DNA Repair, 3:1015-1024. Invited Review, 2004.

Majka, J., Binz, S.K., Wold, M.S. and Burgers, P.M.J. RPA directs loading of the DNA damage checkpoint clamp to 5’-DNA junctions. Journal of Biological Chemistry. 281:27855-61, 2006.

Binz, S.K., Dickson, A.M., Haring, S.J., Wold, M.S. Functional Assays for Replication Protein A (RPA). Methods Enzymol. 409:11-38, 2006.

JENNIFER MARDEN

Thesis Title: Dysregulation of NADPH Oxidase in Human Disease
Defense Date: 4/19/2007
Mentor: John Engelhardt

Committee Members:
John Engelhardt
Hank Paulson
John Koland
Charles Yeaman
Robin Davisson

Publications:Yang, J., Marden, J.J., Fan, C., Sanlioglu, S., Weiss, R.M., Ritchie, T.C., Davisson, R.L., and Engelhardt, J.F. Genetic redox preconditioning differentially modulates AP-1 and NF kappa B responses following cardiac ischemia/reperfusion injury and protects against necrosis and apoptosis. Mol. Ther. 7:341-53, 2003.

XIYOU (Joe) ZHOU

Thesis Title:Studies Examining the In Vivo Function of Human Renin Transcriptional Enhancers Using PAC-mediated Recombineering and Transgenesis
Defense Date: 4/19/2007
Mentor: Curt Sigmund

Committee Members:
Curt Sigmund
Scott Moye-Rowley
Robin Davisson
Jim Lin
Christie Thomas

Publications: Sherrod, M., Davis, D.R., Zhou, X., Cassell, M.D., and Sigmund, C.D. Glial-Specific Ablation of Angiotensinogen Lowers Arterial Pressure in Renin and Angiotensinogen Transgenic Mice. Am. J. Physiol. Regul. Integr. Comp. Physiol. 2005 Aug 18

Zhou, X., Davis, D.R., and Sigmund, C.D. The Human Renin Kidney Enhancer is Required to Maintain Baseline Renin Expression but is Dispensable for Tissue-specific, Cell-specific and Regulated Expression. J. Biol. Chem. 2006 Sep 21

SEBASTIAN BIGLIONE

Thesis Title: P-TEFb Complex Ratios During Apoptosis and HIV Replication
Defense Date: 11/27/2006
Mentor: Wendy Maury

Committee Members:
Wendy Maury
Al Klingelhutz
Marty Stoltzfus
Madeline Shea
David Price

Publications:

RYAN DRISKELL

Thesis Title: Wnt3a Regulates Lef-1 Expression During Airway Submucosal Gland Morphogenesis
Defense Date: 11/14/2006
Mentor: John Engelhardt

Committee Members:
John Engelhardt
Jackie Bickenbach
Mike Rebagliati
Dan Weeks
Diane Slusarski

Publications:
Liu, X., Yan, Z., Luo, M., Zak, R., Li, Z., Driskell , R.R., Huang, Y., Tran, N., and Engelhardt, J.F. Targeted correction of single-base-pair mutations with adeno-associated virus vectors under nonselective conditions. J. Virol. 78:4165-75, 2004.

Driskell , R.R., and Engelhardt, J.F. Current status of gene therapy for inherited lung diseases. Annu .Rev. Physiol. 65:585-612, 2003.

Driskell , R.R., and Engelhardt, .J.F. Stem Cells in the Adult Lung, Handbook of Stem Cells (in press).

Liu, X., Driskell , R.R., Luo, M., Abbot, D., Filali, M., Cheng, N., Sigmund, C.D., and Engelhardt, J.F. Characterization of Lef-1 Promoter Segments that Facilitate Inductive Developmental Expression in Skin. J. Invest. Dermatol. Aug;123(2):264-74, 2004.

Driskell , R.R., Liu, X., Luo, M., Filali, M., Abbott, D., Cheng, N., Moothart, C., Sigmund, C.D., and Engelhardt, J.F. Wnt-Responsive Element Controls Lef-1 Promoter Expression During Submucosal Gland Morphogenesis. American Journal of Physiology-LCMP. Am. J. Physiol. Lung Cell Mol. Physiol. 2004 Jun 11; 287:L752-63, 2004.

Liu, X., Driskell , R.R. and Engelhardt, J.F. Airway Glandular Development and Stem Cells. Current Topics in Developmental Biology, Vol. 6, Elsevier, Inc. 64:33-56, 2004.

Driskell, R.R. Goodheart, M. Neff, T., Liu, X., Moothart C.M., and Engelhardt, J.F., Wnt3a Regulates Lef-1 Expression During Airway Submucosal Gland Morphogenesis (Submitted – In Revision)

MICHAEL SLEVIN

Thesis Title:Post Transcriptional Regulation of Cyclin E During the Embryonic Development of Xenopus Laevis
Defense Date: 06/19/2006
Mentor: Rebecca Hartley/Dan Weeks

Committee Members:
Rebecca Hartley
Dan Weeks
Dawn Quelle
Al Klingelhutz
Marty Stoltzfus

Publications:
Audic, Y., Boyle, B., Slevin, M., and Hartley, R.S. Cyclin E morpholino delays embryogenesis in Xenopus. Genesis 30:107-9, 2001.

Slevin, M.K., Lyons-Levy, G., Weeks, D.L., and Hartley, R.S. Antisense Knockdown of Cyclin E does not affect the Midblastula Transition in Xenopus laevis Embryos. Cell Cycle. Oct 18;4(10) 1396-1402, 2005.

BENJAMIN DARBRO

Thesis Title: Mechanisms of Human Epithelial Cell Immortalization and P16INK4A Induced Telomere-independent Senescence
Defense Date: 01/04/2006
Mentor: Al Klingelhutz

Committee Members:
Al Klingelhutz
Frederick Domann
Dwight Look
Dawn Quelle
Beverly Davidson

Honors: College of Medicine Research Week (2003) Center on Aging Award signifying recognition for presenting research of the highest caliber for the poster "The Mechanism of Telomere-Independent Cellular Senescence in Human Keratinocytes."

Publications:
Darbro, B.W., Schneider, G.B., and Klingelhutz, A.J. Co-regulation of p16INK4A and migratory genes in culture conditions that lead.to premature senescence in human keratinocytes.
J. Invest. Dermatol. 2005 Sep;125(3):499-509.

Klingelhutz, A.J., Qian, Q., Phillips, S.L., Gourronc, F.A., Darbro, B.W., and Patil, S.R. Amplification of the chromosome 20q region is associated with expression of.HPV-16 E7 in human airway and anogenital epithelial cells. Virology 2005 Sep 30;340(2):237-44.