Protein trafficking and membrane transport in relation to the processes of cell polarity establishment and carcinogenic transformation
Epigenetic mechanisms in liver cancer pathogenesis due to chronic infection with the Hepatitis B Virus.
Role of histone methylation in gene expression and oncogenesis
Cell and developmental biology, membrane trafficking, molecular genetics, cell polarity
Our research focuses on understanding critical epigenetic mechanisms involved in the regulation of the stem cell plasticity and the stem cell fate in breast cancer, and translating the promising basic research findings into innovative clinical applications, aiming to impact the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of breast cancer.
Chemical Immunology: Cell specific chemical perturbation of immune microenvironments in cancer, neurological and immunological disorders
We work on understanding and targeting epigenetic regulators in cancer initiation, progression, and chemotherapy resistance.
Our laboratory develops strategies that can leverage the immune system to simultaneously repair bone and control inflammation or cell viability. The overall
therapy goals are to (a) treat tumors and repair bone in tumor models and (b) treat and repair cartilage/bone in arthritis models.
Regulation of mineral metabolism, molecular actions of vitamin D in calcium metabolism and cancer prevention, gene-environment interactions influencing bone/calcium metabolism or cancer
Environmental and molecular toxicology, genomics, and cytogenetics
Diseases associated with obesity, outcomes following weight loss
Macromolecular sequences and the evolution, structure and function of molecules; databases and computational tools for functional genomics
Regulation of the cell cycle by ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis; protein mass spectrometry
Investigations into treatments and interventions for skeletal muscle atrophy
Functional genomics and systems biology
Multidrug resistance in human cancer
Molecular biology, cell biology, cancer biology and molecular imaging
Biological roles of miRNAs and their use as cancer therapeutics
Immune cell development, trafficking and effector function
Dietary Control of Adipose Development and Its Function
Epigenetic processes that mediate heritable modifications to chromatin
Gene expression during mammalian development; cancer model systems
bio-organic chemistry, bioconjugate chemistry, in vitro evolution, drug discovery
Stem cell biology; Muscle development and regeneration; Signaling regulation of satellite cells; Adipose stem cell; muscle-fat interaction
Understanding how the cell nucleus directs expression and stability of the genome and how tissue architecture influences nuclear organization; development of 3D cell culture and organ-on-a-chip models for discovery of targets and cell nucleus-based readouts in cancer prevention and treatment;
Immunotherapy, A regulatory mechanism of anti-tumor immunity, A resistance mechanism of target therapy and/or immunotherapy, Antibody engineering
Roles of Polo-like kinase 1 and its interacting proteins in cell proliferation and carcinogenesis
Development of targeted therapic and imaging agents for cancer and various inflammatory diseases. Function and molecular organization of the human red blood cell membrane. Novel methods for detection of human pathogens.
Understanding the regulation of phospholipase C enzymes in cardiovascular disease and cancer through macromolecular structure determination and functional assays.
In vivo musculoskeletal biomechanics; skeletal adaptation; biological regulation of skeletal structure and mass
Biochemistry, Signal Transduction, Microbiology
MDM2, p53, cerebellar development and tumorigenesis, mouse models of human disease
Physics of light interaction with living tissue
In the Parkinson lab, we focus on the discovery of novel antibiotic and anticancer natural products from cryptic biosynthetic gene clusters found in soil dwelling
bacteria.
Computational chemistry and biological NMR
Microbial pathogenesis; host-parasite interactions; molecular detection and differentiation of microbial pathogens; recombinant and DNA vaccines
NeuroEngineering / Cellular Neurobiology
Signal transduction and protein Ser/Thr phosphatases
Ecology of natural systems, ecotoxicology, animal health
Drug Discovery in Cancer and Alzheimer's Disease Using Chemical Biology Tools
Cancer prevention with diet-derived bioactive compounds; pancreatic and breast cancer chemoprevention
Macromolecular structure and assembly using X-ray crystallography; membrane associated proteins; enzyme structure and function
Cell signaling and morphogenesis in the leaf epidermis
Activity-dependent metabolic and oxidative stress in neurons and glia; protein engineering; biosensors; live-cell microscopy; Parkinson’s; glioma; TBI
Proteomics and biological mass spectrometry
Oncogene expression in eukaryotic cells
Vitamin D and cancer Vitamin D and calcium regulation of body composition
We primarily study the molecular basis of GPCR-mediated signal transduction, principally via the techniques of X-ray crystallography and single particle electron microscopy. By determining atomic structures of signaling proteins alone and in complex with their various targets, we can provide important insights into the molecular basis of signal transduction and how diseases result from dysfunctional regulation. The lab is also interested in rational drug design and the development of biotherapeutic enzymes.
Defining the Molecular Basis for p68 (Dbp2) in Gene Expression and Cellular Proliferation
Signal transduction in development; mechanisms of robustness, cell fate decisions, and tissue patterning by morphogen gradients
The Wendt lab conducts molecular pharmacology research focused on metastatic breast cancer. We use a combination of molecular, biochemical, cell biological and whole animal studies to evaluate the impact of anticancer therapies on EMT induction and metastatic progression. Specifically, we utilize a variety of 3D and multicellular colculture models to evaluate growth factor signaling, pharmacological response to anti-cancer drugs, and as a platform for genetic and compound screening assays. In addition to these in vitro approaches we have developed novel in vivo mouse models of metastasis and drug resistance. We utilize these models in combination with bioluminesent imaging as a robust approach to locate and quantify metastatic progression.
Signal transduction in cancer biology, early neuronal development and cancer metabolism.
Phytohormone ethylene biosynthesis and its signaling pathway in Arabidopsis thaliana
Cancer biology; Zebrafish cancer Model; Comparative oncogenomics; Evolutionary developmental biology (Evo-Devo)
Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs), structure and function, PTP-mediated cellular signaling mechanisms, roles of PTPs in normal physiology and diseases, chemical biology and drug discovery
