Dr. R. Villafañe
EDUCATION
New York University (NYU): BA (Biology), 1973
UC Berkley: MA (Molecular Biology), 1976
NYU School of Medicine: PhD (Microbiology), 1985
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT): Post-doc (Molecular Genetics), 1985-89
Research Description
The research currently being performed in Dr. Villafane’s laboratory can be broadly categorized as in the area of protein structure and function; it focuses on the study of the tailspike protein (TSP) of the Salmonella typhimurium bacterial virus P22 as a model for how viruses infect bacteria and for how virus proteins can be bio-engineered to use as diagnostic and / or therapeutic agents in the treatment of bacterial infections. In infection, the phage P22 TSP has to interact with the host receptor lipopolysaccharide (LPS).
The Salmonella typhimurium phage P22 has served as the main model for Salmonella phages since its discovery about sixty years ago. Only one protein on the P22 phage particle has been shown to interact with the host cell surface, and this is the tail or tailspike protein (TSP). It is the product of the P22 gene 9. The P22 TSP has been crystallized with and without being complexed to its host LPS substrate.
EDUCATION
The College of Arts and Sciences, Boston College: BS (Biology), 1993
University of Wisconsin-Madison, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences University of Wisconsin-Madison: PhD ( Biochemistry), 1998
Ponce School of Medicine, Ponce, PR: Post doc ( Pharmacology), 2001
Research Description:
HIV-1, as is common among viruses, has evolved to exploit its host in order to effectively complete its life cycle. The virus has many ‘tricks’ it uses to both productively infect cells and to hide from the immune system. Our research is aimed at advancing the understanding of the roles of regulatory/accessory HIV proteins (from a structure/function standpoint) in altering host cell function to better accommodate infection and to promote pathogenesis. For example, the Tat protein is absolutely essential to viral replication, but it also is implicated in the regulation of a wide variety of cytokines and other host genes. All of these functions are packed into a very small protein of only ~101 amino acids, depending on the life cycle stage and viral isolate. Further, Tat is quite interesting because it is secreted from infected cells and alters gene regulation in uninfected, neighboring cells—in some cases, making them susceptible to productive viral infection.
EDUCATION
University of Edinburgh , UK : BSc(Pharmacology),1989
University of Southampton , UK : PhD(Pharmacology),1993
University of Calgary , Canada : Post-doc(GI Phys/Pharm.),1993-96University of South Dakota , USA : Post-doc(GI Phys/Pharm.),1993-98
Ailments of the gastrointestinal tract such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease—collectively called Inflammatory Bowel Disease , or IBD—can be very debilitating. Although many therapies are currently available, there is still no cure for this disease, whose main symptoms include abdominal pain, ulceration, bleeding, weight loss, and diarrhea. This disease can have devastating consequences for those patients, and their families, who have to deal with it on a daily basis. With over one million Americans suffering from IBD the often debilitating gastrointestinal symptoms—in predominantly young people—can have severe psychological effects. An additional complication is an increased risk for the development of cancer of the colon and rectum. Each year, more than 150,000 Americans are diagnosed with colorectal cancer and more than 50,000 die from this disease.
University of Puerto Rico , Mayagüez: BS (Biology), 1978
University of Puerto Rico , Mayagüez: MS (Marine Sciences), 1982
University of California, Los Angeles : DSc (Biology ), 1987
University of California, Los Angeles: PhD(Biology), 1988
University of California, Santa Barbara: Post-Doc Fellow (Biology),
1988-91
Investigations into the molecular epidemiology of cancer, oxygen free radical toxicology, and general toxicology. The overall goals of my laboratory are:
To determine how genetic, molecular and environmental exposures explain differences in susceptibility to skin and breast cancer.
To understand more precisely the mechanistic role of free radicals in carcinogenesis in order to develop better chemopreventive and interventional therapies utilizing natural compounds.
Dr. K. Husain
EDUCATION
Lucknow University , India : BS (Chemistry, Biology), 1978-79Lucknow University , India : MS: MS (Biochemistry), 1980-1981
Kanpur University , India : PhD (Chemistry)
Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, IL, USA: Post Doctoral Training (Pharmacology & Toxicology)
Research Description:
The research in Dr. Husain's laboratory is focussed on the following studies:
The Mechanism of Exercise–induced Preconditioning of the Cardiovascular System: The role of nitric oxide and vascular endothelial growth factor in alcohol-induced hypertension and cardiovascular Injuries
The Mechanism and prevention of platinum-based anti-cancer drug-induced as well as age-related hearing loss (ototoxicity): The role of peripheral and central auditory pathways in a rat model
Studies on the therapeutic efficacy of vitamin E against skin cancers in vivo, using a mouse tumor model.
