Scientific Committee
International GAP Junction Conference 2015
Anaclet Ngezahayo
Institute of Biophysics
Leibniz University Hannover
Hannover, Germany
E-mail: ngezahayo@biophysik.uni-hannover.de
Research Interest
Gap Junction communication in the vascular system
Heteromerization of Connexins
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Donglin Bai
Department of Physiology & Pharmacology
Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry
The University of Western Ontario
London, Ontario, Canada
E-mail: donglin.bai@schulich.uwo.ca
My research is focused on the mechanisms of heterotypic gap junction docking and the factors determining macroscopic and single channel gating properties. I am also interested in revealing the potential mechanisms of how connexin gene mutations leading human diseases, such as atrial fibrillation, ODDD, hypomyelination, deafness and skin diseases.
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E. Martha Pérez Armendariz
Laboratorio de sinapsis eléctricas
Unidad de Investigación en Medicina Experimental
Facultad de Medicina,Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
Ciudad Universitaria, D.F., México
E-mail: emperezarmendariz@aol.com
The main interest in our laboratory is to investigate the molecular identity and functional role of connexins in secretory gland cells, in particular their functional role in excitable ones such as pancreatic β cells by using molecular, electrophysiological and imaging studies.
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Fabio Mammano
Venetian Institute of Molecular Medicine
Padua, Italy
and Dept. of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, UK
E-mails: fabio.mammano@unipd.it and f.mammano@sheffield.ac.uk
My research interests are centered on Ca2+ signaling, the structure and function of inner ear connexins and their role in the pathophysiology of hearing.
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Jean X. Jiang
Department of Biochemistry
University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
San Antonio, TX, USA
Email: jiangj@uthscsa.edu
Our current research interests are: 1). To determine the gap junction or hemichannel-dependent and independent roles of connexins in cell growth, cell cycle control and lens epithelial-fiber differentiation and lens development; regulatory mechanism of channels by aquaporin 0. 2). To explore the molecular mechanism and functional significance of gap junctions and hemichannels in transmitting the signals generated by mechanical stress for mineralized tissue formation and remodeling using in vitro cell models and in vivo transgenic mice.
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Lilian I. Plotkin
Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology
Indiana University School of Medicine
Indianapolis, IN, USA
E-mail: lplotkin@iupui.edu
The goal of my research is to understand the molecular mechanisms that are involved in the regulation of intracellular signaling in bone cells. In particular, my research focuses on the role of connexins as regulators of intracellular signaling activated by pharmacotherapeutic, hormonal and mechanical stimuli in cultured cells and in animal models.
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Mathieu Vinken
Department of Toxicology
Free University Brussels
Brussels-Belgium
E-mail: Mathieu.Vinken@vub.ac.be
His recent work is focused on the elucidation of the role of connexin proteins and their channels in the hepatocyte life cycle. Specific attention is paid to apoptosis in this context, whereby it has been found that Cx32 hemichannels control the termination of induced cell death in cultures of primary hepatocytes.
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Matthias Falk
Cell Biology
Dept. of Biological Sciences
Lehigh University
Bethlehem, PA, USA
E-mail: mfalk@lehigh.edu
We have invested significant effort to understand how cells regulate gap junction mediated cell-to-cell communication (GJIC). This includes investigation of connexin protein biosynthesis, oligomerization, intracellular trafficking, assembly into functional GJ channels, internalization and degradation, as well as structure-function relationships. We use endogenously expressed connexins and the expression of tagged and untagged connexins, high-resolution light microscopic and ultrastructural investigations in live- and fixed cells, site-directed mutagenesis, RNAi-knockdown strategies, co-immunoprecipitation and co-immunofluorescence analyses, biochemical, and functional assays.
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Sandra A. Murray
Department of Cell Biology
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA, USA
E-mail: smurray@pitt.edu
My area of expertise includes gap junction channel formation, endocytic trafficking, degradation, and function in epithelial cells. Four different techniques (time- lapse video microscopy, immunocytochemistry, quantum dot immuno-electron microscopy, and western blot analysis) are being used to examine the role of clathrin and protein phosphorylation in gap junction protein (connexin) trafficking, including gap junction plaque internalization.
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