Cell signaling is an adaptive response of cells to extracellular signals. Transduction of the signal within the cell can lead to several processes such as production or degradation of a specific protein, programed cell death or cell division. This process occurs mainly via protein-protein interactions and phosphorylation and de-phosphorylation of specific protein substrates held respectively by kinases and phosphatases. Protein phosphorylation is the transfer of a phosphoryl group of ATP to specific amino acids, normally serines, threonines and tyrosines in eukaryotes. De-phosphorylation is the removal of the phosphoryl group from these amino acids. In cells these are key reactions and part of physiological and pathological processess. In several pathologies kinases have altered activity and expression making them good drug targets. In fact, pharmaceutical companies have dedicated large efforts to find new specific modulators for the different kinases, which has been very challenging due to the conserved nature of these enzymes, limiting the specificity of action of modulators. The main interest of my lab is to understand how the regulation of expression of specific kinases occurs, as well as the specificity of interactions of these enzymes with their respective substrates. Specifically, we are studying expression and mutations of members of the protein kinase C (PKC) family of serine/ threonine kinases and TrkA a tyrosine kinase coupled to the high affinity nerve growth factor receptor (NGF), in physiological and pathological processes such as cancer and insensitivity to pain. To this end we are using biochemical, molecular and cell biology techniques as well as molecular modeling. |
Principal Investigator
Deborah Schechtman Este endereço de email está sendo protegido de spambots. Você precisa do JavaScript ativado para vê-lo. CV Lattes |
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Bianca Dazzani Marcolino Este endereço de email está sendo protegido de spambots. Você precisa do JavaScript ativado para vê-lo. |
Posdoctoral Researcher |
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Damian Emilio Berardi Este endereço de email está sendo protegido de spambots. Você precisa do JavaScript ativado para vê-lo. CV Lattes Identification of PKCλ signaling binding partners in pancreatic cancer |
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Dimitrius Tansini Pramio Este endereço de email está sendo protegido de spambots. Você precisa do JavaScript ativado para vê-lo. CV Lattes Epigenetic mechanisms of PKMz regulation Protein kinase C Zeta (PKCz) a member of the sub-class of atypical PKCs has been described as having an important role in establishment and maintenance of cell polarity. In nervous system (and only in this system), an isoform of this kinase (PKMz), with a lower molecular weight is transcribed and regulated by an intronic promoter, this kinase is abundantly to long term memory processes, and associated with episodes of depression. The proposal of my project is to understand the mechanisms that regulate PKMz expression, through the epigenetic components that act on the promoter of this isoform, using biochemical and molecular biology tools. Specifically I am evaluating the methylation pattern of DNA n this promoter region and the dynamic of covalent modifications characteristic of histone marks that ultimately enable or repress specific transcription factor anchoring. |
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Master Students |
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Denise Vianna Este endereço de email está sendo protegido de spambots. Você precisa do JavaScript ativado para vê-lo.
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Allan Pradelli Roldão Este endereço de email está sendo protegido de spambots. Você precisa do JavaScript ativado para vê-lo. CV Lattes Signalling pathways regulated by TrkA |
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Beatriz C. de Moraes Este endereço de email está sendo protegido de spambots. Você precisa do JavaScript ativado para vê-lo. CV Lattes Effect of TrkA mutations on cell signaling pathways |