Building D, Room 240, Medical Sciences I; (949) 824-6051
Robert Steele, Interim Department Chair

Faculty

Bogi Andersen: Transcriptional regulation in Epithelial tissues

Pierre Baldi: Computation biology, bioinformatics, probabilistic modeling, machine learning

Phang-Lang Chen: Signal transduction in response to DNA damage and tumor genesis

Xing Dai: Signaling and transcriptional control in skin epithelia

Peter Donovan: The mechanisms by which pluripotent stem cells are formed in the embryo and the uses of such stem cells for transplantation therapy of human disease

John P. Fruehauf: Regulatory elements in cancer-related angiogenesis: prognosis and therapeutic targeting

Anand Ganesan: Disorders of pigmentation and melanoma

Sergei Grando: Non-neuronal cholinergic system

Peter Kaiser: Cell cycle regulation by ubiquitin

Eva Y.-H. P. Lee: Breast cancer etiology and DNA damage checkpoint control

Wen-Hwa Lee: Molecular cancer genetics, mainly the mechanism of tumor suppressor gene functions, cancer progression and novel therapy

Leonid Lerner: Retinal diseases, vitreoretinal surgery, uveitis and ocular inflammation

Ellis R. Levin: The plasma membrane estrogen receptor (ER) and its effects on the biology of estrogen action

Steven Lipkin: Cancer genetics and genomics

Haoping Liu: Signal transduction, cell cycle regulation, hypha development in yeast

Leslie Lock: Mammalian embryonic stem cells in studies of development and human disease

Frank Meyskens: Carcinogenesis and molecular biology of melanoma and chemoprevention of human cancer

Masayasu Nomura: RNA polymerase I, nucleolus and ribosome synthesis in yeast

Daniele Piomelli: Biochemistry and pharmacology of the endogenous cannabinoids and other lipid signaling systems

Suzanne B. Sandmeyer: Retrovirus-like elements in yeast

Robert E. Steele: Evolution of multicellular animals and their genomes

Leslie Michels Thompson: Molecular/biochemical analysis of multiple myeloma and Huntington's disease

Douglas C. Wallace: Molecular and mitochondrial medicine and genetics

Kyoko Yokomori: Chromosome structure organization and its role in genome function and stability

Yi-Hong Zhou: Tumor suppression pathways and molecular prognosis of brain tumor

Faculty research interests in the Department of Biological Chemistry are in the structure and function of chromosomes, signal transduction and its role in cell growth and differentiation control, regulation of gene expression (transcription, protein synthesis, and protein localization), and the molecular basis of development. Genome sequencing projects are making it possible for faculty to exploit information learned about gene function in model organisms for understanding human disease processes. Students are exposed to technical expertise in all facets of current research in molecular biochemistry from protein chemistry to genetic engineering and gene mapping. A newly established atomic force microscopy facility is available for structure research. Researchers in the Department are also using old DNA array technology and bioinformatics to understand global changes in gene expression in response to the environment.

The Department offers graduate study under the auspices of the School of Biological Sciences and in conjunction with the program in Cellular and Molecular Biosciences (CMB), which is described in a previous section. Students admitted into the combined program who select a research advisor in the Department begin thesis research in the second year. Students are required to attend and participate in the departmental research seminars. In addition, students are required to complete three advanced-level graduate courses subsequent to entering the Department's Ph.D. concentration. In the third year, students take the advancement-to-candidacy examination for the Ph.D. degree by presenting and defending a proposal for specific dissertation research. The normative time for completion of the Ph.D. is five years, and the maximum time permitted is seven years.

Course descriptions may be found in the School of Biological Sciences section.

Irvine Hall, Room 224; (949) 824-7401; EpiGrad@uci.edu
Hoda Anton-Culver, Department Chair

Faculty

Hoda Anton-Culver: Genetic and cancer epidemiology; community research; development of information systems facilitating the exchange of human cancer genetics information and resources, especially Cancer Registry Programs

Scott M. Bartell (Joint): Environmental and occupational epidemiology; probabilistic models and statistical methods for environmental epidemiology, exposure assessment, risk assessment, and decision analysis

Dwight Culver: Environmental epidemiology; environmental exposure to chemical and physical agents

Ralph Delfino: Environmental epidemiology; effects of community air pollutants on respiratory health and disease, especially asthmas and cardiovascular disease

Catherine Diamond: Clinical epidemiology and infectious diseases; antiretroviral therapy and AIDS-related NHL; HIV, AIDS, Kaposi's sarcoma, Herpes, American Indian, Youth, risky behavior, lipids

Rufus D. Edwards: Environmental epidemiology; effects of air pollution, particles, VOC, developing world changes, greenhouse gas, European cities, Expolis project

Chad P. Garner: Biostatistics; theoretical and statistical methods for studying genetic and environmental determinants of common, complex human traits

Daniel L. Gillen (Joint): Biostatistics; survival analysis, longitudinal data analysis, clinical trials, sequential testing, and epidemiologic methods

Steven M. Lipkin (Joint): Genetic epidemiology; DNA mismatch repair (MMR) defects

Christine E. McLaren: Biostatistics; analysis of hereditary hemochromatosis

Susan L. Neuhausen: Genetic and cancer epidemiology; identification of genetic causes and/or susceptibility to common diseases, especially cancers

Daniel Stokols (Joint): Design and evaluation of community and worksite health promotion; health and behavioral impacts of environmental stressors; application of environmental design research

David S. Timberlake (Joint): Genetic epidemiology: genetic basis for the use and misuse of licit and illicit substances and the study of genetic pre-disposition to behavioral disorders, such as antisocial personality disorder

Pathik Wadhwa (Joint): Behavioral perinatology; biobehavioral processes; stress; pregnancy; fetal development; prematurity; fetal programming of health and disease; psychoneuroendocrinology; psychoneuroimmunology

Jun Wu (Joint): Environmental epidemiology: air pollution exposure assessment and air pollution epidemiology

Jason A. Zell (Joint): Cancer epidemiology and prevention; focus on gastrointestinal cancers (colon, rectum, and pancreas)

Argyros Ziogas: Biostatistics; development of statistical methodology of doing family studies related to genetic (family-based) data, ascertainment bias, and gene-environment and gene-gene interactions related to cancer etiology

The Department of Epidemiology in the School of Medicine participates with the School of Social Ecology in offering a concentration in Epidemiology and Public Health, within the Ph.D. degree in Social Ecology. Prospective students who are interested in this concentration should apply to the Ph.D. degree program in Social Ecology. Additional information is available from the Department of Epidemiology at EpiGrad@uci.edu.

Epidemiology faculty are concerned with determining the distribution, causation, and control of diseases across time and space in human populations. The mission of the Department of Epidemiology is to study the etiology (genetic and environmental) and control of diseases that impose a significant public health burden. The Department's excellent faculty in the School of Medicine, strong research portfolio, outstanding resources, and well-developed training and educational programs establish this program as one of the best.

COURSES IN EPIDEMIOLOGY

UNDERGRADUATE

199 Undergraduate Research in Epidemiology (2 to 4). Provides disciplinary research participation. Original or existing research options provide undergraduates the opportunity for faculty/mentor interactions including access to appropriate facilities. Medical Epidemiology research areas: Cancer, Genetic/Molecular, Environmental, Occupational, Biostatistics, and Infectious Disease. Prerequisite: upper-division standing or consent of instructor. May be repeated for credit.

GRADUATE

201 Cancer Epidemiology (4). Concentrates on understanding how epidemiology plays a role in the search for cancer etiology, prevention, control, and treatment; gives an overview of cancer research with an appreciation of the multidisciplinary nature of the field. Prerequisites: Epidemiology 203; graduate standing or consent of instructor. Same as Environmental Health, Science, and Policy E250/Public Health 201.

202 Genetic Epidemiology (4). Concentrates on the role of genetic factors in the etiology of disease in human populations with an objective of disease control and prevention, and the role of interactions of genetic factors and environmental exposures in the occurrence of disease. Prerequisites: Epidemiology 203; graduate standing or consent of instructor. Same as Environmental Health, Science, and Policy E251/Public Health 202.

203 Environmental Health Sciences III: Epidemiology (4). Presents descriptive and experimental approaches to the recognition of the causal association of disease in the general population, as these approaches apply to populations using different student designs and models from the literature. Prerequisite: graduate standing or consent of instructor. Same as Environmental Health, Science, and Policy E226/Public Health 203.

204 Environmental Health Sciences V: Biostatistics (4). Designed to help students develop an appreciation for the statistician's view of the research process, emphasizing biomedical research. Instills an understanding of how statistical models are used to yield insights about the data that form evidence-based understanding of the world around us. Prerequisite: graduate standing or consent of instructor. Same as Environmental Health, Science, and Policy E227/Public Health 204.

205 Environmental Epidemiology (4). Concentrates on epidemiological approaches to the assessment of community environmental hazards; issues involved in environmental exposure estimation; interdisciplinary approaches to environmental epidemiology, including the use of biomarkers of exposures and susceptibility; epidemiological studies within the context of risk assessment. Prerequisite: graduate standing or consent of instructor.

215 Introduction to Statistical Genetics (4). Provides students with knowledge of the basic principles, concepts, and methods used in statistical genetic research. Topics include principles of population genetics, and statistical methods for family- and population-based studies. Prerequisites: two quarters of upper-division or graduate training in statistical methods. Same as Statistics 257.

217 Advanced Epidemiologic Methods (4). Advanced topics in the design and statistical analysis of epidemiologic studies. Topics include simulation methods, counter-matching and multiphase study designs, missing data, and Bayesian analysis. Published simulation studies are discussed and replicated using the R software package. Prerequisite: Public Health 101B or Statistics 111 or Statistics 211 or consent of instructor. Same as Public Health 205.

244 Toxic Chemicals in the Environment (4). Industrial ecology of toxicants and their impacts on environmental quality and human health. Explores theoretical basis of toxicity thresholds and regulatory issues. Uses classic and contemporary research articles to understand the legacy of traditional toxicants, and to identify emerging threats. Prerequisite: graduate standing or consent of instructor. Same as Public Health 276.

264 Environmental Health Sciences I: Introduction to Environmental Health Science (4). Convergence of agents (chemical, physical, biological, or psychosocial) in the environment can emerge as diseases influenced by social, political, and economic factors, allowing them to become rooted in society. How these agents from various spheres come together and impact human health. Prerequisite: graduate standing or consent of instructor. Same as Environmental Health, Science, and Policy E224/Public Health 264.

265 Environmental Health Sciences II: Advanced Environmental Health Science (4). Explores the complex relationships among exposure processes and adverse health effects of environmental toxins focusing on specific chemicals, sources, transport media, exposure pathways, and human behaviors. Techniques of environmental sampling for exposure assessment are discussed. Prerequisite: graduate standing or consent of instructor. Same as Environmental Health, Science, and Policy E225/Public Health 265.

269 Air Pollution, Climate, and Health (4). Emission of air pollutants into the atmosphere, physical and meteorological processes that affect transport, and influence on global warming. Concepts of how and where people are most exposed, and how exposures and health effects differ in developed and developing regions. Same as Public Health 269 and Environmental Health, Science, and Policy E247.

270 Human Exposure to Environmental Contaminants (4). Introduces founders of conceptual thought that environmental contaminants can impact health. Theory and principles of exposure assessment, the continuum from emissions of a contaminant into the environment to evidence of health effects in a population. Same as Environmental Health, Science, and Policy E248/Public Health 270.

275 Special Topics in Epidemiology (4). Presents various topics and latest research in the broad field of epidemiology. Prerequisite: graduate standing or consent of instructor. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.

290 Introduction to Biostatistics and Epidemiology for Medical Fellows (4). Designed to prepare medical fellows and other physicians for rotations in research programs. Understanding of basic biostatistics and study design, and interdependencies between the two. Application of principles in evaluation of medical literature for guidance on patient care and public health policy. Prerequisites: medical degree and consent of instructor. Same as Environmental Health, Science, and Policy E229.

298 Directed Study in Epidemiology (2 to 4). Prerequisite: graduate standing or consent of instructor. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory only. May be repeated for credit.

299 Independent Study in Epidemiology (2 to 8). Prerequisite: graduate standing or consent of instructor. May be repeated for credit.

City Tower, Suite 800, UC Irvine Medical Center; (714) 456-5789
Pamela Flodman, Acting Graduate Program Director

Faculty

James Bartley: Genetic metabolic diseases

Maureen Bocian: Heterogeneity and variability in genetic diseases; characterization of new syndromes; neurofibromatosis; skeletal dysplasias

José A. Camacho: Genetic metabolic diseases

Pamela Flodman: Genetic epidemiology; human genome informatics; genetic counseling and risk perception

Kathryn Steinhaus French: Prenatal genetic diagnosis

John Jay Gargus: Genetic metabolic diseases; molecular genetics of cell membrane disorders

Taosheng Huang: Genetics of cardiovascular malformations; Holt-Oram syndrome

Virginia Kimonis: Characterization of disorders due to mutations in VCP and related myopathies associated with Paget disease of bone and dementia; natural history of Prader Willi and early onset morbid obesity syndrome; genotype-phenotype correlation in craniosynostosis

Steven Lipkin: Molecular genetics of colon cancer; clinical cancer genetics

Robert Moyzis: Chromosome structure and gene expression; human telomere and centromere organization and function

Moyra Smith: Gene linkage and mapping in neurogenetic disorders including autism; mutation analysis and genotype-phenotype correlation in tuberous sclerosis

M. Anne Spence: Genetic epidemiology, quantitative genetics; linkage and mapping

Douglas Wallace: Mitochondrial genetics, evolutionary biology and metabolic disease

Michael V. Zaragoza: Genetics of cardiomyopathies in humans and mice

The Division of Human Genetics in the School of Medicine's Department of Pediatrics offers a Master of Science degree program in Genetic Counseling. Most graduates of the program join academic or hospital-based genetics teams providing clinical services, teaching, and research. Others work for local, state, or federal genetics programs, for commercial genetics laboratories, on genetic research studies, or in education. The graduate program is fully accredited by the American Board of Genetic Counseling.

Division faculty and staff are engaged in teaching, research, and patient service. Clinical activities center on diagnostic evaluation, management, and genetic counseling for genetic disorders, including birth defects, developmentally disabling conditions, and hereditary cancers. Faculty research interests include gene mapping and linkage analysis using molecular and quantitative methods; characterization and management of malformation and chromosomal syndromes; counseling for late-onset genetic conditions—including familial cancers and neurogenetic disorders; factors causing chromosome abnormalities and congenital malformations; cancer genetics and cytogenetics; psychosocial and cultural issues associated with genetic conditions, birth defects, prenatal diagnosis, genetic screening and testing, and genetic services delivery; and ethical and public policy issues in genetics.

During the six to eight academic quarters of the program, students complete a sequence of core courses covering medical, quantitative, biochemical, molecular, and cancer genetics; teratology, embryology, and development; cytogenetics; counseling theory and application; research methods; ethical issues; and community resources. All courses are taught by Division faculty specifically for students in the program. Experiential professional training occurs concurrently with formal course work in a variety of clinics at UC Irvine Medical Center and satellite facilities, in the prenatal diagnosis program, in the cytogenetics and molecular genetics laboratories, and in various community agencies. Students participate in these and other divisional and departmental professional and educational activities such as lectures, seminars, journal club, Pediatrics and Obstetrics and Oncology Grand Rounds, cytogenetics conferences, and various research, counseling, and patient management conferences throughout the program. While not required, some students choose to arrange optional clinical rotations at other academic, private, or commercial genetics units.

Degree requirements include a minimum of 75 quarter units, completion of a research thesis that should be publishable, and demonstration of appropriate professional skills in genetic counseling. The program director serves as faculty advisor to students. Teaching and supervision of professional experiential training are shared by all Division faculty and staff, who frequently review student progress. In the second year, development of professional skills can be individualized according to the trainee's needs and interests. Successful completion of the program fulfills the curricular and clinical training requirements for eligibility to sit for examination by the American Board of Genetic Counseling.

Recommended undergraduate preparation includes course work in the biological and behavioral sciences—particularly in genetics, biochemistry, molecular biology, psychology, and human development. Course work in statistics is desirable. Fluency in Spanish or a Southeast Asian language confers a considerable advantage. Extracurricular or employment experiences that provide evidence of the student's maturity, interpersonal skills, and promise as a genetic counselor figure prominently in the admissions decision. References should speak to these qualities as well as to the academic qualifications of the applicant. The GRE General Test and Writing Assessment are required. Subject Test scores in any area will also be considered if they are available. Since there is no GRE code for the Department of Pediatrics, applicants should use the UCI institution code: R4859.

Applications are accepted for the fall quarter only and must be complete by February 1. Because of keen competition for places in the program, a two-stage admissions process is employed. Following initial review of applications by the faculty admissions committee, approximately one-fifth of applicants are invited for interviews, which are usually conducted during March and April. If invited, it is greatly to the candidate's advantage to have an on-site interview, although in difficult circumstances it may be possible to arrange an out-of-town interview with a program graduate or a traveling faculty member. Any candidate planning to be in the Southern California area in March or April is encouraged to inquire in advance regarding the likelihood of an interview. Final selection from the interviewed candidates occurs in late April or early May. Five or six students are usually admitted each year.

GRADUATE COURSES IN PEDIATRICS GENETICS

200A Introduction to Medical Genetics and Cytogenetics (4) F. Lecture, three hours. Covers current concepts regarding mitosis, meiosis, the cell cycle, and chromosome ultrastructure and function. Clinical disorders caused by chromosomal aneuploidy, duplication, and deletion, and principles of Mendelian, chromosomal, and multifactorial and nontraditional inheritance are presented and illustrated.

200B Genetic Screening, Prenatal Development, and Human Teratology (4) W. Lecture, three hours. Principles and techniques of prenatal, neonatal, and carrier screening. Infertility, pregnancy, and delivery. Normal and abnormal prenatal growth and development. Reproductive and fetal effects of drugs, radiation, infections, and other environmental factors. Prerequisite: Pediatrics Genetics 200A.

200C Human Genetic Disorders (4) S. Lecture, three hours. Inheritance, diagnosis, natural history, management, and counseling considerations for commonly encountered genetic diseases, birth defects, and dysmorphic syndromes. Prerequisites: Pediatrics Genetics 200A and 200B.

200D Disorders Due to Inborn Errors of Metabolism (4) F (even years). Lecture, three hours. Aspects of biochemistry and metabolism are reviewed with special emphasis on genetic abnormalities which lead to inborn errors of metabolism. Diagnostic procedures, heterozygote detection, treatment, counseling issues, and prenatal diagnosis are reviewed. Prerequisite: Pediatrics Genetics 200A or consent of instructor.

200E Molecular Genetics (4) S. Lecture, three hours. The derivation of different types of DNA probes and DNA libraries, restriction endonuclease polymorphisms, assignment of genes to chromosomes, and genetic linkage. Particular emphasis is placed on the use of recombinant DNA technologies and genetic linkage analysis for diagnosis of human genetic disease. Prerequisite: Pediatrics Genetics 200A, 200D, or consent of instructor.

200F Quantitative Genetics (2) S. Lecture, one and a half hours. Quantitative aspects of human genetics, including population studies, segregation analysis, linkage, mapping, and genetic risk determination. Corequisite or prerequisite: Pediatrics Genetics 200A.

200G Hereditary Cancer Counseling (4) W (odd years). Lecture, three hours. Issues in genetic counseling for cancer. Cancer biology; genetic mechanisms and environmental influences in carcinogenesis; tumor pathology; cancer gene mapping; epidemiology. Features natural history, diagnosis, prevention, surveillance, and management of heredity cancers. Psychosocial, ethical, legal aspects of cancer risk assessment. Prerequisites: Pediatrics Genetics 200A, 200B.

200H Genetic Counseling Research Design (4) S. Seminar, three hours. Quantitative and qualitative methods for genetic counseling research. Reference management; statistic: sample size, power, and data analysis; reliability and validity; surveys, questionnaires, interviews, and focus groups; quality of life and genetic epidemiology research; designing a research protocol; IRB issues; grant writing.

200L Cytogenetics Laboratory (4) F. Laboratory, 10 hours/week. A practicum introducing methods of specimen collection, short-term lymphocyte and bone marrow culture, long-term fibroblast and amniocyte culture, harvesting and slide preparation, chromosome staining, microphotography, and darkroom techniques. Microscopic chromosome analysis, photographic karyotyping, and the appropriate use of cytogenetic nomenclature are emphasized. Open only to Genetic Counseling students.

201A Introduction to Genetic Counseling (4) F. Through directed readings, observing patient evaluations, role-playing, and conducting intake interviews, students are introduced to the process of diagnosis, management, and counseling for genetic disease. Psychosocial issues, interviewing techniques, pedigree construction, clinical photography, and various other skills are addressed. Open only to Genetic Counseling students.

201B Clinical Rotation I (4) W. Tutorial and fieldwork. Provides extensive supervised experience in history taking, interviewing, and psychosocial assessment in the clinical genetics setting. Students independently perform telephone, office, and home-visit intake interviews, participate in counseling, and present cases at patient management conferences. Open only to Genetic Counseling students.

201C Clinical Rotation II (4) S. Tutorial and fieldwork. Provides further supervised experience in genetic counseling, case management, clinic administration and organization, and the use of community resources. Emphasis is on sharpening counseling skills and on developing a professional identity and code of ethics. Open only to Genetic Counseling students.

201D Prenatal Diagnosis Counseling (4) F. Tutorial and fieldwork. A practicum with extensive supervised experience in prenatal diagnosis counseling which provides the student with the opportunity to conduct genetic counseling sessions semi-independently and to further develop clinical skills. Open only to Genetic Counseling students. Prerequisites: Pediatrics Genetics 200A, 200B, and 200C.

202A Counseling in Human Genetics: Theory and Methods (3) S. Lecture and discussion, two hours. Theoretical approaches, counseling models and methods, and bio-psychosocial assessment strategies are examined in the context of genetic counseling. Contract-setting, working alliance, the use of self and evaluation methods. Beginning counseling and peer supervision skills are practiced in class. Open only to Genetic Counseling students.

202B Community Resources (2) F. Seminar and activity, two hours. Lectures, guest speakers, and community visits acquaint the genetic counselor with public and private health care and funding agencies, parent support and advocacy groups, and other resources available to assist individuals and families confronted with genetic disorders, developmental disabilities, and birth defects. Open only to Genetic Counseling students.

202C Ethical Issues in Human Genetics (2) S (odd years). Lecture and discussion, two hours. Explores major social, legal, and ethical issues in genetic counseling including those arising in genetic screening, prenatal diagnosis, informed consent, privacy and confidentiality, rights of the disabled, new genetic and reproductive technologies, treatment, and access to services. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.

203A Counseling in Human Genetics: Putting Thought to Practice (4) F. Seminar, three hours. Builds upon the skills learned in previous courses emphasizing advanced counseling methods such as listening, empathy, and collaboration. The counselor's own self-awareness, ethical behaviors, and limits are explored. Individual, team, and group exercises are performed. Prerequisite: Pediatrics Genetics 202A. Open only to Genetic Counseling students.

204A, B, C Professional Skills Development (4, 4, 4) F, W, S. Hones and augments existing competencies in genetic counseling through ongoing clinical experiences. Students develop skills in use of computers for genetics applications, provision of community and professional education, and clinic administration. Further experience in genetics laboratories or specialty clinics may be elected by students. Open only to Genetic Counseling students.

295 Master's Thesis Research and Writing (4 to 8) F, W, S. Tutorial. Under the supervision of one or more faculty members, the student designs and conducts a research project or completes a case report. A problem in the cytogenetics, biochemical, clinical, psychosocial, or behavioral areas of medical genetics may be investigated. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.

Building B, Room 240, Medical Sciences I; (949) 824-5261
Rozanne M. Sandri-Goldin, Department Chair
Marian L. Waterman, Department Vice Chair

Faculty

Hoda Anton-Culver (Joint): Cancer epidemiology, genetic epidemiology, statistical genetics, molecular genetics and medical informatics

Ruslan D. Aphasizhev: Molecular biology of trypanosomes; mitochondrial RNA editing

Alan G. Barbour: Molecular pathogenesis and immunology of vector-borne infections

Emiliana Borrelli: Dopaminergic system and glial cells in CNS development

K. George Chandy (Joint): Role of potassium channels in lymphocyte function and disease

Dennis D. Cunningham: Proteases and protease nexins: regulation of neural cells

Michael Demetriou (Joint): The molecular biology and glycobiology of T cell dysfunction in organ-specific autoimmunity

Alan L. Goldin: Molecular analysis of ion channel function and its roles in human diseases

Sidney H. Golub: Regulation of cytotoxic cell functions

George A. Gutman: Potassium channel and immunoglobulin super-family genes

G. Wesley Hatfield: Effects of DNA topology and chromosome structure on gene expression

Klemens J. Hertel: Regulation of gene expression by alternative splicing

Anthony A. James: Methods for controlling the transmission of vector-borne diseases, specifically malaria and dengue fever

Janos K. Lanyi (Joint): Bacteriorhodopsin; halorhodopsin; light-driven ion pumps

Masayasu Nomura (Joint): RNA Polymerase I; nucleolus; nuclear transport and function

Andre J. Ouellette (Joint): Regulation of Paneth cell defensin biosynthesis and function

Manuela Raffatellu: Mechanisms of Salmonella interaction with the intestinal mucosa; mucosal barrier function during Salmonella infection

W. Edward Robinson, Jr. (Joint): Molecular pathogenesis of lentivirus infection and drug discovery against HIV

Suzanne B. Sandmeyer (Joint): Molecular genetics of a position-specific yeast retrovirus-like element

Rozanne M. Sandri-Goldin: Structural and functional analysis of a multifunctional herpes virus regulatory protein

Paolo Sassone-Corsi (Joint): Signal transduction, gene expression, oncogenesis, circadian clock

Michael Selsted (Joint): Role and mechanisms of antimicrobial peptides in mammalian innate immunity

Bert L. Semler: Replication and translation of picornaviruses; RNA-protein and protein-protein interactions

Yongsheng Shi: Post-transcriptional gene regulation and its role in human diseases

Eric J. Stanbridge: Tumor suppressor genes and oncogenes in human cancer

Ming Tan: Bacterial pathogenesis; gene regulation in Chlamydia

Marian L. Waterman: Wnt signaling in cancer and lymphocytes

The Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics provides advanced training to individuals interested in the regulation of gene expression and the structural and functional properties of proteins encoded by these genes. The research in the Department covers a wide range of topics with special emphasis on bacterial gene expression and pathogenesis; viral gene expression and host interactions; trypanosome molecular biology; vector-borne malaria and dengue fever transmission; nuclear-cytoplasmic transport and intracellular signaling; eukaryotic gene expression; mRNA splicing, editing, and processing; cancer genetics and tumor suppressors; ion channel expression and function; genomics and bioinformatics.

The Department offers graduate study under the auspices of the School of Biological Sciences and in conjunction with the program in Cellular and Molecular Biosciences (CMB), which is described in a previous section. Students admitted into the CMB program who select a research advisor in the Department begin following the departmental requirements for the Ph.D. at the beginning of their second year.

Participation in the Department's seminar series and completion of at least one advanced topics course per year for three years are expected of all students. In their third year, students take the advancement-to-candidacy examination for the Ph.D. degree by presenting and defending an original proposal for specific dissertation research. The normative time for completion of the Ph.D. is five years, and the maximum time permitted is seven years.

Course descriptions may be found in the School of Biological Sciences section.

Building D, Room D440, Medical Sciences I; (949) 824-6574
Michael E. Selsted, Department Chair

Experimental Pathology Faculty

Jefferson Y. Chan: Regulation of genes associated with oxidative stress

K. George Chandy: Molecular biology and structure of ion channels; novel therapeutic agents

Robert A. Edwards: Mucosal immunology, inflammatory bowel disease, G-proteins, prostaglandins, and chemokines

Lisa Flanagan-Monuki: Regulation of neural stem cells

Taosheng Huang: Molecular basis of genetic diseases in humans

Anthony A. James: Malaria parasite development; genetic manipulation of insect vectors

John J. Krolewski: Signal transduction pathways regulating the growth and death of normal and neoplastic cells

J. Lawrence Marsh: Regulation of growth factor signaling in patterning, regeneration and oncogenesis

Dan Mercola: Translational cancer biology

Edwin S. Monuki: Cerebral cortex development and disease

Andre J. Ouellette: Mechanisms and regulation of innate immunity in mammalian epithelia

W. Edward Robinson: Pathogenesis of retrovirus infections; molecular mechanisms of integration

Michael E. Selsted: Molecular effectors of mammalian innate immunity

Sandor Szabo: Pathogenesis of gastrointestinal ulceration, duodenal ulcer

Andrea J. Tenner: Innate immunity; the roles of complement and phagocytes in health and disease

Ping Wang: Molecular hormone actions in the normal and diseased heart

The Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine offers a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences with a concentration in Experimental Pathology. The graduate program emphasizes experimental approaches to better understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms of disease. Students work in laboratories studying topics ranging from infectious processes such as malaria and the acquired immune deficiency syndrome to innate immunity, including studies on granulocytes and antimicrobial peptides. The principal areas of research investigated by faculty in the Experimental Pathology concentration range from developmental neurobiology to cancer, including prostate cancer.

The Department offers graduate study under the auspices of the School of Biological Sciences and in conjunction with the program in Cellular and Molecular Biosciences (CMB), which is described in a previous section. Students admitted into the combined program who select a research advisor in the Department begin following the departmental requirements for the Ph.D. at the start of their second year.

Experimental pathology makes extensive use of both animal models of human disease and studies on human tissues from human subjects. Therefore, the curriculum is heavily weighted on experimental models, including animal models, of human disease. The didactic teaching components of the track are supplemented by a twice-monthly Pathology research conference, in which postdoctoral fellows and graduate students present "research in progress" seminars. This seminar series allows trainees the opportunity to gain invaluable experience in presenting their research to other scientists and provides a mentoring process through which students gain insights from diverse scientific viewpoints.

Students must advance to candidacy during their third year. The normative time for completion of the Ph.D. is five years, and the maximum time permitted is seven years.

Course descriptions may be found in the School of Biological Sciences section.

360 Medical Surge II; (949) 824-7651
Paolo Sassone-Corsi, Department Chair
Olivier Civelli, Graduate Program Director/Advisor

Graduate Program Faculty

James D. Belluzzi: Brain substrates and pharmacology of reward; characterization and development modulation of nicotine and cocaine reinforcement; abuse potential of tobacco smoke constituents

Emiliana Borrelli (Joint): Dopamine signaling and drugs of addiction; mouse models of neurodegenerative diseases

Olivier Civelli: Molecular biology of G protein-coupled receptors; search for novel neurotransmitters and neuropeptides; pharmacological and behavioral characterizations of the novel neurotransmitters and neuropeptides

Sue Piper Duckles: Pharmacology and physiology of vascular smooth muscle; regulation of cerebral circulation, impact of gender and gonadal steroids on vascular function

Frederick J. Ehlert: Muscarinic receptor coupling mechanisms; functional role of muscarinic receptor subtypes; pharmacological methods of analysis; analysis of drug receptor interactions

Pietro R. Galassetti (Joint): Physiological and altered adaptive responses to stress in healthy and dysmetabolic children and adults; non-invasive monitoring of metabolic variables through analysis of exhaled gases

Kelvin W. Gee: Pharmacology of allosteric modulators of the GABA_A receptor, selective modulation of GABA_A receptor subtypes; novel molecular targets for neuropharmacological agents and drug discovery

Naoto Hoshi: Physiological role and regulation of the M-channel, molecular biology, electrophysiology and live cell FRET imaging

Mahtab Jafari (Joint): Anti-aging effects of botanicals and pharmaceutical compounds; the impact of botanical extracts on mitochondrial bioenergetics, oxidative stress, and other pathways of aging using cell culture and Drosophila

Diana N. Krause: Cerebrovascular regulation and pharmacology; vascular effects of gonadal hormones; melatonin receptors

Frances M. Leslie: Addiction, drugs of abuse and brain development

Z. David Luo (Joint): Molecular mechanisms of pain and transduction; study gene regulation and signaling pathways in chronic pain processing using animal models, and molecular biology techniques

Daniele Piomelli: Biochemistry and pharmacology of the endogenous cannabinoid and other lipid derived messengers

Rainer K. Reinscheid (Joint): Neuropharmacology of peptide transmitters involved in stress, sleep and memory using cellular and transgenic animal models

Paolo Sassone-Corsi: Signal transduction and gene expression; chromatin remodeling and epigenetics; germ cell differentiation; circadian clock and rhythms

Graduate program joint faculty are from Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Pediatrics, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Anesthesiology.

The Department of Pharmacology offers the M.S. and Ph.D degrees in Pharmacology and Toxicology. The Department is engaged in a broad scope of research activity. The Ph.D. program prepares students for careers in academia, research institutions, and the pharmaceutical industry by providing a foundation in all aspects of pharmacology, from molecular mechanisms through behavior. Faculty research interests include molecular and cellular pharmacology, neurosciences, gene regulation, circadian rhythms, epigenetic modifications, neuropharmacology, psychopharmacology, and cardiovascular pharmacology. Emphasis is placed on providing an integrated understanding of drug receptors: their structure, location, and function; molecular aspects of drug action; receptor signaling mechanisms; structure-activity relationships and drug design; and the role of receptors and drugs in development and aging, plasticity, reinforcement and drug abuse, neural disorders, and cardiovascular physiology and disease.

Prerequisites for admission include a background in the physical and biological sciences which includes courses in mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biochemistry, including laboratory experience. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and Subject Test in Biology or Chemistry are highly recommended.

The graduate core program includes Pharmacology 241A-B, 252, 254, 255, 256, 257, Biochemistry 210A, and Physiology 206A-B, quarterly participation in Pharmacology 298-299, and any additional elective courses assigned by faculty advisors. The major additional requirement for the Ph.D. is the satisfactory completion and oral defense of a dissertation based on original research carried out under the guidance of a faculty member. All candidates for the Ph.D. degree are required to engage in research activities throughout the course of their academic programs. This requirement applies to all students whether or not they are compensated for such services. An appointment as a graduate student researcher is awarded on the basis of scholarship and not as compensation for services rendered. Before advancing to candidacy each student must pass a written qualifying examination to determine the student's competence in pharmacology or pharmacology and toxicology. The full-time student is expected to pass the written qualifying examination by the eighth quarter and the oral qualifying examination for the Ph.D. by the eleventh quarter. The normative time for advancement to candidacy is three years. All requirements for the Ph.D. degree should be completed within five years, and the maximum time permitted is seven years. For more information, contact the Graduate Program Director/Advisor, Department of Pharmacology.

Building D, Room D340, Medical Sciences I; (949) 824-5863
Michael D. Cahalan, Department Chair

Faculty

Kenneth M. Baldwin: Developmental, hormonal, and exercise factors regulating striated muscle gene expression

Ralph A. Bradshaw (Emeritus): Structure and function of polypeptide growth factors and their receptors; mechanisms of protein turnover

Michael D. Cahalan: Ion channels and Ca²⁺ signaling in the immune system

Vincent J. Caiozzo: Cellular and molecular mechanisms regulating the mechanical properties of skeletal muscle

K. George Chandy: Molecular biology of ion channels and their role in immune cells

J. Jay Gargus: Molecular analysis of membrane signaling proteins

Alan L. Goldin: Molecular biology of neural channels and receptors

Harry T. Haigler: Structure, function, and topography of annexin calcium binding proteins on membranes

James E. Hall: Biophysics of membrane channels, gap junctions and water channels

Todd C. Holmes: Ion channels, cellular physiology, neural circuits and behavior; circadian and visual circuits

Lan Huang: Developing and employing mass spectrometry-based proteomic approaches for study of signal transduction networks, identification of protein complexes and characterization of their post-translational modifications

Frances A. Jurnak: Macromolecular crystallography; biochemical and structural studies of a model G protein; EF-Tu; structure/function of plant virulence factors

Janos K. Lanyi: Transport, structure, and energy coupling in bacteriorhodopsin and halorhodopsin

John A. Longhurst: Integrative biology and sensory signaling systems important in cardiovascular regulation; central neural regulation of autonomic outflow inactivation of cardiac afferents and the influence of electroacupuncture

Kenneth J. Longmuir: Intracellular metabolism, sorting, and transport of lipid in mammalian cells; membrane fusion

Hartmut Luecke: Protein crystallography; structure and function of membrane-associated proteins

Ian Parker: Intracellular calcium and cell signaling

Thomas L. Poulos: Protein crystallography; protein engineering; heme enzyme structure and function

Hamid M. Said: Cellular and molecular mechanisms and regulation of intestinal and renal vitamin transporters

Ivan Soltesz: Plasticity and modulation of inhibitory synaptic neuro-transmission

Francesco Tombola: Electrical and chemical sensing in excitable cells, VSD-containing ion channels and enzymes

Bruce J. Tromberg: Optical spectroscopy of tissues and cells

Nosratola D. Vaziri: Vascular biology and role of nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species in regulation of blood pressure; molecular basis of lipid disorders

Larry E. Vickery: Molecular chaperones and protein folding; protein engineering

Ping H. Wang: Molecular actions of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF) in cardiac muscle; complications of diabetes

Stephen H. White: Protein folding in membranes; peptide-bilayer interactions; membrane structure

Albert Zlotnik: Chemokines, cancer metastasis, gene array analysis of human diseases and bioinformatics in immunology

The Department of Physiology and Biophysics offers research opportunities in the molecular biophysics of membranes and proteins, ion channels and signal transduction, endocrinology, molecular and cell biology, developmental neurobiology, and exercise physiology.

The Department offers graduate study under the auspices of the School of Biological Sciences and in conjunction with the graduate program in Cellular and Molecular Biosciences (CMB), which is described in a previous section. Students admitted into the combined program who select a research advisor in the Department begin following the departmental requirements for the Ph.D. at the beginning of their second year.

The faculty conducts quarterly reviews of all continuing students to ensure that they are maintaining satisfactory progress within their particular academic program. Students participate in a literature review course designed to strengthen research techniques and presentation skills, and attend the weekly Department colloquium. Students advance to candidacy during the third year; each student presents a seminar on a topic assigned by the formal candidacy committee. Following the seminar, the committee examines the student's qualifications for the successful conduct of doctoral dissertation research. Each student must submit a written dissertation on an original research project and successfully defend this dissertation in an oral examination. Interdisciplinary dissertation research involving more than one faculty member is encouraged. The normative time for completion of the Ph.D. is five years, and the maximum time permitted is seven years.

Course descriptions may be found in the School of Biological Sciences section.