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Department of Biochemistry and Nutrition

  1. Banerjee, Dipak K., Ph.D. (Professor)
    e-mail:dbanerjee@rcm.upr.edu

    The research interest of my laboratory is to understand the regulation of glycoprotein glycan chain assembly on dolichol by extracellular (cAMP-dependent) and intracellular (unfolded protein response, UPR) signal transduction pathways and its relationship to cell cycle dynamics during angiogenesis in breast cancer and in the development of Congenital Deficiency of Glycoprotein Syndrome (CDGS). We focus on:
  1. the expression of cell cycle regulatory genes during angiogenesis nd unfolded protein response-mediated apoptosis;
  2. the elucidation of the role of the phosphorylation motif in mannosylphosphodolichol synthase protein structure-function, and its involvement of CDGS;
  3. the cetacholamine transport in capillary endothelial cell;s and cetacholamine homestasis;
  4. the regulation of a novel glucose transporter for developing new therapeutics against diabetes.
  1. Basilio, Carlos M., M.D. (Professor)
    e-mail:cbasilio@rcm.upr.edu

    We are currently interested in studying the basic mechanisms involved in gene transcription. The process of transcription of most eukaryotic genes depends on the interaction of many proteins (transcription factors) with specific nucleotide sequences (elements) present in DNA. One of the transcription factors, named NF-kB, plays an important role in the transcription of genes of immune response, stress and apoptosis and appears to be regulated by the redox state of the cells. NF-kB is present in the cytoplasm in an inactive form and is activated by a number of pathological stimuli. Our main objective is to determine the effect of oxidants and antioxidants in the activation of NF-kB.
  2. Cadilla-Vázquez, Carmen L., Ph.D. (Professor)
    e-mail:ccadilla@rcm.upr.edu

    Our laboratory collaborates with the Puerto Rican Hereditary Disease Program of the University Pediatric Hospital, directed by Dr. Pedro Juan Santiago Borrero, Professor of Pediatrics, as well as with other clinical investigators of the UPR School of Medicine, in the molecular evaluation of genes involved in genetic diseases commonly affecting our population.

    We also collaborate with Dr. Juan López Garriga, professor of Chemistry at University of Puerto Rico Mayagüez, in the molecular characterization and expression of hemoglobins from the tropical clam Leucina pectinata.
  1. Cora, Elsa M., Ph.D. (Professor)
    e-mail:ecora@rcm.upr.edu

    My laboratory's research interest is cancer biology. Our focus is in the molecular characterization of three soluble isoforms of the epidermal growth factor receptor (60 kD-sEGFR, 110 kD-sEGFR and PI-sEGFR). We are studying the structure, conformation and binding properties of these proteins using biophysical and biochemistry methods. In addition, their mechanism of release from cells and the regulation of gene and protein expression in both normal and malignant cells are under investigation. One of our objectives is to establish two of these proteins (60 kD-sEGFR and 110 kD-sEGFR) as tumor biomarkers in breast and ovarian cancer. Accordingly, we are examining the serum and tissue levels of 110 kD-EGFR in women diagnosed with breast cancer.
  2. García-Castiñeiras, Sixto, M.D., Ph.D. (Professor)
    e-mail:sgarcia@rcm.upr.edu

    C Current research interests are mainly related to the biochemistry of cataracts, and they include: (1) postsynthetic modifications of lens proteins and the chemistry and immunochemistry of lens pigments; (2) metabolic interactions of the lens with surrounding ocular fluids and tissues, particularly those involving antioxidants, redox-active metabolites and oxidative stress end-products (ascorbate, proteins, hydrogen peroxide, malondialdehyde, glutathione and other sulfhydryls,…); (3) immunogenicity of lens proteins; (4) the lens as a model of aging and oxidative stress. Our interest in the biochemistry of oxidative stress has been expanded to include cardiovascular diseases. For analytical purposes high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), has been amply used to accomplish our research objectives. We have also developed HPLC methods to support research in, and the diagnosis of, hereditary diseases (aminoacids and related compounds).
  3. Jiménez, Braulio, Ph.D. (Professor)
    Director, Center of Environmental and Toxicological Research
    e-mail:bjimenez@rcm.upr.edu

    We have established the Center for Environmental and Toxicological Research at the Medical Sciences Campus. This Center focuses on two major problems in Puerto Rico. The first is air pollution in the metropolitan area (Cataño, where we are characterizing toxic compounds adsorbed to particulate matter from this area and establishing their genotoxic potential using human skin fibroblast cells). The second research area involves water pollution in the biggest estuary of Puerto Rico, the San Juan Bay Estuary. Specific biomarkers in fish and crabs are being employed as indicators of xenobiotic exposure. These biomarkers are being correlated with water, sediment and contaminants, in the biota, in order to establish potential risk to the adjacent population.
    Contamination of lead in children has never been an environmental health issue in Puerto Rico. However, there has never been an extensive program that addresses this hypothesis. The Center has initiated a study to evaluate levels of lead in blood from children in various areas of the island. The study is focusing on the analysis of these pollutants in blood of children from two communities which have been identified close to two environments containing high lead concentrations in sediments.
    The Toxicology Laboratory is also involved in the isolation and identification of genes that are induced or inhibited by steroid drugs such as dexamethasone and pregnenolone. We are employing state of the art molecular biology techniques, such as differential display, to obtain cDNA fragments, which are then used as probes to isolate the genes of interest. This technique is also employed to isolate cDNA fragments which are differentially displayed in colon and breast tumor tissues from Puerto Rican patients.
    Other techniques such as rat liver perfusions are performed to study the effects of calcium agonists and antagonists on gene expression of primary hepatocyties.
  4. Preston, Alan, M., Ph.D. (Professor)
    e-mail:apreston@rcm.upr.edu

    Research interests are focused on nutrition and its relationship to disease. Previous work has been with trace metals (chromium and glucose tolerance, and copper and zinc status in cancer patients), vitamins (beta-carotene status in cancer patients) and diabetes (glucose control through nutrient selection). Recent research has been related to the passive smoking and antioxidant status in children. Techniques included use of questionnaires, evaluation of smoking status using ELISA, and of vitamin status by HPLC and spectroscopic methods. Current projects involve evaluation of nutrition programs in Puerto Rican schools. Extensive dietary analysis is carried out via computer programs.
  5. Rodríguez-Medina, José R., Ph.D. (Professor)
    e-mail:jorodriguez@rcm.upr.edu

    Fungal cell wall biogenesis in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae in an excellent paradigm for the identification of new targets for antifungal drugs. This process requires coordinated gene expression, targeting, and transport of cell wall enzymes to the plasma membrane all of which are significantly affected by myosin type II (Myo1p) deficiency making chitin synthase III expression essential for survival of myo1d cells.
    The objective of our project is to expand the results of our preliminary studies that suggest a role for myosin II in the recycling of the chitin synthase III catalytic subunit (Chs3p) to the plasma membrane. The central hypothesis of our project is that Myo1p is important for maintaining normal recycling of proteins to the plasma membrane via the Endosome/Trans Golgi Network (TGN) compartments and the control of protein targeting to the Vacuole for degradation. We are seeking to identify endosomal proteins required for maintenance of normal levels of Chs3p in the plasma membrane by controlling recycling, transport to the TGN, endosome, and plasma membrane, and the regulation of Endosome/Vacuolar targeting pathways related to the control of protein degradation.
  6. Rodríguez-Orengo, José F., Ph.D. (Professor)
    e-mail:jrodriguez@rcm.upr.edu

    The research that we are conducting in the School of Pharmacy is related to two main areas. The first area is the understanding of the pharmacological processes of antiretroviral drugs in the Puerto Rican population. This includes the extra- and intra-cellular pharmacokinetics of AIDS related drugs in the pediatric population. In addition, we are interested in the metabolism of new agents in different cell cultures such as CEMss, quiescent and activated PBMCs. The second area is in environmental toxicology where a multidisciplinary approach is taken to provide answers to different environmental problems that affect the Puerto Rican population. In particular, we are characterizing adsorbed compounds from particulate matter from Cataño and Fajardo. The characterization is by toxicological and chemical methods.
  7. Zimmermann, Barbara H., Ph.D. (Assistant Professor)
    e-mail:bzimmermann@rcm.upr.edu

    This laboratory is studying enzymes involved in nucleotide metabolism. We are using molecular biological techniques to obtain pyrimidine biosynthetic enzymes from the parasitic protozoan Toxoplasma gondii. The enzymes will be expressed as recombinant proteins in bacterial systems, and then will be purified and biochemically characterized.

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Contact:

Emma Fernández-Repollet,Ph.D.
Program Director
RCMI Program
Room 621-A, 6th. floor
Main Building, Medical Sciences Campus
GPO Box 365067
San Juan, PR 00936-5067
Email: efernandez@rcm.upr.edu


Telephones:
Voice (787) 763-9401
FAX (787) 758-5206


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