Robert V. Stahelin, PhD
Adjunct Professor of Pharmacology & Toxicology
- Phone
- (765) 494-4152
- Address
-
FS 5100
MEDL
IN
Indianapolis, IN - PubMed:
Bio
Rob received a PhD in chemistry from the University of Illinois-Chicago, studying the structural basis of lipid-protein interactions. During postdoctoral work at the University of Illinois-Chicago, he investigated the mechanisms with which bioactive lipid signals recruit peripheral proteins in cell signaling and membrane trafficking. Rob moved to South Bend in 2006 to work as an Assistant Professor in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at IU School of Medicine-South Bend and as an Adjunct Assistant Professor in Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Notre Dame. Since that time, he has mentored ten PhD students, two postdocs, several MS students, and more than 20 undergraduates. Rob also teaches pharmacology and biochemistry in the medical school as well as graduate courses on lipids and thermodynamics at Notre Dame. In his free time, he enjoys activities with his wife and four daughters.
Year | Degree | Institution |
---|---|---|
2003 | PhD | University of Illinois |
1998 | BS | University of Illinois |
Interdisciplinary research focused on biological membranes has revealed them as signaling and trafficking platforms for processes fundamental to life. Biomembranes harbor receptors, ion channels, lipid domains, lipid signals and scaffolding complexes, which function to maintain cellular growth, metabolism and homeostasis. Moreover, abnormalities in lipid metabolism attributed to genetic changes among other causes are often associated with diseases such as cancer, arthritis and diabetes. Thus, there is a need to comprehensively understand molecular events occurring within and on membranes as a means of grasping disease etiology and identifying viable targets for drug development. A rapidly expanding field in the last decade has centered on understanding membrane recruitment of peripheral proteins. This class of proteins reversibly interacts with specific lipids in a spatial and temporal fashion in crucial biological processes. Typically, recruitment of peripheral proteins to the different cellular sites is mediated by one or more modular lipid-binding domains through specific lipid recognition. Structural, computational, and experimental studies of these lipid-binding domains have demonstrated how they specifically recognize their cognate lipids and achieve subcellular localization. However, the mechanisms by which these modular domains and their host proteins are recruited to and interact with various cell membranes often vary drastically due to differences in lipid affinity, specificity, penetration as well as protein-protein and intramolecular interactions. As there is still a paucity of predictive data for peripheral protein function, these enzymes are often rigorously studied to characterize their lipid-dependent properties. Our research is targeted at identifying peripheral protein drug targets, designing predictive functions for this class of proteins, and understanding their biological mechanisms of activation as a means of creating better therapies.
Avenues of research in the Stahelin lab:
1. Molecular Basis of Viral Assembly. We are investigating how viruses such as the Ebola virus assembles at the plasma membrane of human cells to form the bud site for generation of a new viral particle. Funded by NIAID.
2. Discovery of New Lipid-Binding Domains. Integration of computational biology, bioinformatics, structural biology, biochemistry, biophysics, and cell biology to discover new lipid-binding domains in the human genome.
3. Lipid-Mediated Regulation of Proinflammatory Enzymes. We are elucidating the role of phosphoinositides and sphingolipids in the regulation of proinflammatory enzymes. Funded by the AHA.
Shirey CM; Ward KE; Stahelin RV; Chemistry and physics of lipids 2016 Jun 16
Gc JB; Johnson KA; Husby ML; Frick CT; Gerstman BS; Stahelin RV; Chapagain PP; Protein science : a publication of the Protein Society 2016 Jul 4
Johnson KA; Taghon GJ; Scott JL; Stahelin RV; Scientific reports 2016 Jan 12
Del Vecchio K; Stahelin RV; Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.) 2016
Stahelin RV; Structure (London, England : 1993) 2015 Oct 6
Panneer Selvam S; De Palma RM; Oaks JJ; Oleinik N; Peterson YK; Stahelin RV; Skordalakes E; Ponnusamy S; Garrett-Mayer E; Smith CD; Ogretmen B; Science signaling 2015 Jun 16
Adu-Gyamfi E; Johnson KA; Fraser ME; Scott JL; Soni SP; Jones KR; Digman MA; Gratton E; Tessier CR; Stahelin RV; Journal of virology 2015 Jul 1
Oda S; Noda T; Wijesinghe KJ; Halfmann P; Bornholdt ZA; Abelson DM; Armbrust T; Stahelin RV; Kawaoka Y; Saphire EO; Journal of virology 2015 Dec 9
Wijesinghe KJ; Stahelin RV; Journal of virology 2015 Dec 30
Stahelin RV; PLoS pathogens 2015 Aug 13
Mbengue A; Bhattacharjee S; Pandharkar T; Liu H; Estiu G; Stahelin RV; Rizk SS; Njimoh DL; Ryan Y; Chotivanich K; Nguon C; Ghorbal M; Lopez-Rubio JJ; Pfrender M; Emrich S; Mohandas N; Dondorp AM; Wiest O; Haldar K; Nature 2015 Apr 15
Adu-Gyamfi E; Soni SP; Jee CS; Digman MA; Gratton E; Stahelin RV; Viruses 2014 Oct 17
Soni SP; Stahelin RV; The Journal of biological chemistry 2014 Oct 14
Stahelin RV; Frontiers in microbiology 2014 Jun 18
Stahelin RV; Scott JL; Frick CT; Chemistry and physics of lipids 2014 Feb 17
Stahelin RV; Chemistry & biology 2014 Apr 24
Stahelin RV; Expert opinion on therapeutic targets 2013 Nov 28
Soni SP; Adu-Gyamfi E; Yong SS; Jee CS; Stahelin RV; Biophysical journal 2013 May 7
Stahelin RV; Biophysical journal 2013 Jul 2
Adu-Gyamfi E; Soni SP; Xue Y; Digman MA; Gratton E; Stahelin RV; The Journal of biological chemistry 2013 Jan 6
Stahelin RV; Molecular biology of the cell 2013 Apr
Stahelin RV; Methods in cell biology 2013
Adu-Gyamfi E; Digman MA; Gratton E; Stahelin RV; Biophysical journal 2012 Nov 7
Adu-Gyamfi E; Digman MA; Gratton E; Stahelin RV; Biophysical journal 2012 Jun 5
Heller B; Adu-Gyamfi E; Smith-Kinnaman W; Babbey C; Vora M; Xue Y; Bittman R; Stahelin RV; Wells CD; The Journal of biological chemistry 2010 Jan 14
Stahelin RV; Journal of lipid research 2008 Nov 13
Sudhahar CG; Haney RM; Xue Y; Stahelin RV; Current drug targets 2008 Aug
Desc: Trustee Teaching Award
Scope: University
Date: 2013-05-01