Michael J. Weber, PhD, University of Virginia
The Weber laboratory utilizes tools of cell biology, protein chemistry and molecular biology to understand how signal transduction pathways control cell growth and apoptosis and how these controls are altered in cancer. A major focus of this research is on the MAP Kinase cascade, a ubiquitous signaling pathway that generates specific biological outcomes dependent on biological context. Recent findings of the lab have demonstrated an important role for "scaffolding proteins" that assemble components of the signaling cascades. They recently discovered the MORG1 scaffold protein (MAP Kinase Organizer) that regulates responses to LPA but not EGF. Signaling scaffolds can control the location, regulation, timing, substrates, biological functions, and suitability for therapeutic intervention of a signaling pathway.Â
Part of The Investigator's Annexe program.
Products
References
- Kumar NV1, Bernstein LR. Ten ERK-related proteins in three distinct classes associate with AP-1 proteins and/or AP-1 DNA. J Biol Chem. 2001 Aug 24;276(34):32362-72.
