Ongoing Research
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Christopher E Turner, Ph.D.
Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology
1297 Weiskotten Hall
Upstate Medical University
750 East Adams Street
Syracuse, NY 13210
(315) 464-8598
Lab/Professional Web Site
| Education and Clinical Training
Ph.D.: 1986, University of Oxford, England
Research Program and Department Affiliations
Biomedical Sciences Program
Cell and Developmental Biology
Research Interests Regulation of cell migration by focal adhesion adapter proteins and their role in cancer cell metastasis.
Research Abstract
Abstract
The dynamic adhesion of cells to their surrounding extracellular matrix provides many of the environmental cues necessary for controlling cell migration and cell shape, survival, proliferation and differentiation. These fundamental events regulate an organism’s normal development, maintenance and recovery from injury and infection. Defects in the signaling pathways associated with cell adhesion provide the basis for cell transformation and cancer cell metastasis, various developmental defects and cardiovascular disease.
My lab uses a multi-faceted approach combining biochemistry, cell and molecular biology and various high-end microscopy techniques to determine the molecular organization of the proteins that are involved in cell adhesion and thereby understand how they each contribute to cell behavior. We are particularly interested in characterizing the function of the molecular scaffold/adapter proteins Paxillin and Hic-5. We have found that these multi-domain proteins bind numerous structural and signaling proteins including kinases, phosphatases and Rho family GTPase regulators and effectors. We hypothesize that it is through these various interactions that the cell coordinates intracellular signaling and cytoskeletal reorganization to regulate adhesion and the cell migration machinery.
Selected References
Turner, C.E., (2000) Paxillin and focal adhesion signaling. Nature Cell Biol., 2 E231-6.
Turner, C.E., (2000) Paxillin interactions. J. Cell Science, 113 4139-4140.
Brown, M.C. and Turner, C.E. (2004) Paxillin-Adapting to change. Physiol. Revs. 84, 1315-1339.
Tumbarello, D.A. and Turner, C.E. (2007) Hic-5 contributes to epithelial-mesenchymal transformation through a RhoA/ROCK-dependent pathway J. Cell Physiol 211, 736-747.
Deakin, N.O., and Turner, C.E. Paxillin comes of age. (2008) J. Cell Sci 121, 2435-2444 Publications - link to PubMed
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This profile was last updated on 07/20/2009
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