Amberg Lab Alumni
Susan Viggiano
Publications
- Haarer BK,Viggiano SC, Hibbs MA, Troyanskaya OG and Amberg DC. (2007) Modeling complex genetic interactions in a simple eukaryotic genome: Actin displays a rich spectrum of complex haploinsufficiencies. Genes and Devel., 21, 149-159. This article was featured on the cover and in a perspective published in the same issue
- Clark, MG, Teply J, Haarer BK, Viggiano SC, Sept D and Amberg DC. (2006) A genetic dissection of Aip1p's interactions leads to a model for Aip1p-cofilin cooperative activities. Mol. Biol. Cell. 17:1971-1984

Dimitra Aggeli
Hui Jin (Grace)
Education- B.S. Fudan University, Shanghai, China 1992. Genetics/Molecular Biology
- Research Assistant, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, China.
- Ph.D. student, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, SUNY Upstate Medical University
- Ren Min Fellowship, Fudan University
- Jin, H. and Amberg D.C., (2000) The Secretory Pathway Mediates Localization of the Cell Polarity Regulator Aip3p/Bud6p, Mol. Biol. Cell, 11, 647-661.
- Jin, H. and Amberg, D.C., (2001) Fission yeast Aip3p (spAip3p) is required for an alternative actin-directed polarity program, Mol. Biol. Cell, 12, 1275-1291.
Tatiana Yuzyuk (Tanya)
Education
- B.S./M.S.in Biology, Moscow University, Russia 1987-1993
- Ph.D. in Physiology, Moscow University, Russia 1993-1997
- Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, 1998-1993
- Undergraduate/Graduate Research Program, Department of Physiology, Moscow University, Russia 1991-1993
- Graduate Research Program, Center of Cardiology, Moscow, Russia 1993-1997
The Effects of cholinergic stimulation in the right atrium of the rabbit. The possible role of local nonexcitability in sinus node induced by cholinergic stimulation in the development of atrial tachycardia in rabbits - Ph.D. student, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, SUNY Upstate Medical Univerisy, 1998-2003
- Graduated from Moscow University with Honors, 1993
- Scholarship from the Russian Academy of Medical Science, 1993-1997
- Yuzyuk, T.N., Samonina, G.E., Ashmarin, I.P., (1993) Anti-ulcer effect of the drug OF-743 in an acid model of ulcer formation by the Okabe method, [Rusian], Biological Science, (2):113-7.
- Vinogradova, T.M., Yuzyuk, T.N., Zaitsev, A.V., Rozenshtraukh, L.V., (1996) The Development of local nonexcitability in sinus node cells and other cells with diastolic depolarization in the right atrium of the rabbit under the action of actylcholine, [Russian] Fiziologicheskii Zhurnal Imeni I. M. Sechenova, 82(10-11):1-19.
- Vinogradova, T.M., Yuzyuk, T.N., Fedorov, V.V., Zaitsev, A.V., Rozenshtraukh, L.V., (1998) Local cholinergic supression of pacemaker activity in the rabbit sinoatrial node. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol, 32(3):413-24.
- Yuzyuk, T., Foehr, M., and Amberg, D.C., (2002) The MEK kinase Ssk2p promotes actin cytoskeleton recovery after osmotic stress. Mol Biol Cell. 2002 Aug;13(8):2869-80.
- Yuzyuk T and Amberg, DC. (2003) Actin recovery and bud emergence in osmotically stressed cells requires the conserved actin interacting mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase Ssk2p/MTK1 and the scaffold protein Spa2p. Mol Biol Cell. 2003 Jul;14(7):3013-26
Blaine Bettinger
Education- B.S.(cum laude) St. Lawrence University, Canton, N.Y. 1998
- McNair Scholars Program: Department of Biology, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY, June-August 1997 Circadian Rhythms in the Marine Snail Bulla gouldiana.
- Ph.D. student, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, SUNY Upstate Medical University
- Faculty Scholar, St. Lawrence University, 1997-1998
- Charles A. Dana Scholar, St. Lawrence University, 1995-1996
- Radley TL, Markowska AI, Bettinger BT, Ha JH, and Loh SN. (2003) Allosteric switching by mutually exclusive folding of protein domains. J Mol Biol. 2003 Sep 19;332(3):529-36.
- Bettinger BT, Gilbert DM, and Amberg DC. (2004) Actin up in the nucleus. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol. 2004 May;5(5):410-5.
- Daniel JA, Yoo J, Bettinger BT, Amberg DC and Burke DJ. (2006) Eliminating gene conversion improves high-throughput genetics in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Genetics, 172, 709-711.
- Bettinger BT, Clark MG and Amberg DC. (2007) Requirement for the polarisome and formin function in Ssk2p-mediated actin recovery form osmotic stress in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Genetics, Apr; 175(4): 1637-48. Epub 2007 Jan 21.
- Bettinger BT and Amberg DC. (2007) The MEK kinases MEKK4/Ssk2p facilitate complexity in the stress signaling responses of diverse systems. J. Cell. Biochem., 2007 May 1;101(1):34-43.
Michael Clark
Education- B.S. (Summa cum laude with Honors) University of Massachusetts-Lowell
- Postdoctoral Fellow, Bioprocess Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Dept. of Biology and Biotechnology, Laboratory of Dr. Alex DiIorio
- Doctor of Philosophy with Distinction, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
- Clark MG, Teply J, Haarer BK, Viggiano SC, Sept D, and Amberg DC. A genetic dissection of Aip1p's interactions leads to a model for Aip1p-Cofilin cooperative activities. Mol Biol Cell. 2006 Apr; 17(4): 1971-84.
- Clark MG and Amberg DC. Biochemical and genetic analyses provide insight into the structural and mechanistic properties of actin filament disassembly by the Aip1p-cofilin complex. Genetics, May 4; [Epub ahead of print].
- Bettinger BT, Clark MG, Amberg DC. Requirement for the polarisome and formin function in Ssk2-mediated recovery from osmotic stress in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Genetics. 2007 (Epub ahead of print)
- Award for Professional and Public Service, Recipient, 2006, Graduate Student Association, SUNY Upstate Medical University
Michelle Farah
Education- SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, Fall 2002-2009. PhD in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
- American University of Beirut, Beirut Lebanon, Fall 1998-2002. B.S. in Biology
- SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, 2003-2007. PhD Student in Dr. David Amberg's laboratory
- Cold Spring Harbor Labs, Woodbury, NY, Summer 2004. Teaching Assistant for Yeast Genetics Course
- SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, Winter 2002-2003. Rotation student in Dr. Richard Wojcikiewicz's laboratory
- Chronic Care Center, Beirut, Lebanon, Summer 2001. Undergraduate Reseach Assistant in Dr. Pierre Zalloua's genetics laboratory
- Farah ME and Amberg DC. (2007) Conserved actin cysteine residues are oxidative stress sensors that can regulate cell death in yeast. Molec. Biol. Cell, April 2007; 18 (4): 1359-1365.
- Xu Q, Farah M, Webster JM, Wojcikiewicz RJ. (2004) Bortezomib rapidly suppresses ubiquitin thiolesterification to ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes and inhibits ubiquitination of histones and type I inositol 1, 4, 5-trisphosphate receptor. Mol Cancer Ther, October 2004; 3 (10): 1263-9.
- Yeast Cell Biology Meeting. Cold Springs Harbor, Woodbury, NY. Summer 2005. "Actin's cysteine residues are oxidative sensors that can regulate programmed cell death in yeast".
- Princeton Yeast Genetics and Molecular Biology Meeting, Princeton, NJ. Summer 2006. "Actin's cysteines: Sensors and Regulators of Cell Death in Yeast" - Poster Presenter.
- Biomedical Sciences Retreat, Skaneateles, NY. Fall 2006. Poster Presenter.
- 2002 - Biomedical Sciences PhD program scholarship
- 2004 - Honors award for PhD qualification exam
- Graduate Student Power Tea. Participant: Spring 2002 - Spring 2006. Research Forum giving graduate students an opportunity to discuss their research with fellow students from all departments.
- Graduate Student Association. Member: 2002 - Present. President: Spring 2005 - Spring 2006
- Teaching Assistant. Cold Spring Harbor Labs, Yeast Genetics Course, Summer 2004
- 2005 - Present: Genetics Society of America
- 2006 - Present: American Association for the Advancement of Science
- 2002 - Present: American University of Beirut Alumnus
Erik Kish-Trier
Education
- SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, April 2009, Ph.D. Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
- California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, CA, March 2003, B.S. Biotechnology
Research/Professional Experience
- Postdoctoral Associate, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, 2009-present
Publications
- Kish-Trier, E. & Wilkens, S. (2009). Interaction of the Thermoplasma acidophilum A1A0-ATP synthase peripheral stalk with the catalytic domain. FEBS Lett. 583, 3121-6.
- Kish-Trier, E. & Wilkens, S. (2009). Domain architecture of the stator complex of the A1A0-ATP synthase from thermoplasma acidophilum. J. Biol. Chem. 284, 12031-40.
- Zhang, Z., Zheng, Y., Mazon, H., Milgrom, E., Kitagawa, N., Kish-Trier, E., Heck, A.J.R., Kane, P.M. & Wilkens, S. (2008). Structure of the yeast vacuolar ATPase. J. Biol. Chem 283, 35983-95.
- Kish-Trier, E., Briere, L.K., Dunn, S.D. & Wilkens, S. (2008). The stator complex of the A1A0-ATP synthase--structural characterization of the E and H subunits. J. Mol. Biol. 375, 673-85.