Education

• Postdoc. 1987-1988, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL.
• Postdoc. 1986-1987, Washington State University, Pullman, WA.
• PhD Biochemistry 1986, Washington State University, Pullman, WA.
• BS, Chemistry 1981, Weber State University, Ogden, UT.

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Research Interests

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a family of small nonprotein-coding RNAs that have emerged as important regulators in cardiac developmental and pathological processes. They are genomically encoded and are initially transcribed as part of much longer molecules that become processed into a mature ~22-nucleotide-long form.  miRNAs are generally regarded as negative regulators of gene expression that inhibit translation and/or promote messenger RNA (mRNA) degradation by base-pairing to complementary sequences within protein-coding mRNA transcripts.  Hundreds of human miRNA genes have been identified and bioinformatic analyses indicate that miRNAs might regulate the expression of more than a third of human protein-coding genes, highlighting the potential magnitude of their influence on gene expression.  Given the increasingly important roles of miRNAs in heart development and function, we hypothesize that aberrant regulation of miRNAs may play a role in mediating cardiovascular disease.  Therefore, one major focus of my laboratory investigates miRNA expression and gene regulation in various cardiovascular diseases.

Recently, my laboratory became very interested in Down syndrome (DS), or Trisomy 21.  DS is a complex genetic condition caused by a replication of the long-arm of chromosome 21 (Hsa21)  or a fragment thereof.  The incidence of DS in the United States is estimated to be 1 in every 750-1000 live births (~5000 annually).  While DS individuals have a number of neurological and physical abnormalities, 40-60% of DS neonates also have congenital heart defects.  We hypothesize that trisomic 21 gene dosage over-expression of Hsa21-derived miRNAs results in the decreased expression of specific target proteins.  This dysregulation subsequently results in the destabilization of important “regulatory circuits” that contribute, in part, to the cardiovascular defects that occur in DS individuals.  Therefore, the other major focus of my laboratory investigates miRNA expression and gene  regulation in DS.

Publications (link to search of US National Library of Medicine (NLM) and PubMed)

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Teaching

Fall 2008 Pharmacology 871 Advanced Methods in Pharmacology

Spring 2007, 2008 Pharmacy 481 Pharmacology Laboratory

Winter 2006, 2007, 2008 Pharmacy 472 Concepts in Pharmacology II

Winter, 2005 Pharmacology 872, Advanced Methods in Pharmacology

Fall 2005 Pharmacy 747

Fall, 2004, 2007 Pharmacology 850, Seminar in Pharmacology

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Professional Experience

2008 Interim Director - Davis Heart & Lung Research Insitute

2004 – present: Professor, Division of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.

2002 – 2003: Professor, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT.

1995 – 2002: Associate Professor, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT.

1988 – 1995: Assistant Professor, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL.

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Honors & Awards

2007 Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute Distinguished Mentor Award

1988 Department of Medicine Clinical Research Award, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL

1988 Finalist in the National Syntex Scholars Program for Young Investigators

1984 Summer Graduate Research Assistantship, Washington State University,
Pullman, WA

1981 A.C. Glen King Award, Graduate Student Research Fellowship, Washington State University, Pullman, WA

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