David C. Pallas

Lab Head

Education:

• 1977 B.S. University of Georgia, Athens, GA (Biochemistry)
• 1983 Ph.D. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Biochemistry). Laboratory of Frank Solomon.

Postgraduate Training:

• 1983-1986 Research Fellow in Cellular and Molecular Biology/Pathology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute / Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA. Laboratory of Thomas M. Roberts.

Professional Experience & Appointments:

• 1986-1995 Instructor in Cellular and Molecular Biology/Pathology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
• 1995-2001 Assistant Professor of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Winship Cancer Center, Emory University.
• 2001-present Associate Professor of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Winship Cancer Center, Emory University.

Steven Moody

Postdoctoral Fellow

Education:

2000:

• D. Phil. in Molecular Biology & Genetics
  Univesity of York, York, England
  

1996:

• B.Sc. (Hons.) Molecular Biology & Genetics
  University of East Anglia
  Norwich, England

Research:

• Development of novel sphingolipid anti-cancer drugs and investigating the role of Cyclo-oxygenase 2 enzyme in cancer using a Polyoma Virus mouse model system

Research Appointment:

2000-present:

• Postdoctoral Fellow
  Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine
  Emory University 1510 Clifton Road
  Rollins Research Center
  Atlanta, GA 30322

Publications:

• Development of a High Throughput In Vitro PP2A Assay to Screen for Novel Sphingolipid Modulating Compounds. Manuscript in preparation. Steven J. Moody, Dennis Liotta, Alfred A. Merrill, David C. Pallas.
• Cyclo-oxygenase 2 and Polyoma Virus Induced Tumourigenesis. Manuscript in preparation. Steven J. Moody, Monica J. McQuoid, Pablo Morales, Dirck Dillehay, Aaron Lukacher, David C. Pallas.
• An Osteosarcoma Mouse model: Polyoma Virus Infection of ?-2 Microglobulin knockout mice. Manuscript in preparation. Steven J. Moody, Monica J. McQuoid, Pablo Morales, Dirck Dillehay, Aaron Lukacher, David C. Pallas

Yikun Li

Postdoctoral Fellow

Education:

09/1999-09/2003:

• Ph.D. in Cell & Molecular biology
  Department of Cell & Molecular biology
  School of Life Sciences,
  University of Science & Technology of China (USTC)
  

09/1996-07/1999:

• M.S. in Molecular Genetics
  School of life sciences,
  SUN YAT-SEN University,
  Guangzhou, P.R.China

09/1992-07/1996:

• B.S. in Biochemistry
  Anhui University,
  Hefei, Anhui, P.R.China

Research:

• Investigate the function and regulation of PP2A methylation;
• Investigate the role of PTPA (rrd1 and rrd2 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae) as a putative PP2A chaperone in Saccharomyces cerevisiae;
• Distinct P53-independent apoptosis (growth inhibition in Saccharomyces cerevisiae) pathway induced by adenovirus early region 4 transcription unit (E4orf4)

Research Appointment:

12/2003-present:

• Postdoctoral Fellow
  Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine
  Emory University 1510 Clifton Road
  Rollins Research Center
  Atlanta, GA 30322

Publications:

• Zhou Z, Song X, Li Y, & Gong W. Unique Structural Characteristics of Peptide Deformylase from Pathogenic Bacterium Leptospira interrogans. J Mol Biol. 2004 21;339(1):207-15.

Johnthan Gordon

Postdoctoral Fellow

Education:

• B.S. University of South Carolina, Aiken, SC (Biology)
• Ph.D. Medical University of South Carolina (Molecular Biology/Biochemistry).

Postgraduate Training:

• 2000-2001: Dr. Donald Burke. Chemistry, Indiana University - Invivo screening RNA optamers against HIV-1 reverse transcriptase.
• 2001-2003: Dr. John Foley, Medical Sciences, Indiana University - Studying PTHP's role in metastasis in breast cancer.
• 2003-Present Dr. David Pallas, Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine - Studying structure/function of striatin and its interaction with estrogen receptors.

Research:

• Analysis of straitin : estrogen receptor interaction.
• Structure/function studies of striatin.
• Effects of polyomavirus small T and middle T antigens on the function of straitin.

Publications:

• Phillips CA, Gordon J, and Spicer EC "Backeriophage T4 RegA Protein Binds RNA as a Monomer Overcoming Dimer Interactions." NAR (1996) 24(21): 4319-4326.
• Gordon J, Sengupta T, Phillips CA, O'Malley S, Williams KR, and Spicer EK, "Identification of the RNA Bind Domain of T4 RegA Protein by Structure-based Mutagenesis." JBC (1999). 274: 32265-32273.
• Sengupta T, Gordon J, and Spicer ER, "RegA Proteins from Phage T4 and R869 Have Conserved Helix-Loop-Groore-RNA-binding Motifs by Different RNA-Binding-Specificities." NAR (204) 29(5): 1175-1184.

Fellowships:

• 2003-Present FIRST fellowship

Courtney Plattner

Lead Technician

Education:

• Emory University (Atlanta, GA) B.A. in Italian Studies in 1998-2002

Undergraduate Research Experience:

• 1999 - 2002: Department of Dermatology

Publications

• Chen, W., R. Possemato, et al. (2004). "Identification of specific PP2A complexes involved in human cell transformation." Cancer Cell 5(2): 127-36.

Mari Bales

Workstudy Student

Kenneth Keegan

Workstudy Student

Ilona Kichko

Workstudy Student

Elina Levin

Workstudy Student

Bruce Smith

Workstudy Student