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Jianjie Ma
University Professor
UMDNJ
Department of Physiology & Biophysics
RWJMS Research Building. Room 162
675 Hoes Lane
Piscataway. NJ 08854-5635
(732) 235-4494
FAX - 4483
maj2@umdnj.edu
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Structure-function studies of ion
channels. transgenic animal models of cardiovascular research. signal transduction in cancer biology curing cancer. sexually transmitted disease
Our laboratory explores the molecular
and cellular function of membrane proteins. specifically. we are
interested in the structure-function relationship of ion channels. the
molecular basis of genetic diseases caused by mutations in membrane
proteins. and the application of our research to clinical and
pharmaceutical discoveries.
Currently. we have five projects on
going in the laboratory: a) structure-function study of Ca channels and
their role in excitation-contraction coupling of skeletal and cardiac
muscles; b) transgenic animal models (gene knock out and knock in) to
understand the function of muscle specific proteins in both
physiological and pathophysiological conditions; c) function and
regulation of the CFTR chloride channel and its implication in the
therapeutic intervention of cystic fibrosis; d) Ca signaling and
cytochrome c release in apoptosis; and e) high throughput screening
assays of chemicals targeting at the insect isoform of ryanodine
receptor.
We do our researches through
collaboration with colleagues both on- and off-campuses. We routinely
employ the following experimental tools with a particular physiological
question: a) molecular cloning and mutagenesis. and heterologous
expression of eukaryotic genes; b) immunological and biochemical assays
of recombinant proteins; c) confocal microscopic imaging of
intracellular ion movement and subcellular localization of GFP-tagged
molecules; d) morphological and biological assays of cells undergoing
apoptosis or treated with different stimuli; e) NMR structural
determination of synthetic peptides or recombinant proteins; and f)
electrophysiological characterization of single ion channel activities
using lipid bilayer reconstitution and patch clamp measurement.
Our researches are supported by grants
from the National Institutes of Health (RO1-DK51770. RO1-AG15556. and
RO1-CA97357). and Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. and FMC Corporation.
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