POWRE: Structure and Function of an Apoptosis Domain in the 75 kDa Neurotropin Receptor

9805771查普曼在发育过程中，不同的组织和器官需要不同数量的细胞。细胞程序性死亡(或称“凋亡”)，以及细胞分裂，是控制细胞数量的主要方式。细胞凋亡发生在一系列的细胞和生化事件中，细胞不是分裂，而是解体，并被吞没。每个正常细胞似乎都有细胞死亡的“程序”，它可以通过多种方式被激活。神经营养素受体gp75NTR或NTR由神经元和一些免疫细胞表达，是细胞因子和生长因子受体家族的成员，已知调节许多细胞决定经历细胞程序性死亡。NTR含有一个类似于其他受体的“死亡结构域”的胞内结构域，可以启动细胞凋亡，但目前还没有研究表明NTR的死亡结构域在细胞凋亡信号中起作用。查普曼博士的研究目的是确定NTR的死亡结构域是否与凋亡机制的元件(Caspase)相互作用，并证明该受体在培养的哺乳动物细胞中异位表达时是否可以诱导细胞程序性死亡。这个项目特别适合获得POWRE奖。查普曼博士最近不同寻常地从生物技术行业转行，在加州州立大学系统的圣马科斯新校区担任教职。CSUSM强调具有现代技术的动手实验室经验，以帮助他们的生物科学专业的学生为研究人员、科学教师和生物技术行业的职业生涯做好准备。查普曼博士为她的学生带来了真实的世界体验，并将能够通过这个POWRE奖积极地让他们参与研究，这将为她启动这个研究项目提供资金。

9805771 CHAPMAN During development, different tissues and organs require different numbers of cells. Programmed cell death (or "apoptosis"), along with cell division, is a primary way that cell number is controlled. Apoptosis occurs as a series of cellular and biochemical events in which the cell, instead of dividing, involutes, falls apart, and is engulfed. Every normal cell appears to have the "program" for cell death, which can be activated in a number of ways. The neurotrophin receptor gp75NTR or NTR, expressed by neurons and some immune cells, is a member of a family of cytokine and growth factor receptors known to regulate many cellular decisions to undergo programmed cell death. The NTR contains an intracellular domain that is similar to the "death domain" of other receptors that can initiate apoptosis, but it has not yet been shown that the NTR's putative death domain functions in apoptotic signaling. The objective of Dr. Chapman's study are to establish whether the NTR's death domain interacts with elements of the apoptotic mechanism (caspases), and to demonstrate whether this receptor can induce programmed cell death when expressed ectopically in cultured mammalian cells. This project is particular suitable for a POWRE award. Dr. Chapman recently made the unusual transition from the biotechnology industry to take a faculty job at the new San Marcos campus of the California State University system. CSUSM emphasized hands-on laboratory experience with modern technology to prepare their students in the biological sciences for careers as researchers, science teachers and in the biotechnology industry. Dr. Chapman brings real world experience to her students, and will be able to actively engage them in research with this POWRE award, which will provide the funding for her to initiate this research project.