Cell Biology of Signaling across Membranes

跨细胞膜的信号传导对于正常细胞功能和理解许多疾病至关重要。信号转导和分子运输是相互交织在一起的，因此不可能单独真正理解其中任何一种的机制。我们建议在内华达大学里诺分校（UNR）建立一个生物医学研究卓越中心（COBRE），研究跨膜信号传导的细胞生物学领域。本COBRE将通过研究细胞间和亚细胞间的分子信号传导如何跨膜实现，在膜运输和信号转导领域的新兴融合方面取得重大进展。五位具有杰出研究成就的青年教师将使用多样化和独特优势的模型系统，其中信号和运输功能的关键方面可以通过分子，遗传和结构方法进行检查。建议的研究课题将利用信号转导和分子运输领域的跨学科方法，包括生长因子信号传导，基因表达调节，核和细胞质运输，分泌，内吞作用，凋亡和轴突引导。拟议的COBRE是一项全面的努力，将在一个主题和计划下整合UNR不同部门和学院的高质量生物医学研究和专业知识。这将弥合UNR上下校区的理学院和医学院之间传统的物理和行政划分，并促进相互作用，从而产生协同作用并增强生物医学研究能力。COBRE将为初级教师提供有效的指导计划，扩大UNR现有的培训计划，并通过与临床导师和顾问合作，支持选定的年轻教师的研究，以建立疾病重点。COBRE将为内华达州的新一代生物医学研究人员提供增强的基础设施和技术支持，这些研究人员具有真正杰出的资历，并有望在生物医学研究方面取得重大成就。

Signaling across cell membranes is fundamentally important for normal cellular function and for understanding many diseases. Signal transduction and molecular trafficking are intertwined in ways that make it impossible to truly understand mechanisms of either in isolation. We propose to create a Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) in the area of cell biology of signaling across membranes. This COBRE will make significant progress in the emerging fusion of the fields of membrane trafficking and signal transduction by examining how molecular signaling is achieved across membranes, both between cells and between subcellular compartments. Five junior faculty with outstanding research accomplishments will use diverse and uniquely advantageous model systems where critical aspects of signaling and transport functions can be examined by molecular, genetic and structural approaches. The proposed research topics will utilize interdisciplinary approaches in the field of signal transduction and molecular trafficking, including growth factor signaling, regulation of gene expression, nuclear and cytoplasmic transport, secretion, endocytosis, apoptosis, and axon guidance. The proposed COBRE is a comprehensive effort that will integrate high-quality biomedical research and expertise in different departments and colleges at UNR under one theme and program. This will bridge the traditional physical and administrative division between the Colleges of Science and Medicine on the upper and lower campus at UNR, and foster interactions that lead to synergism and enhanced biomedical research capacity. The COBRE will provide an efficient mentoring program for junior faculty that will expand already existing training programs at UNR, and support the research of selected young faculty by teaming with clinical mentors and consultants to establish disease focus. The COBRE will provide enhanced infrastructure and technical support for Nevada's new generation of biomedical researchers with truly outstanding credentials and promise for major achievements in biomedical research.