Our laboratory studies the biological function of the GFL family of neurotrophic factors (GDNF, neurturin, persephin and artemin) that constitute the ligands for the Ret tyrosine kinase receptor, which is mutated in multiple endocrine neoplasia syndromes as well as thyroid cancers. We are characterizing mouse models lacking components of this ligand-receptor family, and we are investigating the downstream signaling events mediated by Ret activation. We are also studying the role of several genes, including Egr1, Nab2, a homeodomain protein Nkx3.1 and the tumor suppressor PTEN, in the development and progression of prostate cancer. We are characterizing mouse models of prostate cancer that we have developed and are using microarray screens and other functional genomics techniques to identify additional gene products that play a role in this disease.
Denis Avey, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher in the Milbrandt and Mitra labs, is first author on a newly-uploaded preprint article. The paper, “Single cell RNAseq uncovers a robust transcriptional response to morphine by oligodendrocytes” can be accessed via bioRxiv. Sumithra Sankararaman, a research scientist in the Mitra lab, Aldrin K. Y. Yim, a graduate student […]
The Milbrandt lab had a paper published recently in Current Biology. The paper, “TIR Domain Proteins Are an Ancient Family of NAD+-Consuming Enzymes,” shows that TIR domain proteins from both bacteria and archaea cleave NAD+ into nicotinamide and ADP-ribose (ADPR), with catalytic cleavage executed by a conserved glutamic acid. Kow Essuman, an M.D./Ph.D. student in the Milbrandt […]
Mihir Vohra has joined the Milbrandt lab as a postdoctoral researcher. Welcome, Mihir!
Rachel McClarney has joined the Milbrandt lab as a research technician. Welcome, Rachel!
Kow Essuman was awarded the FEBS Journal Poster Prize for an outstanding poster at the FASEB Conference on NAD+ Metabolism and Signaling. The conference was held July 9-14, 2017, in New Orleans. Congratulations, Kow!