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<< Back to podcast list Strategic Partner(s) Dr. Caron Tribute Part 1 About Marc Caron Dr. Caron and his family moved to Durham, NC in 1977, following receipt of his BSc in Chemistry from Laval University and his Ph.D. from the University of Miami. He joined the faculty of Laval University School of Medicine in 1975 and then returned to join Duke’s faculty, where he remained as a James B. Duke Professor until his death. He and his laboratory members studied the mechanisms of action and regulation of hormones and neurotransmitters and how they might underlie brain and behavior disorders such as schizophrenia, Parkinson's disease, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, mood disorders, and addiction. Among his many honors, Dr. Caron was an investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute from 1992 to 2004, a member of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and a recipient of the Julius Axelrod Award. An authoritative and prolific scientist, with over 650 scientific publications, he is most beloved as a mentor and his relentless encouragement that shaped the careers of hundreds of scientists worldwide. About our panelists in alphabetical order and the year they first met Dr. Caron Dr. Jeffrey Benovic (1985) Dr. Michel Bouvier (1985) Dr. Kathleen Caron - Co-host- (1970) Dr. Richard Cerione (1985) Dr. Brian Kolbilka (1987) Dr. Frederik Leeb-Lundberg (1984) Dr. Robert Lefkowitz (1973) Dr. Lee Limbird (1973) Dr. David Sibley (1988) Memories our panelists shared with us Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles Asking Better Questions in Science: A Practical Guide for Emerging Researchers When the Islet Lit Up: Advancing GPCR Imaging in Native Tissue How Collaboration Sparked a GPCR Imaging Breakthrough in Chemical Biology Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

<< Back to podcast list Strategic Partner(s) Brendan Wilkins About Brendan Wilkins "Brendan completed his undergraduate training at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Australia in 2016 with first class Honours in Pharmacology. In his Honours year, Brendan explored small molecule allosteric modulators of the β2-adrenoceptor under the tutelage of Dr Angela Finch. Since then, Brendan worked as a research assistant at the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute where he investigated the orphan G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), GPR37L1. Brendan is now a final year PhD candidate in the Orphan Receptor Laboratory headed by Associate Professor Nicola J Smith at UNSW Sydney, Australia. Brendan’s PhD project focuses on the orphan GPCR GPR146. This project aims to characterise the molecular pharmacology of GPR146 and to validate the proposed ligands of GPR146 in line with IUPHAR-NC guidelines on deorphanisation of orphan GPCRs. Brendan is currently looking for post-doctoral positions to begin in mid-2024" Brendan Wilkins on the web UNSW Sydney Google Scholar ResearchGate LinkedIn Twitter Dr. GPCR Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles Asking Better Questions in Science: A Practical Guide for Emerging Researchers When the Islet Lit Up: Advancing GPCR Imaging in Native Tissue How Collaboration Sparked a GPCR Imaging Breakthrough in Chemical Biology Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

<< Back to podcast list Strategic Partner(s) Dr. Raul Gainetdinov About Dr. Raul Gainetdinov Raul R. Gainetdinov is the Institute of Translational Biomedicine Director at Saint Petersburg State University (SPBU), Russia. Before SPBU, Raul R. Gainetdinov was a Senior Researcher in the Department of Neuroscience and Brain Technologies at the Italian Institute of Technology in Genova, Italy (2008-2016) and an Associate Research Professor in the Department of Cell Biology at Duke University in North Carolina, USA (1996-2008). From 2013-2018, he was also a Professor at the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Skoltech), Moscow. Before joining the Department of Cell Biology in 1996 as a postdoc and becoming faculty at Duke in 2000, he researched at the Institute of Pharmacology Russian Academy of Medical Sciences in Moscow (1988-1996). He received a Ph.D. in pharmacology in 1992 from the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences and an M.D. in 1988 from the Second Moscow Medical Institute, Moscow, Russia. Since 2013, he has been elected Chair of the subcommittee for the Dopamine receptors of the International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology Committee on Receptor Nomenclature and Drug Classification (NC-IUPHAR). As of August 2022, he has over 270 publications in scientific journals (including Science, Nature, Cell, and PNAS) and co-authored 13 patents. His papers were cited over 28,000 times (H-index – 81, ISI Web of Science). In 2018-2020, Raul R. Gainetdinov was included in the Web of Science (WOS) Highly Cited Researchers (HCR) list, representing the top 0.1% of scientists worldwide. Dr. Raul Gainetdinov on the web Saint-Petersburg State University Wikipedia Google Scholar Researchgate Google Dr. GPCR Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles Asking Better Questions in Science: A Practical Guide for Emerging Researchers When the Islet Lit Up: Advancing GPCR Imaging in Native Tissue How Collaboration Sparked a GPCR Imaging Breakthrough in Chemical Biology Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

<< Back to podcast list Strategic Partner(s) Dr. Richard Premont About Dr. Richard Premont "Dr. Premont obtained his B.S. in Biology and Chemistry at the California Institute of Technology in 1985, and M.Ph . and Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences (Pharmacology) at Mount Sinai School of Medicine (City University of New York) in 1990 and 1992, working with Ravi Iyengar on regulation/desensitization of the liver glucagon receptor and glucagon-stimulated adenylyl cyclase system. In 1992, he won a Helen Hay Whitney Foundation fellowship to support his post-doctoral work with Robert Lefkowitz and Marc Caron at Duke University. His initial project to identify and clone taste receptors was unsuccessful, but led to the identification of GRK5 and continued focus on GRKs (particularly GRKs 4,5,6) and arrestins as GPCR regulators and as mediators of distinct signaling pathways through partners including GIT1. In 1999, obtained an independent faculty position at Duke in Gastroenterology, where he remained until 2018 studying GPCRs and their signaling pathways in the liver and in liver disease. In 2018, he moved to Harrington Discovery Institute and Case Western Reserve University, where he studies GPCR regulation by S-nitrosylation. My research focus is on understanding how distinct cellular signaling pathways interact and are coordinated to produce integrated physiological responses, and how dysregulation of this coordination results in pathophysiology. For this, we have worked in three main areas: the regulation of G protein-coupled receptor signaling particularly by the G protein-coupled receptor kinase (GRK) – beta-arrestin system, the coordination of heterotrimeric G protein, small GTP-binding protein and protein kinase pathways by GIT/PIX scaffolding complexes during cellular signaling, and characterizing the role of protein S-nitrosylation as a signaling post-translational modification in mediating and regulating cellular signaling pathways, particularly in conjunction with better characterized signaling systems. In our work, we utilize methods including structural biology and proteomics, molecular biology and biochemical enzymology, primary and model cell culture, and transgenic, knockout, knock-in and conditional models of mouse physiology and behavior." Dr. Richard Premont on the web Google Scholar LinkedIn Dr. GPCR Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles Asking Better Questions in Science: A Practical Guide for Emerging Researchers When the Islet Lit Up: Advancing GPCR Imaging in Native Tissue How Collaboration Sparked a GPCR Imaging Breakthrough in Chemical Biology Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

Full Agenda Adhesion GPCR workshop 2024 CINVESTAV, Mexico City, Mexico October 23-25 Download PDF Program HERE < Back to Full Agenda Posters Interrogating The Role Of CELSR1 (ADGRC1) In Breast Cancer Caroline Formstone Generation and characterization of collecting duct specific GPR56 knockout mice Jianxiang Xue Anti-Tumorigenic Role of Brain Angiogenesis Inhibitor 3 (BAI3) in WNT-Activated Medulloblastomas Virginea de Araujo Farias Conformational And Functional Coupling Between Extracellular and Transmembrane Regions of a Holo-Adhesion GPCR Szymon P. Kordon Deorphanization Of The Adhesion GPCRs GPR110 and GPR116 Tingzhen Shen Self-Cleavage of GPR110 SEA Domain and Its Impact on GAIN Domain Autoproteolysis Bill Huang Tethered Agonist Dependent ADGRL3 Signaling Activity In The G12/13 Pathway Júlia Rosell Endocytic Cues Determine the Signaling Profile of Adhesion GPCR ADGRL1 / Latrophilin-1 Sheila Ribalta-Mena GPR110 modulates anxiety-like behaviors and memory function in mice potentially through neuronal and neuroimmune alterations during neurodevelopment Mariam Melkumyan Interrogating The Role Of CELSR1 (ADGRC1) In Breast Cancer Caroline Formstone Abstract "Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer amongst women. Ductal carcinomas are increasingly diagnosed but identifying which will progress to invasive disease remains difficult highlighting an urgent need for new biomarkers that distinguish ductal carcinomas on this basis. Planar cell polarity (PCP) proteins contribute to tumour growth and invasion. Recent studies identify CELSR1, a key PCP gene, as a novel biomarker for early-stage breast cancer. CELSR1 is reactivated in luminal-type ductal carcinomas. The impact of CELSR1 on cancer progression, however, is unclear. Our working hypothesis is that distinct CELSR1 protein isoforms differentially regulate tissue adhesiveness by influencing the stability/plasticity of cell-cell and cell-matrix contacts. Notably, our pilot data from luminal-type breast cancer cell lines representative of breast carcinomas with lower versus higher invasive potential reveal differential enrichment of CELSR1 protein isoforms. To test the specific hypothesis that biased expression of CELSR1 isoforms will predict invasive potential of a luminal breast carcinoma we will (a) determine, via loss-of-function assays in vitro and in vivo, whether CELSR1 protein isoforms differentially influence the stability of cell-cell and/or cell-matrix adhesions to dictate breast tumour invasive mechanism (b) quantify CELSR1 isoform expression (mRNA and protein) within patient luminal carcinoma samples exhibiting non-invasive or invasive features, the latter including heterogeneous tumours with mixed pathology. Through study of known protein isoforms of CELSR1, which would be missed in gene expression microarray analyses, we hope to illuminate the prognostic potential of CELSR1 for early-stage breast cancer." Authors & Affiliations "Klena, Ladislav University of Hertfordshire" About Caroline Formstone "Cell and developmental biologist with a focus on how planar cell polarity drives complex tissue morphogenesis. I study the cell and tissue level consequences of its failure in foetal development and of its reemployment in cancer" Caroline Formstone on the web University of Hertfordshire Generation and characterization of collecting duct specific GPR56 knockout mice Jianxiang Xue Abstract "GPR56 is a multifunctional adhesin G protein-coupled receptor involved in diverse biological processes. The role of GPR56 in the kidneys has been understudied. A recent study demonstrated that GPR56 in the glomerular endothelial cells promoted diabetic kidney disease progression via regulation of eNOS. Using RNAscope in situ hybridization (ISH) for GPR56, aquaporin 2 and NKCC2 (thick ascending limb, TAL marker), we detected GPR56 mRNA highly expressed in the collecting duct and TAL of the loop of Henle with limited expression in the proximal tubule. To determine the physiological role of GPR56 in the collecting duct, we generated a collecting duct-specific GPR56 knockout (GPR56CD-KO) mouse model by crossing GPR56flox (Control) with cadherin 16 Cre mice. The deletion of GPR56 in the collecting duct was confirmed by RNAscope ISH. GPR56CD-KO mice were born at predicted Mendelian frequencies, appeared grossly indistinguishable from Con mice, and developed normally. For baseline phenotypic characterization, blood gas analysis showed no differences in blood pH, blood HCO3-, blood Na+, or blood K+ between GPR56CD-KO and control mice. Metabolic cage experiments demonstrated no differences in fluid intake, urine volume, urinary pH or urine osmolality between genotypes in baseline. 24hr water deprivation experiment showed that GPR56CD-KO mice can concentrate urine as effectively as control mice. In conclusion, we successfully generated collecting duct-specific GPR56 knockout mouse and found no defective urine concentrating ability in GPR56CD-KO mice. This mouse model will be useful to delineate the collecting duct-specific role of GPR56 for renal function, including acid-base regulation." Authors & Affiliations "Hailey Steichen, Krystin Eaton, Teagan Yan, and Nathan Zaidman; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of New Mexico" About Jianxiang Xue "I am a postdoctoral researcher working in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of New Mexico. I earned my PhD degree in Biomedical Sciences from the University of South Florida. During my graduate studies, using various transgenic mouse models and expertise in intestinal and renal physiology, I systematically characterized the function of sodium/hydrogen exchanger 3 in the intestine and kidneys for fluid and electrolyte homeostasis and acid-base balance. My predoctoral work was supported by an American Heart Association fellowship. Since staring my postdoctoral training, I have continued to develop my expertise to answer fundamental questions on adhesion GPCR in renal physiology and pathology. In my free time, I enjoy reading, workouts, and hiking." Jianxiang Xue on the web Zaidman Physiology Lab Anti-Tumorigenic Role of Brain Angiogenesis Inhibitor 3 (BAI3) in WNT-Activated Medulloblastomas Virginea de Araujo Farias Abstract Only available for AGPCR 24 Workshop Attendees Authors & Affiliations "Van Meir, Erwin G. University of Alabama at Birmingham" About Virginea de Araujo Farias "Brain Angiogenesis Inhibitor (BAI) proteins are members of group VII of the adhesion G protein-coupled receptor (aGPCR) family. BAI1-3 are highly expressed in the brain, where they participate in synaptogenesis and synapse maintenance. In cancers, BAI1-3 expression can be lost through epigenetic silencing, copy number loss or truncating mutations. In medulloblastomas (MB), BAI3 (ADGRB3) expression is specifically reduced in the WNT-activated group (WNT-MB), but not in the other three molecular groups. WNT pathway activation in WNT-MB is driven by mutations of the CTNNB1 gene, activating ß-catenin-dependent signaling; however, no interactions between BAI3 and the WNT signaling pathway have been described so far. MAGI3, a PDZ-containing scaffolding protein is known to downregulate WNT signaling by interacting with ß-catenin in gliomas, but it is unknown whether this involves BAI3. To explore a possible connection between BAI3 and ß-catenin signaling through MAGI3 in WNT-MB, we probed for potential protein-protein interactions using co-IP experiments. We found an interaction between BAI3 and MAGI3 in mouse brain lysates. Therefore, we hypothesize that re-expression of BAI3 in WNT-MB cells will restrain ß-catenin activity through the formation of a BAI3/MAGI3/ß-catenin complex, reducing their tumorigenic properties. To test this hypothesis, we created WNT-like MB cell lines stably expressing tet-on wild-type BAI3 or a BAI3 lacking the C-terminal PDZ-binding motif (PBM). We will present the effects of BAI3 re-expression on WNT-MB cells oncogenic properties and signaling." Virginea de Araujo Farias on the web Google Scholar Conformational And Functional Coupling Between Extracellular and Transmembrane Regions of a Holo-Adhesion GPCR Szymon P. Kordon Abstract "Adhesion G Protein-Coupled Receptors (aGPCRs) are key cell-adhesion molecules involved in numerous physiological functions. aGPCRs have large multi-domain extracellular regions (ECR) that mediate cell adhesion and play roles in transmitting extracellular signals to the inside of the cell. Ligand binding and mechanical force applied on the ECR regulate receptor function. However, how the ECR communicates with the seven-pass transmembrane domain (7TM) remains elusive, because the relative orientation and dynamics of the ECR and 7TM within a holoreceptor is unclear. Here, we describe the cryo-EM reconstruction of an aGPCR, Latrophilin3/ADGRL3, and reveal that the conserved GAIN domain, that directly precedes 7TM, adopts a parallel orientation to the membrane and has constrained movement. Single-molecule FRET experiments unveil three slow-exchanging FRET states of the ECR relative to the 7TM within the holoreceptor. GAIN-targeted antibodies, and cancer-associated mutations at the GAIN-7TM interface, alter holoreceptor conformations, and modulate downstream receptor signaling. Altogether, this data demonstrates conformational and functional coupling between the ECR and 7TM, suggesting an ECR-mediated mechanism for aGPCR activation." Authors & Affiliations "Cechova Kristina (3), Bandekar Sumit J.(1, 2), Leon Katherine (1, 2), Dutka Przemysław (1, 4), Siffer Gracie (3), Kossiakoff Anthony A. (1), Vafabakhsh Reza (3), Araç Demet (1, 2) 1. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA; 2. Neuroscience Institute, Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, and Center for Mechanical Excitability, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA; 3. Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA; 4. Current affiliation: Department of Structural Biology, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, USA" About Szymon P. Kordon "I am a postdoctoral scholar in the Araç Lab at The University of Chicago, studying the structure and function of aGPCRs. Utilizing synthetic antibody fragments, I aim to understand better the structural basis of the aGPCRs activation and signaling and to characterize ECR-mediated signal transduction at the molecular level." Szymon P. Kordon on the web Araç Laboratory at UChicago Deorphanization Of The Adhesion GPCRs GPR110 and GPR116 Tingzhen Shen Abstract Only available for AGPCR 24 Workshop Attendees Authors & Affiliations "Frank E. Kwarcinski, Gregory G. Tall (University of Michigan, Ann Arbor)" About Tingzhen Shen "A graduate student from Tall Lab, department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor." Tingzhen Shen on the web University of Michigan Self-Cleavage of GPR110 SEA Domain and Its Impact on GAIN Domain Autoproteolysis Bill Huang Abstract Only available for AGPCR 24 Workshop Attendees Authors & Affiliations "Hee-Yong Kim, Laboratory of Molecular Signaling, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA" About Bill Huang "Researcher" Bill Huang on the web LinkedIn Tethered Agonist Dependent ADGRL3 Signaling Activity In The G12/13 Pathway Júlia Rosell Abstract Only available for AGPCR 24 Workshop Attendees Authors & Affiliations "Regmi, Rajesh (1), Perry-Hauser, Nicole A. (2), Javitch, Jonathan A. (2), Mathiasen, Signe (1) (1) Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. (2) Department of Psychiatry and Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, USA; Division of Molecular Therapeutics, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, USA" About Júlia Rosell "I am a first-year PhD student with two years of experience in the adhesion GPCR field. I completed my Master’s thesis on ADGRL3, where I conducted research involving mammalian cell cultures and techniques such as BRET assays and gene expression assays. Currently, my research focuses on the intracellular signaling of ADGRL3 from a single-molecule perspective and investigating how the binding of extracellular transsynaptic ligands modulates ADGRL3 activity, aiming to elucidate their interplay." Júlia Rosell on the web LinkedIn Endocytic Cues Determine the Signaling Profile of Adhesion GPCR ADGRL1 / Latrophilin-1 Sheila Ribalta-Mena Abstract Only available for AGPCR 24 Workshop Attendees Authors & Affiliations " Hernández-Aranda Judith 2, Correoso-Braña Kerlys 1, Vialou Vincent 3, Leduc Richard 4, Olivares-Reyes Jesús Alberto 2, Boucard Antony A1. 1 Department of Cell Biology, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (Cinvestav-IPN), México City, México. 2 Department of Biochemistry, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (Cinvestav-IPN), México City, México. 3 Sorbonne Université, Inserm, CNRS, Neurosciences Paris Seine, Paris, France. 4 Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada " About Sheila Ribalta-Mena " Cell Biology PhD student " Sheila Ribalta-Mena on the web CINVESTAV ResearchGate LinkedIn GPR110 modulates anxiety-like behaviors and memory function in mice potentially through neuronal and neuroimmune alterations during neurodevelopment Mariam Melkumyan Abstract "GPR110, an adhesion G protein coupled receptor (GPCR), is widely expressed in developing brains but diminishes in adult stage except in the hippocampus, a region involved in learning and memory. Ligand-induced GPR110 signaling stimulates neurogenesis and synaptogenesis during development, and the absence of the ligand-induced signaling causes object recognition and spatial memory deficits in adulthood and increased neuroinflammatory responses. Nevertheless, the role of GPR110 signaling in behavioral consequences has not been fully explored. This study aimed to understand the effects of GPR110 on mouse behaviors in relation to neurodevelopmental and neuroimmune gene and protein expression. Anxiety and memory function were tested using both male and female mice at 5-6 month of age. GPR110 knockout (KO) mice displayed trends for increased anxiety-like behaviors in the elevated plus maze test and in the open field test. Memory tests, including the novel object test and the radial 8-arm maze showed worsened spatial and reference memory in the GPR110 KO mice compared to wildtype mice. The y-maze showed a significant sex by genotype interactions with GPR110 KO male mice having increased number of correct alterations and errors, while the GPR110 KO females had fewer correct alterations and errors. RNAseq data indicated significantly impaired developmental gene expression for neuronal differentiation, axonogenesis, and synaptogenesis, as well as altered neuroinflammatory marker expression in GPR110 KO mouse brains. Further studies exploring the protein expression and neural activity of these mouse brain will give insight on the mechanism underlying the behavioral consequences associated with the GPR110 receptor. " Authors & Affiliations "Joel Toro, Bill Huang, Hee-Yong Kim Laboratory of Molecular Signaling, National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH" About Mariam Melkumyan "Mariam Melkumyan is a postdoctoral fellow at the Laboratory of Molecular Signaling studying the role of GPR110 in neurotransmission and neuroimmune activity involved in learning and memory, anxiety, and alcohol use. Mariam, originally from Armenia, completed her bachelor's degree in Neuroscience at American University in Washington, DC and her dual-title PhD in Neuroscience and Clinical and Translational Sciences at Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey, PA. Mariam started her postdoctoral training in February 2024 and is hoping to become an academic professor and mentor the next generation of scientists." Mariam Melkumyan on the web LinkedIn Google Scholar < Previous Session Next Session >

<< Back to podcast list Strategic Partner(s) Dr. Thomas P. Sakmar About Dr. Thomas P. Sakmar Tom Sakmar is a physician-scientist and professor at Rockefeller University in New York. While a chemistry undergraduate student at the University of Chicago, he attended a NATO Advanced Study Institute in Les Houches, France in 1979 where he was exposed for the first time to the nascent field of membrane biophysics and intercellular communication. Instructors at the course included Marc Chabre , Harden McConnell , Richard Henderson , Martin Rodbell , Jean-Pierre Changeux , and Martin Karplus . After medical school and clinical training at Massachusetts General Hospital, Tom joined the laboratory of H. Gobind Khorana at the Department of Chemistry at M.I.T. for postdoctoral training, where he learned gene synthesis, cDNA cloning, site-directed mutagenesis, and heterologous expression in mammalian cells. Khorana’s lab made early key contributions and developed strategies to express, reconstitute and assay engineered GPCRs using the visual pigment rhodopsin as a model system. Tom initially focused on structure-activity relationships underlying spectral tuning and identified a glutamic acid residue in rhodopsin that serves as the retinylidene Schiff base counterion. He also went on to discover a “counterion switch” in visual pigments and to develop strategies to assay receptor-G-protein interactions and activation kinetics. After moving to Rockefeller University with a Howard Hughes Medical Institute appointment, Tom advanced a series of novel biochemical and biophysical assay platforms, including FTIR and Raman microprobe spectroscopy to study micro-quantities of expressed visual pigment mutants. This work involved active long-term collaborators, including Richard Mathies and Fritz Siebert , and contributed substantially to elucidating the physical chemistry of spectral tuning, and to a better understanding of the molecular mechanism of activation of GPCRs. Many of the conceptual advances that stemmed from this work, such as the concept of “functional micro-domains” and the “helix movement model of receptor activation” were confirmed later when crystal structures became available. Tom’s lab also pioneered the early use of computational homology modeling, molecular dynamics simulations and coarse-grain sampling approaches for membrane proteins in collaborations with Thomas Huber , Xavier Periole , and Siewert-Jan Marrink . Tom’s lab also developed an amber codon suppression method to genetically encode unnatural amino acids into membrane proteins expressed in mammalian cell culture. The genetic code expansion strategy for unnatural amino acid mutagenesis is a key enabling technology for the field and is being used by many laboratories. Early applications included “targeted photo-crosslinking,” and more recently, the parallel development of bioorthogonal labeling strategies to couple fluorophores to expressed receptors and other membrane proteins has allowed the creation of novel sensor constructs and single-molecule detection strategies. Recently, Tom’s lab discovered, along with Yu Chen and Ping Chi , that a mutant of CYSLTR2 is a driver oncogene in uveal melanoma, the most common eye cancer in adults. The CysLTR2 oncoprotein displays biased constitutive activity – it activates Gq/11 but does not undergo β-arrestin-mediated down-regulation. Dr. Thomas P. Sakmar on the web LinkedIn ResearchGate Pubmed ORCHID Google Scholar Rockefeller University Wikipedia Dr. GPCR Ecosystem Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles Asking Better Questions in Science: A Practical Guide for Emerging Researchers When the Islet Lit Up: Advancing GPCR Imaging in Native Tissue How Collaboration Sparked a GPCR Imaging Breakthrough in Chemical Biology Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

<< Back to podcast list Strategic Partner(s) Dr. Andrew Tobin About Dr. Andrew Tobin Andrew Tobin studied Biochemistry at Queen Mary College, the University of London obtaining first-class honors before studying for a Dr. Phil at the University of Oxford. Following a post-doctoral period at Bristol Myers Squibb in Princeton USA, Andrew returned to the UK to establish his own laboratory at the University of Leicester. Funded through three consecutive Wellcome Trust Senior Research Fellowships Andrew established a reputation in the field of receptor signaling. Now at the University of Glasgow, his primary research interests are focused on the rational design of novel drugs to treat the three global health challenges of dementia, asthma, and malaria. In this Andrew runs a research laboratory of around 15 staff supported by basic research grants investigating aspects of disease biology and the action of drugs in the context of disease. The vehicle by which Andrew is translating fundamental findings to commercial products is Keltic Pharma Therapeutics Ltd , a biotechnology company co-founded by Andrew with series A funding from the European Union. Andrew is also the Director of the Advanced Research Centre (ARC) a collaborative initiative at the University of Glasgow underpinned by a £118M new build that will house over 550 researchers designed to drive interdisciplinary research. Dr. Andrew Tobin on the web University of Glasgow ResearchGate Google Scholar Twitter Dr. GPCR Ecosystem Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles Asking Better Questions in Science: A Practical Guide for Emerging Researchers When the Islet Lit Up: Advancing GPCR Imaging in Native Tissue How Collaboration Sparked a GPCR Imaging Breakthrough in Chemical Biology Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

<< Back to podcast list Strategic Partner(s) Dr. J. Silvio Gutkind About this episode Have you had moments that defined your scientific tastes? For Dr. J Silvio Gutkind, a class on oncogenes and his interests for GPCRs helped shape his scientific interests. These took him from the University of Buenos Aires in Argentina to UC San Diego and through the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. In this episode, Silvio discusses G protein signaling in the context of cancer, immunotherapies, and combination therapies that could help improve patients’ lives. Dr. J. Silvio Gutkind on the web Dr. J Silvio Gutkind on LinkedIn Gutkind Lab – UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center Gutkind Lab publications Gutkind Lab on Pubmed Gutkind Lab on Twitter UCSD Moores Cancer Center Dr. GPCR Ecosystem Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles Asking Better Questions in Science: A Practical Guide for Emerging Researchers When the Islet Lit Up: Advancing GPCR Imaging in Native Tissue How Collaboration Sparked a GPCR Imaging Breakthrough in Chemical Biology Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

<< Back to podcast list Strategic Partner(s) Dr. Peter Robert Banks About Dr. Peter Robert Banks Peter Banks is currently the Scientific Director at BioTek Instruments , now a part of Agilent . His responsibilities include the management of the company’s applications team and providing scientific guidance to the senior management team on new technology and emerging trends impacting life sciences. Before joining BioTek in 2008, Banks was employed by PerkinElmer for a decade. These roles included management of PerkinElmer’s BioPharma R&D program and Chair of the company’s Scientific Advisory Board. Prior to experiences at PerkinElmer and BioTek, Banks was an Assistant Professor in Analytical Chemistry at Concordia University, Montreal, Canada from 1994 to 1998. Dr. Peter Robert Banks on the web LinkedIn Dr. GPCR Ecosystem Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles Asking Better Questions in Science: A Practical Guide for Emerging Researchers When the Islet Lit Up: Advancing GPCR Imaging in Native Tissue How Collaboration Sparked a GPCR Imaging Breakthrough in Chemical Biology Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

<< Back to podcast list Strategic Partner(s) Dr. Alexander S. Hauser About Dr. Alexander S. Hauser Alexander is currently a postdoc as a member of the personalized medicine cluster in Copenhagen and at the Institute of Biological Psychiatry in Roskilde working with the UK Biobank and other large-scale population cohorts. Alexander has a big interest in the integration of large biomedical data in genomics, structural biology, pharmacology, and pharmacoepidemiology with innovative computational methods to gain novel insights into receptor biology. During his Ph.D. with David Gloriam at the Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology in Copenhagen, he worked on novel analytical methods to identify human signaling systems and thereby discovered endogenous peptides activating several orphan receptors. Alexander had a research sabbatical with Madan Babu at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, UK, where he was working on the impact of genetic variations on drug response. He received the “HC Ørsted Research talent prize” and “Bayer Pharmaceuticals Ph.D. Award” for his work on GPCRs. Dr. Alexander S. Hauser on the web Twitter ResearchGate University of Copenhagen LinkedIn Google Scholar Dr. GPCR Ecosystem Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles Asking Better Questions in Science: A Practical Guide for Emerging Researchers When the Islet Lit Up: Advancing GPCR Imaging in Native Tissue How Collaboration Sparked a GPCR Imaging Breakthrough in Chemical Biology Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

<< Back to podcast list Strategic Partner(s) Dr. David E. Gloriam About this episode David Gloriam is a Professor in Computational Receptor Biology at the University of Copenhagen where he leads a research cluster for GPCR function and drug discovery and a Pharmaceutical Data Science unit. His group runs the GPCRdb database where ~4,000 researchers each month retrieve reference data and access online tools for analysis, visualization, and experiment design. David obtained his Ph.D. from Uppsala University in Sweden where he worked on the bioinformatic identification of 24 novel human G protein-coupled receptors. He later identified physiological hormones of such under characterized ‘orphan’ receptors and functional probes for a range of receptors. He completed two postdocs in the UK at the EMBL-European Bioinformatics Institute and GlaxoSmithKline . In 2018 he joined the University of Copenhagen, where he has received an ERC Starting Grant, Lundbeck Foundation Fellowship, and Novo Nordisk Foundation Ascending Investigator awards. Dr. Gloriam is a corresponding member of the Nomenclature Committee of the International Union of Pharmacology (IUPHAR). He is one of the coordinators of recommendations to describe ligand bias towards signaling probes and safer drugs. His group recently developed an online resource of biased ligands and pathway effects to advance the biased signaling field. Join me a learn more about David’s work, his career trajectory, and GPCRdb. Dr. David E. Gloriam on the web LinkedIn ResearchGate Twitter Google Scholar Computation Receptor Biology- Gloriam Group GPCRdb Dr. GPCR Ecosystem Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles Asking Better Questions in Science: A Practical Guide for Emerging Researchers When the Islet Lit Up: Advancing GPCR Imaging in Native Tissue How Collaboration Sparked a GPCR Imaging Breakthrough in Chemical Biology Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

<< Back to podcast list Strategic Partner(s) Dr. Michel Bouvier About Dr. Michel Bouvier Michel Bouvier is a professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine and the CEO of the Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer ( IRIC ) at the Université de Montréal. Following his Ph.D. in Neurological Sciences at the same university in 1985, he completed a post-doctoral fellow at Duke University in the laboratory of Robert Lefkowitz. In 1989, he returned to Montréal as a professor of biochemistry and a scholar of the Medical Research Council of Canada at the Faculty of Medicine of the Université de Montréal. Since 2001, he holds the Canada Research Chair in Signal Transduction and Molecular Pharmacology. Dr. Bouvier is the author of 300 scientific papers and 15 patents and delivered close to 500 invited conferences. He is a world-renowned expert in the field of cell signaling and GPCRs and made seminal contributions to our understanding of this major class of drug targets. In addition to paradigm shifts including inverse agonism, biased signaling, and pharmacological chaperones, his work on bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) resulted in the development of screening assays that are now widely used for drug discovery. His work received more than 30,000 citations yielding an h-index of 95. He has supervised the research work of 75 graduate students and 40 post-doctoral fellows. Michel’s scientific contributions were recognized by the attribution of many awards and distinctions including his election as a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (2014), the Julie Axelrod award from the American Society of Pharmacology and Exerimental Therapeutics (2017), the Wilder Penfield award from the Quebec Government (2017), the innovation award of ADRIQ (2019) and the 2021 Killam prize form the Canada Council for the Arts. As some of you may know, Michel was one of my professors at the Universite de Montreal. He was also the head of both my Master’s and Ph.D. thesis committees. I was and am still impressed by Dr. Bouvier’s ability to ask highly relevant questions during meetings. In this episode, you will hear us talk about it. I spent some time working in Michel’s lab with some of his postdocs and although I was never officially a member of the lab, I am humbled to have been able to work with him and his team and use the tools developed in his lab to better understand GPCR structure/function relationships. Dr. Michel Bouvier on the web Wikipedia IRIC Bouvier Lab Google Scholar Pubmed ResearchGate Twitter LinkedIn Universite de Montreal- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine Dr. GPCR Ecosystem Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles Asking Better Questions in Science: A Practical Guide for Emerging Researchers When the Islet Lit Up: Advancing GPCR Imaging in Native Tissue How Collaboration Sparked a GPCR Imaging Breakthrough in Chemical Biology Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

<< Back to podcast list Strategic Partner(s) Dr. Randy Hall About Dr. Randy Hall Randy Hall, Ph.D., is a Professor of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology in the Emory University School of Medicine. Randy received his Bachelor's degree in 1990 from the University of New Hampshire and attended graduate school at the University of California at Irvine, studying the regulation of ionotropic glutamate receptors under the direction of Gary Lynch. After obtaining his Ph.D. in 1994, Randy moved to the Vollum Institute in Portland, Oregon, to do a post-doctoral fellowship in the laboratory of Thomas Soderling studying glutamate receptor trafficking and phosphorylation. In 1996, Randy continued his post-doctoral training at Duke University, where he studied the regulation of adrenergic receptors in the laboratory of Nobel Laureate Robert Lefkowitz . Randy then joined the faculty at the Emory University School of Medicine in 1999. Over the past two decades, his lab has published numerous groundbreaking findings shedding light on the signaling and regulation of GPCRs from the adrenergic, purinergic, glutamatergic, GABAergic, and adhesion sub-families. Most recently, his lab has made a number of seminal contributions to understanding the signaling, regulation and in vivo actions of the neuroprotective receptors GPR37 & GPR37L1 as well as the adhesion GPCRs BAI1, BAI2, and GPR56. Randy’s lab has a special interest in studying disease-associated mutations to human GPCRs that perturb receptor signaling and/or trafficking. Randy has received a number of research prizes, including the PhRMA New Investigator Award, the Distinguished Young Scholar in Medical Research Award from the W.M. Keck Foundation, and the John J. Abel Award from ASPET . In 2014, he was named a Fellow of the AAAS. In 2021, he co-authored the critically-acclaimed memoir of his mentor Bob Lefkowitz, entitled “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Stockholm: The Adrenaline-Fueled Adventures of an Accidental Scientist”. Join me to learn more about Randy’s work, hear his insights on the GPCR field, and also hear the story of how he came to co-author the memoir of his legendary mentor. Dr. Randy Hall on the web Hall Lab LinkedIn Google Scholar ResearchGate Dr. Lefkowitz Memoir. Dr. GPCR Ecosystem Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles Asking Better Questions in Science: A Practical Guide for Emerging Researchers When the Islet Lit Up: Advancing GPCR Imaging in Native Tissue How Collaboration Sparked a GPCR Imaging Breakthrough in Chemical Biology Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

<< Back to podcast list Strategic Partner(s) Dr. Ilana Kotliar About Dr. Ilana Kotliar "Ilana Kotliar is a postdoctoral associate in the lab of Tom Sakmar at The Rockefeller University, where she just recently defended her PhD thesis. Ilana uses chemical biology-based methods to study the regulation and protein-protein interactions of GPCRs and a small family of accessory proteins called RAMPs. Ilana’s research is multi-disciplinary and involves a close collaboration with proteomics experts at The Science for Life Laboratory in Sweden. She is a recipient of the prestigious Women in Entrepreneurship Award, an NIH T32 Training Grant, and two Nicholson Fellowships. Outside of the lab, Ilana is a leader within her community, spearheading several outreach initiatives including a global mentoring initiative that matches graduate student mentors to PhD applicants. Ilana graduated Summa cum laude from Cornell University, where she studied Chemistry and Chemical Biology and was recognized as a Merrill Presidential Scholar." Dr. Ilana Kotliar on the web Google Scholar LinkedIn Twitter Dr. GPCR Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles Asking Better Questions in Science: A Practical Guide for Emerging Researchers When the Islet Lit Up: Advancing GPCR Imaging in Native Tissue How Collaboration Sparked a GPCR Imaging Breakthrough in Chemical Biology Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

<< Back to podcast list Strategic Partner(s) Dr. Antonella Di Pizio About this episode In this episode of the Dr. GPCR podcast , we meet with Dr. Antonella Di Pizio, an independent research group leader at the Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich. Antonella trained as a medicinal chemist in Italy, followed by a Ph.D. in computational medicinal chemistry, during which she developed a taste for structural biology. Antonella then moved to Israel, where she first started working on bitter taste GPCRs in Dr. Masha Niv's lab . Today, Antonella has expanded her research to olfactory GPCRs and trace amine receptors. Join us to learn more about chemosensory GPCRs and how computational pharmacology can help better understand their function. Dr. Antonella Di Pizio on the web Leibniz-Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich Google Scholar PubMed LinkedIn Dr. GPCR Ecosystem Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles Asking Better Questions in Science: A Practical Guide for Emerging Researchers When the Islet Lit Up: Advancing GPCR Imaging in Native Tissue How Collaboration Sparked a GPCR Imaging Breakthrough in Chemical Biology Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

<< Back to podcast list Strategic Partner(s) Vaithish Velazhahan About Vaithish Velazhahan Vaithish obtained dual bachelor’s degrees with honors in Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology from Kansas State University, USA. His undergraduate thesis work on studying the biochemical mechanisms of flavonoids in cancer using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) led to a Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship. He then received a prestigious Gates Cambridge Scholarship to study for a Ph.D. at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology and the University of Cambridge, where he is currently a final year Ph.D. candidate. His Ph.D. work has been focused on understanding the structure and activation of Class D fungal GPCRs. He has developed novel tools and methodologies to study fungal GPCRs which allowed the determination of the first structures of the prototypical fungal GPCR Ste2. This work has led to two first-authored manuscripts published in the journal Nature. Vaithish has been recognized with the MRC LMB's Max Perutz Prize for outstanding Ph.D. work and has been elected a Research Fellow at Gonville and Caius College, which is one of the most prestigious positions at the University of Cambridge. Vaithish Velazhahan on the web Twitter GatesCambridge PubMed Dr. GPCR Ecosystem Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles Asking Better Questions in Science: A Practical Guide for Emerging Researchers When the Islet Lit Up: Advancing GPCR Imaging in Native Tissue How Collaboration Sparked a GPCR Imaging Breakthrough in Chemical Biology Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

<< Back to podcast list Strategic Partner(s) Jacob Lee & Jin Choe About this episode In this special episode of the Dr.GPCR podcast , I sat down with the co-founders of Genemod . Jacob Lee and Jin Choe met in ninth grade in English class and have been friends since. Although both went to the same college, Jacob and Jin choose different career paths. One day as they were catching up, Jacob shared his struggles of managing samples and an incredible amount of data and projects in the lab with Jin. Our of this need Genemod was born. Today, Genemod has built a freezer management tool and a project management tool where scientists can manage their reagents, samples, and projects on one intuitive platform. The team is planning on building even more tools that will make Genemod the go-to platform for all research scientists to make research more efficient. Genemode on the web Website Jacob Lee on LinkedIn Jacob Lee on Dr. GPCR Ecosystem Jin Choe on LinkedIn Jin Choe on Dr. GPCR Ecosystem Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles Asking Better Questions in Science: A Practical Guide for Emerging Researchers When the Islet Lit Up: Advancing GPCR Imaging in Native Tissue How Collaboration Sparked a GPCR Imaging Breakthrough in Chemical Biology Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

<< Back to podcast list Strategic Partner(s) Dr. Daniel Isom About Dr. Daniel Isom "Dan was born and raised in the Cleveland area. He is a first-generation college graduate and academic. After spending two years at the Cleveland Institute of Art, he earned degrees in Biochemistry and Chemistry from Case Western Reserve University. He then went on to earn a Ph.D. in Molecular Biophysics from Johns Hopkins University, followed by postdocs at both Duke University and UNC Chapel Hill. Dr. Isom was recruited to the Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology Department at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine in 2016, where he is currently a practicing molecular pharmacologist and biophysicist, systems and synthetic biologist, technologist, heavy CRISPR user, protein sequence- and structure-based informaticist, computational geometer, virtual screener, and Python, medical, and graduate educator leading a talented and multidisciplinary research team. " Dr. Daniel Isom on the web Isom Lab University of Miami Miller School of Medicine LinkedIn X (Twitter) BlueSky Dr. GPCR Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles Asking Better Questions in Science: A Practical Guide for Emerging Researchers When the Islet Lit Up: Advancing GPCR Imaging in Native Tissue How Collaboration Sparked a GPCR Imaging Breakthrough in Chemical Biology Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

<< Back to podcast list Strategic Partner(s) Dr. Pierre Eftekhari About Dr. Pierre Eftekhari "Clinical physiologist and biologist , with more than 25 years of experience in drug development. have been engaged in GPCR cellular and clinical pharmacology as scientist or PI in neonatal lupus, Cardiomyopathy, hypertension, chagas disease. I have participated and initiated methodologies for development of pharmacologically active anti-GPCR antibodies like agonist, antagonist, inverse agonist or blocker. During my Scholar period I have published or contributed in 38 published scientific work mainly in the field of immunology and pharmacology of GPCR. The majority of my research is concentrated on rhodopsin family with a few works on metabotropic receptor. Since the creation of Inoviem scientific in Nov. 2011 by myself we have been regularly working with GPCRs for our pharma and biotech clients. The latter mainly in target deconvolution and patient stratification." Dr. Pierre Eftekhari on the web Inoviem Scientific ResearchGate LinkedIn Twitter Dr. GPCR Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles Asking Better Questions in Science: A Practical Guide for Emerging Researchers When the Islet Lit Up: Advancing GPCR Imaging in Native Tissue How Collaboration Sparked a GPCR Imaging Breakthrough in Chemical Biology Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

<< Back to podcast list Strategic Partner(s) Dr. Kari Johnson About this episode Dr. Kari Johnson is currently an assistant professor at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland. She is a neuropharmacologist with an interest in the long-term effects of alcohol abuse on neural circuits. Kari completed her Ph.D. in Pharmacology at Vanderbilt University before continuing her training as a postdoctoral fellow at the Vanderbilt Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. All through her career, the recurring theme in Kari’s work has been GPCRs and more specifically Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors. Join me and learn more about how Kari studies GPCRs in basal ganglia circuits following chronic alcohol exposure in mice. Dr. Kari Johnson on the web LinkedIn Google Scholar Research Gate USU Twitter Dr. GPCR Ecosystem Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles Asking Better Questions in Science: A Practical Guide for Emerging Researchers When the Islet Lit Up: Advancing GPCR Imaging in Native Tissue How Collaboration Sparked a GPCR Imaging Breakthrough in Chemical Biology Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

<< Back to podcast list Strategic Partner(s) Re-cap of Endocrine Metabolic GPCR 2024 with the Organizers About Dr. Aylin Hanyaloglu Dr. Aylin Hanyaloglu has been a Principal Investigator at Imperial College London since 2007. She received her BSc in Human Biology from King’s College London in 1997, and while her Ph.D. commenced at the MRC Human Reproductive Sciences Centre, Edinburgh, a move to Perth, Australia resulted in her Ph.D. in Molecular Endocrinology being awarded in 2002 with Distinction from the University of Western Australia. Dr. Hanyaloglu undertook her postdoctoral training at the University of California, San Francisco with Professor Mark von Zastrow where she identified novel core cellular machinery critical for G protein-coupled receptor trafficking and signaling. Her research focuses on understanding the fundamental cell biological mechanisms regulating GPCR activity, including spatial control of GPCR signaling and receptor crosstalk, and applying these mechanisms for distinct GPCRs in diverse physiological and pathophysiological systems, with particular focus on women's health, pregnancy, and nutrient sensing in the gut. Her work is currently funded by Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), Diabetes UK, Wellcome Trust, and the Medical Research Council. Dr. Aylin Hanyaloglu on the web LinkedIn Endocrine Metabolic GPCRs Researchgate Twitter Imperial College London Elsevier Loop Dr. GPCR About Dr. Caroline Gorvin "Dr. Caroline Gorvin is a Wellcome Trust & Royal Society Sir Henry Dale Fellow at the Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research, University of Birmingham. She obtained her PhD in 2012 from the University of Oxford, where her research focused on the cellular mechanisms by which mutations in a chloride-proton antiporter cause the renal disorder Dent’s disease. Caroline continued to undertake postdoctoral research in Oxford, investigating the signalling and trafficking of the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), calcium-sensing receptor, and its role in calcium homeostasis. Caroline moved to the University of Birmingham in 2018 to establish her research group investigating metabolic GPCRs. Her current research focuses on how metabolic GPCRs cross-talk and interact to regulate appetite and bone metabolism." Dr. Caroline Gorvin on the web University of Birmingham Endocrine Metabolic GPCRs Society of Endocrinology Google Scholar ResearchGate Loop Twitter Dr. GPCR About Dr. Alejandra Tomas "Dr. Alejandra Tomas is a molecular cell biologist and Senior Lecturer at the Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London. She obtained a PhD in Biochemistry from University College London and spent several years in Switzerland working on the study of membrane trafficking processes in pancreatic beta cells before returning to the UK, first to her Department at UCL and then to lead a laboratory at Imperial following the receipt of an MRC New Investigator Award in 2015." Dr. Alejandra Tomas on the web Imperial College London Endocrine Metabolic GPCRs ResearchGate Google Scholar LinkedIn Twitter Dr. GPCR Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles Asking Better Questions in Science: A Practical Guide for Emerging Researchers When the Islet Lit Up: Advancing GPCR Imaging in Native Tissue How Collaboration Sparked a GPCR Imaging Breakthrough in Chemical Biology Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

<< Back to podcast list Strategic Partner(s) Dr. Chris Tate About this episode Dr. Chris Tate obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Bristol in 1989 and then moved to the University of Cambridge (Dept. of Biochemistry) to work on bacterial sugar transporters. After obtaining a research fellowship at Girton College (Cambridge) he moved to the LMB in 1992 to work in Richard Henderson's group on the serotonin transporter. Chris also worked on the E. coli multidrug transporter EmrE and obtained both 2D and 3D crystals as well as a 3D structure using cryo-EM. In 2005 he started working on the development of conformational thermostabilization of GPCRs, which resulted in the structure of the β1-adrenoceptor. Subsequent work has focused on understanding the molecular basis of GPCR pharmacology through structure determination of the β1-adrenoceptor and adenosine A2A receptor in multiple different conformations bound to ligands of different efficacy. In 2016 mini-G proteins were developed as a tool for the structure determination of GPCRs in the fully active state. Structures have been determined by X-ray crystallography of receptors coupled to either mini-Gs or mini-Go, and also by electron cryo-microscopy of receptors coupled to mini G protein bound to βγ subunits. Recent work includes the first structure determination of a GPCR bound to a biased agonist and coupled to arrestin and also the first structure of a Class D receptor. Join me to learn more about Chris’s work and his role in founding Heptares which was later acquired by Sosei and became Sosei Heptares . Dr. Chris Tate on the web LinkedIn ResearchGate Pubmed Google Scholar Sosei Heptares Wikipedia MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology Dr. GPCR Ecosystem Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles Asking Better Questions in Science: A Practical Guide for Emerging Researchers When the Islet Lit Up: Advancing GPCR Imaging in Native Tissue How Collaboration Sparked a GPCR Imaging Breakthrough in Chemical Biology Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

<< Back to podcast list Strategic Partner(s) Dr. Michael Feigin About Dr. Michael Feigin "Dr. Michael Feigin is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, and Director of Graduate Studies of Experimental Therapeutics at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo, NY. He earned his Ph.D. under Dr. Craig Malbon at SUNY Stony Brook studying the role of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) and their regulators in the Wnt signaling pathway. Mike then joined the lab of Dr. Senthil Muthuswamy at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and probed the roles of polarity proteins (Feigin, et al., Cancer Research, 2014) and GPCRs (Feigin, et al., PNAS, 2014) in breast cancer pathogenesis, using mouse models, three-dimensional cell culture and computational approaches to drug target discovery. When Dr. Muthuswamy moved to the University of Toronto, Mike joined the laboratory of Dr. David Tuveson at CSHL where he participated in the development of an organoid system for the culture of normal and malignant pancreatic tissue, allowing advances in sequencing, target discovery and biomarker development. He also continued his interest in computational analysis of cancer drivers by co-developing GECCO, an algorithm for the identification of noncoding mutations driving gene expression in pancreatic cancer (Feigin and Garvin, et al., Nature Genetics, 2017). Mike's lab has two main areas of interest: 1) alternative polyadenylation as a targetable driver of pancreatic cancer, and 2) dysregulation of the pancreatic tumor microenvironment by commonly prescribed anti-anxiety drugs." Dr. Michael Feigin on the web Roswell Park Feigin Lab Google Scholar LinkedIn Twitter Dr. GPCR AI Summary AI-generated content may be inaccurate or misleading. Always check for accuracy. Quick recap Yamina and Mike engaged in a conversation about their scientific research experiences. Mike shared his journey from his Ph.D. struggles to his current role as a professor, emphasizing the importance of resilience and creativity. They also discussed his research on cell polarity and its role in cancer progression, his work on G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) in breast cancer, and his interest in pancreatic cancer. The discussion also covered the challenges they face in studying GPCRs due to their low expression levels and the difficulty of localizing these receptors in tissues. Next steps • Mike will consider using Twitter to post job positions in his lab. Summary Science Roles and Resilience Yamina and Mike had a conversation about their roles and experiences in the field of science. Yamina introduced herself and Mike shared his educational background and his journey to becoming a professor. Mike also spoke about his initial struggles during his Ph.D., such as a difficult model system and a lack of experimental results. He explained that he overcame these challenges by reading extensively and contemplating alternative plans. The conversation also highlighted the importance of resilience and creativity in scientific research. Science Journey and Postdoc Decision Mike discussed his journey into science and his decision to pursue a postdoc at Cold Spring Harbor. He shared that his interest in science originated from a young age and his desire to gain more knowledge about cancer biology led him to transition into using mouse models. Yamina asked about his move from in vitro to in vivo work, and Mike explained that he wanted to use better models to understand cancer signaling pathways. They also shared their personal experiences and interest in the field of biology. Towards the end, Mike mentioned that he stayed at Cold Spring Harbor even after his mentor left for Toronto. Mike's Research on Cell Polarity and GPCRs in Cancer Mike shared his research on cell polarity and its role in cancer progression, particularly focusing on the potential of disrupted cell polarity as a driver of tumorigenesis. He also discussed his work on G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) in breast cancer, identifying GPR161 as a potential drug target due to its high expression in triple negative breast cancer. Mike then transitioned to pancreatic cancer, questioning why genes are dysregulated in cancer, which led him to explore different aspects of gene regulation and its relation to cancer progression. Yamina acknowledged the difficulty in identifying GPCRs expressed in cancer cells but not in normal ones, and commended Mike's innovative approach to the question. Career Trajectory and Faculty Position Yamina and Mike discussed Mike's career trajectory and his decision to pursue a faculty position. Mike expressed his initial reluctance due to a lack of confidence and fear of not being ready. However, he decided to undertake another postdoc to gain more experience and confidence. He also highlighted the importance of publishing strong papers and having a clear vision for his lab. Yamina emphasized the importance of thorough preparation and planning before applying for faculty positions. They also discussed the challenges of the two-body problem, where both partners need to find suitable positions. Mike shared his strategy of developing preliminary projects and gathering data to strengthen his application. Teamwork and Flexibility in Scientific Research Mike shared about his recent promotion and the way he has managed his team, encouraging them to come up with their own ideas and then guiding them. Yamina congratulated Mike on his promotion and discussed the importance of flexibility in scientific research, even when starting with a clear plan. Mike also mentioned how his team collaborates closely, with weekly roundtable discussions where everyone shares their progress and issues. The conversation ended with Yamina expressing interest in learning more about Mike's two main research areas in his lab. GPCR Targeted Drugs and Gene Regulation in Cancer Cells Mike presented research on the effect of GPCR-targeted drugs on cancer-associated fibroblasts and discussed their work on gene regulation in fibroblasts. He highlighted their interest in non-coding mutations in promoters and the 3'UTR region important for gene regulation. Mike also shared about a drug that targets an enzyme involved in mRNA cleaving, which has been found to stop cancer cells from growing and invading. He also discussed the impact of disrupting histone processing on rapidly proliferating cells, such as cancer cells, and suggested a therapeutic index for a drug called JTE-6.7. Yamina asked about the typical role of the enzyme and the challenges in delivering a molecule to target this enzyme and only cancer cells. Cytokine Inhibition, Collaboration, and Anti-Anxiety Drug Research Mike discussed the ongoing research on a drug that inhibits cytokine synthesis, its potential in killing cancer cells, and the team's efforts to understand its resistance mechanisms. He also touched upon a collaboration with Todd Ricky's group at UPenn to explore the GPCR side of the lab, which led to the discovery of potential tumor suppressors and oncogenes in melanoma. Furthermore, Mike mentioned a qualifying exam where students proposed new projects, highlighting Abby Cornwell's project on the effects of anti-anxiety drugs on pancreatic cancer patients, and the team's research on the potential issues with certain anti-anxiety drugs. The team found that these drugs could interact with GPR68, which is highly expressed in cancer-associated fibroblasts and is crucial for their function, leading to complications in cancer patients. The team is now examining other anti-anxiety drugs and common patient medications in the context of pancreatic cancer. GPCRs and Cancer Immune Modulation Yamina and Mike had a discussion about their research on GPCRs, specifically focusing on GPR68 and its role in the tumor microenvironment. They also touched upon the potential of GPCR modulation in stimulating the immune system to fight cancer. Mike shared his team's current focus on alprazolam, an anti-anxiety medication that has unexpected effects in the tumor microenvironment. They also discussed the challenges they face in studying GPCRs due to their low expression levels and the difficulty of localizing these receptors in tissues. Mike expressed a need for better tools to study GPCR localization in tissues. Scientific Journey and Drug Discovery Challenges Mike shared significant moments in his scientific journey, including the discovery of RGS proteins and its impact on his research approach. He also discussed his experiments and discoveries about GPR161 in mammary epithelial cells, the effect of alprazolam on tumors, and the potential dangers of drug interactions. Yamina proposed further exploration of dosage and length of treatment in a mouse model and suggested using a biosensor-based assay to examine dose-response curves. The conversation highlighted the complexities and challenges of drug prescription and the potential for alternative treatments. Science Journeys and Career Advice Yamina and Mike discussed their experiences in the field of science. Mike advised junior scientists to focus on projects they are passionate about, emphasizing that ownership and full investment in a project can make dealing with challenges easier. Yamina shared her personal journey, describing how she took her project in a different direction and felt a sense of ownership. Mike reflected on his early years as a postdoc, admitting that he lacked focus and didn't see the direct impact of his work on patients. He highlighted the importance of re-evaluating one's work and its potential implications. Towards the end, Yamina asked about job opportunities in Mike's lab, to which Mike responded that potential candidates can find him on Twitter. Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles Asking Better Questions in Science: A Practical Guide for Emerging Researchers When the Islet Lit Up: Advancing GPCR Imaging in Native Tissue How Collaboration Sparked a GPCR Imaging Breakthrough in Chemical Biology Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

Sokhom Pin shares how he built a biotech career around GPCRs, designed a custom PhD path, and led teams through empowerment and purpose. << Back to podcast list Strategic Partner(s) GPCR Pharmacology, Career Twists & Serendipity with Sokhom Pin From the Bench to the Boardroom Sokhom Pin’s story begins not with prestige or privilege but with grit and commitment. From his early work as a technician at Johns Hopkins Hospital to leading biology at Servo Therapeutics, Sokhom’s journey is rooted in practicality and purpose. He shares: "All my industry experience has been GPCR-focused." Starting at DuPont, then BMS, Novartis, and eventually founding in vitro pharmacology departments, Sokhom always stayed anchored to G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Family First, Always The decision to shift from academia to industry wasn’t driven by disillusionment—it was about responsibility. “I had two kids and realized I just couldn’t support a family on a technician’s salary.” This pragmatic decision led him to high-throughput screening at DuPont, proving that scientific ambition doesn’t have to mean sacrificing personal commitments. Falling in Love with GPCRs GPCR pharmacology captured his scientific curiosity. Sokhom recalls how binding assays at BMS introduced him to the depth and complexity of receptor pharmacology: “It’s not just about IC50s. There’s allosterism, receptor desensitization… it opened a whole new world.” This moment became pivotal—transforming technical proficiency into passion. Designing a Non-Traditional PhD While working full-time, Sokhom architected a one-of-a-kind PhD program between BMS and UConn. “I had to find a way. I wanted a PhD, but I couldn’t quit my job.” Through strategic coordination, he executed a PhD entirely in the industry setting—efficient, targeted, and rooted in real-world projects like CGRP receptor antagonists. From Scientist to Leader At Alkermes, Sokhom took his first leadership role and finally experienced the power of empowerment . “That’s the moment that changed my entire career. I was trusted to build a team from scratch.” He focused on culture—ensuring passion and purpose drove performance. The Power of the Right Culture Whether it was Alkermes or Cerevel, Sokhom emphasized that team culture trumps individual genius . “It doesn’t matter how brilliant someone is—if they’re toxic, I don’t want them on the team.” He built what others called the “happiest team at Alkermes,” showing that joy and scientific rigor aren’t mutually exclusive. Network or Miss Out One powerful shift came when Sokhom leaned into networking—despite being an introvert. “I changed from being an extreme introvert to someone who thrives on connection.” His story underscores how something as simple as forwarding a resume or reaching out for coffee can change careers. The Lifecycle of GPCR Popularity Sokhom has witnessed the waves of scientific fashion: “There was a time GPCRs were hot, then ignored. Now they’re back.” His unwavering dedication through these cycles became an asset—many others shifted focus, leaving a smaller, highly skilled group of GPCR specialists. Lessons from Molecules and Mentors He draws inspiration from scientific complexity and colleagues like Arthur Christopoulos and Terry Kenakin. “What fascinates me is how the same molecule behaves differently depending on one amino acid.” He blends classical receptor pharmacology with biosensor technology, always adapting to new tools and insights. Don’t Let Weakness Define You The episode ends with a deeply human reflection: “Don’t let your weakness define your life. Overcome it. I used to sweat thinking about presentations. Now I love them.” Whether it’s networking, leadership, or technical mastery, Sokhom’s message is clear: keep evolving, and don’t settle. Key Takeaway Sokhom Pin's journey is a masterclass in scientific persistence , non-traditional success , and values-driven leadership . For any scientist navigating career uncertainty—his story is both roadmap and inspiration. About Sokhom Pin Sokhom Pin is a receptor pharmacologist with over 20 years of drug discovery research in the pharmaceutical industry, where he works mainly on GPCRs as therapeutic targets. He is passionate about mechanistic profiling of therapeutic molecules as well as drug discovery in general. Outside of science Sokhom enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking, boating, fishing, and biking. Sokhom Pin on the web LinkedIn Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles Asking Better Questions in Science: A Practical Guide for Emerging Researchers When the Islet Lit Up: Advancing GPCR Imaging in Native Tissue How Collaboration Sparked a GPCR Imaging Breakthrough in Chemical Biology Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

<< Back to podcast list Strategic Partner(s) Dr. Antony A. Boucard Jr About Dr. Antony A. Boucard Jr. Dr. Antony Boucard joined the Université de Sherbrooke (Québec, Canada) as a B.S. student of the Biochemistry program in 1994 from which he graduated in 1997. It is then that his interest bloomed for the study of GPCRs while joining the group of Dr. Richard Leduc and Dr. Gaetan Guillemette in the Pharmacology department at the Université de Sherbrooke. He completed a master’s degree in 2000 and a Ph.D. degree in 2003 with a particular interest in the cardiovascular system by investigating the structure of the Angiotensin and Urotensin receptors through various biochemical approaches centered in the elucidation of ligand binding pocket determinants. Motivated by a new ambition to study the nervous system, Dr. Boucard pursued postdoctoral training at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas where he joined the group of Dr. Thomas Südhof . In this institution dear to the heart of GPCR enthusiasts given that its faculty personnel included Dr. Alfred Gilman , Nobel Laureate for his discovery of G proteins, Dr. Boucard ventured into the field of synaptic adhesion molecules which would eventually prompt him to investigate the role of a peculiar family of GPCRs belonging to the Adhesion subgroup. After a relocation to Stanford University where he pioneered work on ligand discovery for then orphan adhesion GPCRs, Dr. Boucard moved to Mexico City to establish himself as an independent investigator integrating the department of Cell Biology at the Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (Cinvestav-IPN). Dr. Boucard´s lab focuses on molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the function of adhesion GPCRs in the formation of synapses. Having a particular interest for a three-member family named latrophilins, his lab seeks to decipher the molecular code instructing adhesion events mediated by these GPCRs. The pharmacology of latrophilins brings about a great deal of challenges given that they are highly polymorphic proteins expressed as various alternatively spliced isoforms thus potentially resulting in differential modulation of cell signaling pathways. His lab highlighted the importance of splicing events in biasing latrophilins’ regulation of cyclic AMP pathways and for determining the magnitude of ligand selectivity. Additionally, his team is also interested in understanding the pathophysiological relevance of latrophilins’ function in neuropsychiatric disorders given their association with genetic susceptibility to the neurodevelopmental disorder known as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) but also to a comorbid clinical manifestation linked to addiction. He also actively volunteers as an Associate Professor of the non-governmental organization Institut des Sciences, des Technologies et des Etudes Avancées d’Haïti (ISTEAH) to help consolidate higher education in Haiti. Dr. Antony A. Boucard Jr. on the web Website LinkedIn Researchgate Loop Academia Pubmed Adhesion GPCR Consortium University of Haiti Dr. GPCR Ecosystem Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles Asking Better Questions in Science: A Practical Guide for Emerging Researchers When the Islet Lit Up: Advancing GPCR Imaging in Native Tissue How Collaboration Sparked a GPCR Imaging Breakthrough in Chemical Biology Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

Dr. Eric Trinquet discusses the science and story behind pH Sense, Revvity’s innovative GPCR internalization assay, and his journey in GPCR product R&D. << Back to podcast list Strategic Partner(s) From Rare Earth Probes to Internalization Assays: The pHSense Story with Dr. Eric Trinquet What does it take to design a breakthrough GPCR assay—from idea to industrial impact? In this special episode, Dr. Eric Trinquet shares the inside story behind the development of pH Sense, Revvity’s latest innovation for tracking GPCR internalization. With a career spanning two decades at the intersection of fluorescence chemistry, functional assays, and product development, Eric takes us through the highs, failures, and scientific “aha” moments that shaped tools like the IP-One kit, Tag-lite, and now, pH Sense. If you’ve ever used HTRF or wondered what goes into making a product worthy of your next experiment, this is your backstage pass. You’ll hear what truly makes a reagent successful—and why academic–industry collaborations are essential for advancing GPCR research. Inside This Episode How Eric and his team reimagined rare earth complexes to develop pH-sensitive probes with tunable brightness and lifetime. Why pH Sense enables high-throughput, no-wash tracking of GPCR internalization—even at endogenous expression levels. What shifted the team’s strategy from traditional calcium assays to IP1 accumulation—and why it mattered for Gq-coupled receptors. How collaborations with David Parker and Jean-Philippe Pin accelerated both probe chemistry and biological validation. What it felt like to see the first dose-response curves in native beta cells—and why that moment changed the trajectory of the project. Why the commercialization of a reagent is not the end, but the beginning of a feedback-driven innovation cycle. Why It Might Hit Home If you’ve ever: Wrestled with unreliable endpoint assays or cumbersome radioactive protocols, Pushed for more physiologically relevant systems and hit the “overexpression ceiling,” Balanced scientific rigor with the unpredictability of product development, Or felt the thrill of seeing a tool you built drive real biological insight… …this episode will resonate. About the Guest Dr. Eric Trinquet is Head of R&D for Life Sciences Reagents at Revvity, where he leads innovation in biochemical and cell-based assay platforms. With a foundational career at Cisbio Bioassays—later acquired by Revvity—Eric played a pivotal role in bringing technologies like HTRF, the IP-One kit, and the Tag-lite platform into widespread use. Originally trained as a physicist with a strong interest in photophysics and fluorescence chemistry, Eric transitioned into the GPCR field through hands-on assay development. His passion lies in turning cutting-edge probe chemistry into robust, scalable tools for drug discovery and basic research. What drives him? A mix of scientific curiosity, a tolerance for failure, and a commitment to delivering real-world impact—one product at a time. More about Revvity pHSense Reagents GPCR Reagents Revvity on Dr. GPCR Dr. GPCR X Revvity Collaboration Want more like this? Join the Dr. GPCR Premium Ecosystem for behind-the-scenes access to GPCR innovators, exclusive deep-dives, and practical tools to accelerate your research or career. 👥 Build connections. 🧪 Get insights. 🎧 Stay ahead. 👉 Join now Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles Asking Better Questions in Science: A Practical Guide for Emerging Researchers When the Islet Lit Up: Advancing GPCR Imaging in Native Tissue How Collaboration Sparked a GPCR Imaging Breakthrough in Chemical Biology Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

<< Back to podcast list Strategic Partner(s) Chloe Hicks About Chloe Hicks Chloe Hicks will graduate from Duke University this spring with a B.S degree in Biology with a concentration in Pharmacology. She has been an undergraduate student member in the Rajagopal Lab since January 2021 and has contributed to multiple projects exploring the underlying mechanisms of biased signaling at chemokine receptor 3 (CXCR3). These previous endeavors involved exploring the effect of subcellular location on the signaling profile of CXCR3’s three endogenous biased ligands, elucidating the role of site-specific receptor phosphorylation in the differential signaling outputs of biased agonists, and demonstrating the ligand specificity behind GRK recruitment to endosomes upon receptor internalization. She is currently working on her senior thesis which involves identifying the non-canonical signaling effectors involved in the activation of Atypical Chemokine Receptor 3 (ACKR3), a receptor which does not couple to G protein and has been shown to maintain its activation in the absence of β-arrestin. Chloe Hicks on the web ORCID LinkedIn Dr. GPCR Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles Asking Better Questions in Science: A Practical Guide for Emerging Researchers When the Islet Lit Up: Advancing GPCR Imaging in Native Tissue How Collaboration Sparked a GPCR Imaging Breakthrough in Chemical Biology Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

Full Agenda Adhesion GPCR workshop 2024 CINVESTAV, Mexico City, Mexico October 23-25 Download PDF Program HERE < Back to Full Agenda Coffee Break with pastries announcement of the aGEM award Complimentary < Previous Session Next Session >

<< Back to podcast list Strategic Partner(s) Dr. Prasenjit Saha About Dr. Prasenjit Saha I conducted my doctoral research at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India, to investigate the mechanisms behind rare mitochondrial diseases, which can lead to heart failure, muscle fatigue, and neurodegenerative disorders. I am now working at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, USA, studying the gut microbiome and its impact on cardiovascular disease (CVD). Specifically, I am interested in understanding dysregulated G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling linked to atherosclerosis and diabetes. My research goal is to identify novel cellular target receptors of human gut microbe-derived metabolites that are pathologically linked to CVD. Discovering these receptors would be a significant breakthrough in cardiovascular biology as they could be targeted for therapeutic purposes. During my post-doctoral research, I was part of a study that identified the receptors of a novel human gut microbe-derived metabolite called phenylacetylglutamine (PAG), which is linked to cardiovascular disease. This study demonstrated that PAG is a potential diagnostic marker for CVD as it causes serious fatal conditions such as thrombus formation, which can block blood vessels. In this study, I discovered adrenergic receptors (α2A, α2B, and β2-adrenergic receptors) that serve as the gut microbial metabolite (PAG) receptor and characterized the receptor-metabolite interaction. More recently, I have shifted my focus to identifying allosteric modulators of host G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) that contribute to cardio-metabolic disorders. Traditional drug discovery efforts have focused on agonists and antagonists that bind to the orthosteric site of the receptor. However, the pursuit of allosteric modulators has gained attention as they have the potential to fine-tune cellular responses with greater selectivity among the subtypes of GPCRs. My long-term plan is to conduct research in the field of receptor biology, with a focus on GPCRs. They are the largest, most versatile, and most ubiquitous class of plasma membrane receptors and serve as targets for more than one-third of all prescribed drugs currently used in the treatment of human diseases all over the world. Dr. Prasenjit Saha on the web Google Scholar Pubmed LinkedIn Dr. GPCR Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles Asking Better Questions in Science: A Practical Guide for Emerging Researchers When the Islet Lit Up: Advancing GPCR Imaging in Native Tissue How Collaboration Sparked a GPCR Imaging Breakthrough in Chemical Biology Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>

Explore Martin Marro’s impact on GPCR drug discovery, assay innovation, and translational pharmacology bridging academia, pharma, and biotech. << Back to podcast list Strategic Partner(s) GPCR Assay Strategy, Bias, and Translational Drug Discovery This episode features Dr. Martin Marro, currently Executive Director and Head of Cell Pharmacology at Eli Lilly’s Obesity Research Group. Dr. Marro’s career spans big pharma and biotech, encompassing functional assay development, GPCR internalization research, and both small molecule and biologic drug discovery. He discusses his formative scientific experiences, critical decision points moving from academia into industry, and his role leading and shaping multidisciplinary teams for screening and innovative therapeutics targeting metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. The conversation explores the realities of using fluorescence-based assays, the challenge of translating in vitro pharmacology to in vivo models, lessons on bias agonism, and novel approaches in antibody discovery for GPCR targets. Dr. Marro’s path highlights the strategic and methodological pivots essential for driving projects into the clinic. For a deeper dive into modern GPCR research and tools, explore more episodes of the GPCR Podcast and discover Dr. GPCR Premium resources. Why This Matters? How advanced assay design is essential for translating cell-based GPCR signals to therapeutic outcomes. Why strategic flexibility in exploring non-canonical signaling pathways is critical for GPCR-targeted drug discovery. What learning from “failed” screens can reveal about receptor pharmacology and species selectivity. The moment when bias agonism and receptor trafficking concepts shifted industry standards for functional assays. How integrating antibody-based modalities has expanded options for hard-to-drug GPCR targets. Why persistent scientific questioning and collaborative networks accelerate GPCR innovation across disease areas. Who Should Listen? This episode is relevant to anyone navigating the complex landscape of GPCR research and translational pharmacology. Those facing disconnects between in vitro functional data and in vivo efficacy in GPCR programs. Researchers refining strategies for high-throughput screening or exploring biased signaling. Teams expanding into antibody or biologic modalities for challenging GPCR targets. Scientists seeking practical advice on career pivots between academia, pharma, and biotech. About Martin Marro Dr. Martin Marro leads the Cell Pharmacology group in the Diabetes, Obesity and Complications Therapeutic Area at Lilly's Seaport Innovation Center in Boston. His scientific training included a PhD at the International Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, followed by an industrial postdoctoral fellowship at GSK, where he entered the GPCR field and became proficient in aptamer selection and cell signaling assays. Dr. Marro’s career advanced through roles at Novartis and Tectonic Therapeutic, contributing to projects across key therapeutic areas—spanning metabolic, cardiovascular, and gastrointestinal diseases. With over two decades in drug discovery, he has established expertise in early phase functional assay development, small molecule and biologics research, and team leadership through high-profile programs. Awarded patents and a proven record in both target and pathway identification, his drive centers on integrating rigorous pharmacology with translational impact while cultivating innovation and scientific growth within his teams. Guest on The Web LinkedIn Enjoying the Dr. GPCR Podcast? Leave a Review. Leave a quick review to help more scientists find the show—and help us keep improving every episode. It takes <60 seconds and makes a big difference. ★ Review on Apple Podcasts ★ Rate on Spotify ✉️ Send feedback to the team Recent Podcast Articles Asking Better Questions in Science: A Practical Guide for Emerging Researchers When the Islet Lit Up: Advancing GPCR Imaging in Native Tissue How Collaboration Sparked a GPCR Imaging Breakthrough in Chemical Biology Thanks for listening to this podcast episode Follow us on your favorite Podcast Player << Previous Podcast Episode Next Podcast Episode >>