Biography
Dr. Pant received his M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in Physics from Agra University, Agra, India. His postdoctoral studies were conducted on the mechanisms of electron and ion transport in model membrane systems at the Department of Biophysics at Michigan State University. He joined the Laboratory of Neurobiology in the NIMH as a senior staff fellow in 1974 with Dr. Ichiji Tasaki where he studied the function of the axonal cytoskeleton in the squid giant axon. In 1979 he moved to the NIAAA extending his studies on the neuronal cytoskeleton and the effects of alcohol on its regulation. Dr. Pant moved to the NINDS, Laboratory of Neurochemistry in 1987 where he is presently chief of the section on Cytoskeleton Regulation. His laboratory is studying the mechanisms of topographic regulation of neuronal cytoskeleton proteins by post-translational modification, including the role of kinase cascades in normal brain and during neurodegeneration.
Research Interest
The major focus of this laboratory has been to study the mechanisms of topographic regulation of neuronal cytoskeletal proteins regulation by phosphorylation and neurodegeneration. In a normal physiological state, cytoskeletal proteins are phosphorylated extensively in the axonal compartment of a mature neuron. Although all the substrates, kinases, phosphatases and their regulators are synthesized in neuronal cell bodies, little or no cytoskeletal protein phosphorylation has been detected in the cell body compartment. Under a variety of neuropathological conditions, however, such as ALS, Alzheimers Disease, or Picks disease, hyperphosphorylation of these molecules has been found in abnormal aggregates within cell bodies, usually correlated with massive neuronal cell death. The mechanisms underlying these profound compartmental shifts in neuronal phosphorylation are not well understood.The normal physiological processes within neurons are controlled by signal transduction mechanisms that regulate the balance between protein kinase and protein phosphatase activities. We have shown that the most abundant and extensively phosphorylated motifs in the c-terminal domains (lys-ser-pro-, or KSP) are primarily phosphorylated by proline directed kinases, cdk5 and MAP kinases. Moreover, we have demonstrated that this phosphorylation is due to activation of the signal transduction cascade. Recently, we have focussed on the other part of this regulation, the protein phosphatases. The other project is to study the expression, regulation and role of neuronal Cdk5 in nerve cell function.Cdk5 is a unique multifunctional kinase. Unlike other cyclin-dependent kinases, it is expressed predominantly in post-mitotic neurons, its activity modulated by association with nervous system-specific propeins. Since its identification and characterization in our laboratory, we have been intensively studying its mechanisms of regulation and its role in nerve cell function
Biography
He earned his Ph.D. from University of Mumbai (India) and Post-doctorate from Kyoto Pharmaceutical University (Japan). He has published and presented several original research papers, articles and abstracts in peer reviewed journals and conferences. He has conceptualized innovative drug delivery platform technologies and is an inventor in number of patents. He is an invited speaker at international scientific meetings and conferences. He serves as reviewer for more than 30 scientific international journals and is on Editorial/Advisory board of various journals.
Research Interest
Pharmaceutics, Drug delivery, Pharmaceutical technology, Pharmacokinetics, Biopharmaceutics and Regulatory affairs.
Biography
Dr. G.Ali Mansoori is a professor of bioengineering, chemical engineering and physics at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Dr. Mansoori’s research activities and interests include molecular based study of disease diagnostic methods and therapeutic agents, thermodynamics, nanotechnology, nanobiostructures design (nanoclusters, nanoconjugates, nanoparticles), phase transitions, density functional theory, molecular dynamics simulations, statistical mechanics.
Research Interest
Molecular based study of disease diagnostic methods and therapeutic agents, thermodynamics, nanotechnology, nanobiostructures design (nanoclusters, nanoconjugates, nanoparticles), phase transitions, density functional theory, molecular dynamics simulations, statistical mechanics
