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Membrane Traffic in the Late Secretory & Endosomal Pathways
Office Telephone: (919) 843-8435
Lab Telephone: (919) 843 8434
E-mail:
mduncan@bio.unc.edu
Office: 304 Coker Hall
Mailing
Address:
CB# 3280, Coker Hall
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3280
Assistant Professor (Initial Appointment 2008)
PhD University of California Berkeley (2001)
BS University of Washington (1995)
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My lab studies membrane traffic between the trans-Golgi network and endosomal organelles. This central feature of eukaryotic cell biology is important for functions of the human body including the ability to recognize and destroy infective agents such as bacteria and viruses, sugar uptake in response to insulin and the proper reaction of cells to growth factors-a feature important in normal development and that is often inappropriately regulated in cancer.
I have two main types of projects in the lab; characterizing protein-protein interactions important for membrane traffic and identifying synthetic chemical compounds that regulate membrane traffic.
I use a number of approaches in these projects including biochemical, genetic, and cell biological techniques. I use the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisae as a model organism for much of my work, this easy to grow and genetically tractable organism is a powerful first line of attack to many problems, however we will apply concepts learned and chemical identified in the yeast system to mammalian tissue culture models. Some exciting new projects will involve the use of high throughput chemical screening, whole genome genetics and expression arrays.
Chemical Biology: I previously established a screening
technique to identify compounds that inhibit specific cellular
processes. Using this technique, I screened over 100,000 compounds and
identified a compound that mimics phenotypes of deletions of clathrin
adaptor complex-1 (AP-1) genes in yeast and alters membrane traffic in
human cell lines. In addition, I identified additional classes of
compounds whose effects suggest inhibition of different membrane traffic
pathways. Available projects will identify the molecular target of the
existing AP-1 inhibitor and identify the pathway altered by the
uncharacterized compounds
Protein interactions: Membrane traffic requires a complex
network of protein-protein interactions; what proteins are important and
the molecular mechanism of how they function are key questions we will
address. Available projects will identify new proteins involved in
traffic between the TGN and endosomes using genetic and biochemical
techniques. In vitro assembly reactions coupled with site directed
mutagenesis for in vivo analysis will be used to address the mechanisms
by which newly identified proteins act with some of our old friends to
perform their functions in membrane traffic.
I have an immediate opening for a paid undergrad assistant to help with lab set-up with an opportunity to transition into undergraduate research.
I am looking for a technician for lab management and research support.
- Biol 842 - Seminar in Cell Biology & Biochemistry - 2009 Spring
Misdirected, hijacked and used as camouflage: Membrane traffic in human disease.
Duncan, M. C., Ho, D. G., Huang, J., Jung, M. E. & Payne, G. S. (2007) Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 104, 6235-40.
Costaguta, G., Duncan, M. C., Fernandez, G. E., Huang, G. H. & Payne, G. S. (2006) Mol Biol Cell 17, 3907-20.
Xie, M. W., Jin, F., Hwang, H., Hwang, S., Anand, V., Duncan, M. C. & Huang, J. (2005) Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 102, 7215-20.
Duncan, M. C., Costaguta, G. & Payne, G. S. (2003) Nat Cell Biol 5, 77-81.
Duncan, M. C. & Payne, G. S. (2003) Trends Cell Biol 13, 211-5.
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