Nebraska Center for Cellular Signaling

Nebraska Center for Cellular Signaling

The Nebraska Center for Cellular Signaling (NCCS) was formed in the fall of 2003 by Dr. Margaret Wheelock creating a Center of Biomedical Research Excellent (CoBRE) under the IdeA program, which is funded by the National Institutes of Health and the National Center for Research Resources. This Center, through the collaborations of the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Creighton School of Medicine, and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, fosters new research initiatives dedicated to improving the oral and dental health of Nebraskans and citizens of other states. Junior and established researchers at these institutions conduct innovative and collaborative research efforts supported by the Center. This Center presents a strong mentoring environment to attract and promote the development of promising investigators.

Focus

A number of areas within the field of cell biology are rapidly converging on a common theme: cellular signal transduction. This is particularly true for the fields of cell adhesion, cell motility and cancer biology. The main focus of this Center is to bring together individuals studying signal transduction to form an organized, cohesive group that will provide leadership and mentoring to junior faculty interested in signaling.
Article: Growing Our Own article

Current Research Projects

"The Mechanism of Aberrant DNA Methylation in Mouse Lymphomagenesis" Rene Opavsky PhD, assistant professor, Eppley Institute, UNMC

"Endocytic regulation of raft-associated GPI-anchored protein trafficking"
Naava Naslavsky PhD, assistant professor, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, UNMC

"KIBRA, Aurora-A and the Hippo Signaling"
Jixin Dong PhD, assistant professor, Eppley Institute, UNMC

"The Functions and Regulatory Mechanisms of a Specific Protein Phosphatase 1 Complex in the DNA Damage Response and Cancer Progression"
Aimen Peng PhD, assistant professor, Oral Biology, UNMC

Live Cell Microscopy Core

The Live Cell microscope located at the College of Dentistry in Lincoln provides a humidity- and CO2-controlled growth chamber and Intelligent Imaging Innovations software for collecting images. This system includes digital de-convolution, 3D rendering and lasers for FRAP analysis of protein turnover. This microscope is available for use by investigators at UNL or the COD. A second Live Cell microscope is housed in the Eppley Institute. This instrumentation is available to investigators in Omaha (UNMC and Creighton), and provides a humidity- and CO2-controlled growth chamber and Intelligent Imaging Innovations software for collecting images, spinning disc confocal, digital de-convolution, 3D rendering and lasers for FRAP analysis of protein turnover. For more information or to schedule imaging please contact the director Jim Wahl Ph.D. at 402-472-1324 or jwahl@unmc.edu.

External Advisory Board

Thomas Carey, Ph.D., University of Michigan
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Jean Schwarzbauer, Ph.D., Princeton University
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George Prendergast, PhD Lankenau Institute for Medical Research
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