I am truly enthusiastic to become the Program Director/Principal Investigator of the Nebraska INBRE program. And I am committed to continuing the high standards and goals of our program which are to:
- Strengthen the biomedical research capacity in Nebraska;
- Build on established scientific focus areas in Nebraska including, infectious disease, cell signaling and cancer biology;
- Provide access to research resources to increase the number of competitive investigators in Nebraska;
- Provide hands-on laboratory experiences and research opportunities for Nebraska undergraduate students;
- Serve as a pipeline for undergraduate students to continue in health research careers; and
- Enhance science and technology knowledge in Nebraska’s workforce.
For those who don’t know me, let me introduce myself.
I received my bachelor’s degree in zoology in 1993 and doctoral degree in 1999 from the University of Florida. Upon graduation, I became a research associate in the department of biochemistry at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York and was supported by a National Institutes of Health postdoctoral fellowship.
In 2003, I joined the department of biochemistry and molecular biology at UNMC where I have developed and maintained a nationally funded research program through awards from the NIH, the American Heart Association and the state of Nebraska.
My lab is committed to advancing the understanding of the fundamental mechanisms of gap junction regulation, with particular interest and expertise in protein-protein interactions mediated by the carboxyl terminal domain of connexins. Changes in connexin distribution, density, and properties are characteristic of arrhythmic heart disease. Therefore, knowing what causes alteration of gap junction properties in heart disease is essential for defining the pathological substrate and devising effective therapies. I also am interested in mechanisms underlying the initiation and persistence of lethal cardiac rhythms.
I am married to Pamela Sorgen and together we have two children, Chandler, 14, and Carter, 12. Along with gardening, traveling, and spending time with family and friends with my wife, I enjoy working out at the gym and officiating high school basketball games.