Professor
Cell Biology and Physiology
Email Website Contact Info More Publications
Signal transduction by G protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) in the cardiovascular, nervous and visual systems is the focus of our research. GPCRs are the largest and most important class of receptors in humans because they are the targets of more than half of all drugs used clinically and many drugs of abuse.
Our research focuses on RGS proteins, a large family of G protein regulators we discovered. RGS proteins are regulators, effectors and integrators in GPCR signaling pathways and thus have exceptionally important mechanistic and physiologic roles. Indeed, genetic or epigenetic defects affecting RGS family members have been shown to cause hypertension, heart failure, anxiety, schizophrenia, vision defects, or augmented action of cocaine and opioids.
Currently our goals are to elucidate novel mechanisms and physiological functions of RGS proteins in the cardiovascular, nervous and visual systems through biochemical, cell biological, genetic and physiologic studies of knockout and transgenic mice. We are working to: 1) determine the myriad of mechanisms by which RGS2 regulates blood pressure; and 2) elucidate functions of the RGS7 family in the visual and nervous system signaling and biology. Both projects employ a multidisciplinary approach that includes biophysics (FRET, FLIM, FRAP), biochemistry, molecular biology, real-time imaging of signaling molecules, pharmacology, and mouse physiology. New students will have the opportunity to build on current projects or to develop novel research projects.
Research Publications
Drenan RM, Doupnik CA, Jayaraman M, Buchwalter AL, Kaltenbronn KM, Huettner JE, Linder ME, Blumer KJ (2006 Sep 22). R7BP augments the function of RGS7*Gbeta5 complexes by a plasma membrane-targeting mechanism. J Biol Chem. 281 (38): 28222-31. Full Article >
Huber TB, Kwoh C, Wu H, Asanuma K, Godel M, Hartleben B, Blumer KJ, Miner JH, Mundel P, Shaw AS (2006 May). Bigenic mouse models of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis involving pairwise interaction of CD2AP, Fyn, and synaptopodin. J Clin Invest. 116 (5): 1337-45. Full Article >
Chang FS, Han GS, Carman GM, Blumer KJ (2005 Oct 10). A WASp-binding type II phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase required for actin polymerization-driven endosome motility. J Cell Biol. 171 (1): 133-42. Full Article >
Drenan RM, Doupnik CA, Boyle MP, Muglia LJ, Huettner JE, Linder ME, Blumer KJ (2005 May 23). Palmitoylation regulates plasma membrane-nuclear shuttling of R7BP, a novel membrane anchor for the RGS7 family. J Cell Biol. 169 (4): 623-33. Full Article >
Sun X, Kaltenbronn KM, Steinberg TH, Blumer KJ (2005 Mar). RGS2 is a mediator of nitric oxide action on blood pressure and vasoconstrictor signaling. Mol Pharmacol. 67 (3): 631-9. Full Article >
Blumer KJ (2004 Jan 1). Vision: the need for speed. Nature. 427 (6969): 20-1. Full Article >
Contact Info
Kendall Blumer, Ph.D.
Office Location: 506 McDonnell Science Bldg.
Office Phone: 314-362-1668
Lab Phone: 314-362-1662
Campus Box: 8228
Fax: 314-362-7463
kblumer@cellbiology.wustl.edu
http://www.blumerlab.wustl.edu
