Disputas – Master i human biological science Rania Al-Mahdi.

Master i human biological science Rania Al-Mahdi disputerer for ph.d.-graden i Helsevitenskap og vil offentlig forsvare avhandlingen:

Identification of novel roles and new modes of regulation for the atypical MAP kinases ERK3 and ERK4

Kort sammendrag av avhandlingen

Kinases are proteins that regulate the activity of other proteins by the addition of phosphate groups.  Genes encoding protein kinases are amongst the most commonly mutated genes in human cancer. ERK3 and ERK4 are atypical kinases belonging to the MAP kinase family. Very little is known about the function of ERK3 and ERK4, but MAP kinase pathways in general are evolutionarily conserved and control fundamental cellular processes. Protein kinases having a role in cell survival, proliferation, and migration, are important drug targets because of their roles in cancer cell growth and tumor invasion. In this PhD project, a new role for ERK3 in cell morphology and migration was identified. ERK3 was also found to influence the loss of cell-cell adhesion and F-actin rearrangement. We have discovered that the dual-specificity phosphatase2 (DUSP2) can interact and dephosphorylate (regulate the activity of) both ERK3 and ERK4. In addition we have found that Hsp90 can interact with and stabilize ERK4. The inhibition of Hsp90 is a very promising target for cancer therapy.(Avhandlingen er tilgjengelig for utlån hos Seksjon for forskningstjenester frem til disputasdato)

Veiledere
Professor Ole Moten Seternes, Institutt for farmasi (Hovedveileder) UiT
Førsteamanuensis Ingvild Mikkola, Institutt for farmasi (biveileder) UiT
Bedømmelseskomiteen
Assistant Professor Weiwen Long, Wright State University, Ohio, USA (1. Opponent)
Professor Ragnhild  E. Paulssen, Farmasøytisk Institutt, Seksjon for farmasøytisk Biovitenskap, UiO, Oslo (2. opponent)
Førsteamanuensis Ann Mari Holsæter, Institutt for farmasi, UiT (Leder av komite)
Disputasleder
Professor Thrina Loennechen, Institutt for farmasi, UiT Norges arktiske universitet

Prøveforelesning over oppgitt emneholdes 12.11.15 kl. 14.15 på Tabletten, Farmasi-bygget: "Molecular mechanisms of cell migration in health and disease"

Når: 13.11.15 kl 10.15–13.00
Hvor: AUD 1.150, Tannbygget
Sted: Tromsø
Målgruppe: alle
Ansvarlig: Susanne Fomsgaard How
Legg i kalender