Jae Park, Ph.D.

 

Research Statement

My research focuses on the biological functions of various neuropeptide-encoding genes and their neurons in the central nervous system of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. In particular, we are interested in neuronal architecture and functions in the regulation of biological rhythms, feeding and metabolism. Other areas of research involve molecular mechanisms of neuropeptide gene regulation, and genetic and molecular basis of neuronal apoptosis during metamorphic changes of central nervous system. Technically, we routinely carry out molecular cloning works, immunocytochemistry, in situ hybridization, transformation, conventional fly genetics, and behavior assays.  My research program has been supported by NSF and NIH.

Selected Publications

Lee G, Wang Z, Sehgal R, Chen C-H, Kikuno K, Hay B, Park JH. 2011. Drosophila caspases involved in developmentally regulated programmed cell death of peptidergic neurons during early metamorphosis. Journal of Comparative Neurology, 519: 34-48.

Cho D, Zheng M, Min C, Ma L, Kurose H, Park JH, Kim K-M. 2010. Agonist-induced endocytosis and receptor phosphorylation mediate resensitization of dopamine receptors. Molecular Endocrinology 24: 574-586.

Banerjee P, Schoenfeld B, Bell A, Choi C, Bradley M, Hinchey P, Kollaros M, Park JH, McBride S, Dockendorff T. 2010. Short and long-term memory are modulated by multiple isoforms of the fragile X mental retardation protein. Journal of Neuroscience 30: 6782-6792.

Bahn JH, Lee G, Park JH. 2009. Comparative analysis of Pdf-mediated circadian behaviors between D. melanogaster and D. virilis. Genetics 131: 965-975.

Galindo KA, Lu W-J, Park JH, JM Abrams. 2009.  The Bax/Bak ortholog in Drosophila, Debcl, exerts limited control over programmed cell death.  Development 136: 275-283.

Lee G, Kim K-M, Keiko K, Wang Z, Choi Y-J, Park JH. 2008.  Developmental regulation and functions of the expression of the neuropeptide corazonin in Drosophila melanogaster. Cell Tissue Res. 331: 659-673.

Park D, Veenstra JA, Park JH, Taghert PH. 2008. Mapping peptidergic cells in Drosophila. Where Dimm fits in. PLoS One 3: e1896.

Choi S-H, Lee G, Monahan P, Park JH. 2008. Spatial regulation of Corazonin neuropeptide expression requires multiple cis-acting elements in Drosophila melanogaster. J. Comp. Neurol. 507: 1184-1195.

Cho E-Y, Cho D-I, Park JH, Kurose H, Caron MG, Kim K-M. 2007.  Role of protein kinase C and actin-binding protein 280 in the regulation of intracellular trafficking of dopamine D3 receptor. Mol. Endocrinol.21: 2242-2254.

Banerjee P, Nayar S, Hebbar S, Fox CF, Jacobs MC, Park JH, Fernandes JJ, Dockendorff TC. 2007.  Substitution of critical isoleucines in the KH domains of Drosophila fragile X protein result in partial loss-of-function phenotypes. Genetics 175: 1241-1250.

 

Contact Information

Office:
Room F-217
Walters Life Sciences
Phone: (865) 974-3035

Lab:
Room B-204
Walters Life Sciences
Phone: (865) 974-3820

Email: jhpark@utk.edu