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Lawrence E. Goldfinger, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology

   and Sol Sherry Thrombosis Research Center

Telephone:  215-707-8157

Email:  goldfinger@temple.edu

Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology

Sol Sherry Thrombosis Research Center

BS, Biology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 1995

 

PhD, Cell Biology, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, IL, 1999

    

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• American Society for Cell Biology
• North American Vascular Biology Organization
• American Association for the Advancement of Science

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The ultimate goal of our research is to understand how cells use protein interaction networks to transduce signals from extracellular stimuli to produce specific phenotypic responses. We are particularly interested in the roles of the Ras family of small GTPases in transducing these signals. This interest is reflected in a variety of research interests in the lab:

1. The signaling functions of the Ras family G protein R-Ras. We identified RLIP76 as a novel R-Ras effector protein in its effects in cell spreading and we are taking several approaches to understand how a R-Ras/RLIP76 signaling complex regulates cell motility.
2. The contributions of Ras proteins to downstream signaling events and their effects on intracellular vesicle trafficking. We have found that R-Ras and RLIP76 regulate downstream activation of the pro-migratory small G protein Arf6, and we are currently studying the relationships of this pathway to effects of R-Ras in intracellular vesicle trafficking and its roles in cell motility.
3. Biological functions of R-Ras and RLIP76. We are currently investigating roles for this migration signaling complex in the biology of cells of the vessel wall, such as angiogenesis and in endothelial responses to acute vascular injury.
4. The roles of Ras signaling in the cell biology, physiology and pathophysiology of platelets. Ras effectors such as PI3-kinase and downstream signaling targets including ERK/MAP kinase are essential for platelet responses to agonist stimulation leading to platelet aggregation and thereby affecting hemostasis/thrombosis. We are actively investigating the contributions of Ras G proteins as well as scaffolding molecules in the Ras pathway in platelet functional responses.

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Recent Medically Related Publications, Obtained from PubMed (Click on PubMed ID to view abstract)

22902412. Lee S, Wurtzel JG, Singhal SS, Awasthi S, Goldfinger LE, RALBP1/RLIP76 depletion in mice suppresses tumor growth by inhibiting tumor neovascularization. Cancer Res 72:20(5165-73)2012 Oct 15

22751447. Wurtzel JG, Kumar P, Goldfinger LE, Palmitoylation regulates vesicular trafficking of R-Ras to membrane ruffles and effects on ruffling and cell spreading. Small GTPases 3:3(139-53)2012 Jul-Sep

21736870. Bhavanasi D, Kim S, Goldfinger LE, Kunapuli SP, Protein kinase Cd mediates the activation of protein kinase D2 in platelets. Biochem Pharmacol 82:7(720-7)2011 Oct 1

20876458. Jalagadugula G, Mao G, Kaur G, Goldfinger LE, Dhanasekaran DN, Rao AK, Regulation of platelet myosin light chain (MYL9) by RUNX1: implications for thrombocytopenia and platelet dysfunction in RUNX1 haplodeficiency. Blood 116:26(6037-45)2010 Dec 23

18784251. Lim CJ, Kain KH, Tkachenko E, Goldfinger LE, Gutierrez E, Allen MD, Groisman A, Zhang J, Ginsberg MH, Integrin-mediated protein kinase A activation at the leading edge of migrating cells. Mol Biol Cell 19:11(4930-41)2008 Nov

18583710. Goldfinger LE, Tzima E, Stockton R, Kiosses WB, Kinbara K, Tkachenko E, Gutierrez E, Groisman A, Nguyen P, Chien S, Ginsberg MH, Localized alpha4 integrin phosphorylation directs shear stress-induced endothelial cell alignment. Circ Res 103:2(177-85)2008 Jul 18

18354782. Goldfinger LE, Choose your own path: specificity in Ras GTPase signaling. Mol Biosyst 4:4(293-9)2008 Apr

18329275. Lee J, Hong J, Nam TG, Peters EC, Orth AP, Geierstanger BH, Goldfinger LE, Ginsberg MH, Cho CY, Schultz PG, A small molecule inhibitor of alpha4 integrin-dependent cell migration. Bioorg Med Chem 17:3(977-80)2009 Feb 1

17439166. Goldfinger LE, Ptak C, Jeffery ED, Shabanowitz J, Han J, Haling JR, Sherman NE, Fox JW, Hunt DF, Ginsberg MH, An experimentally derived database of candidate Ras-interacting proteins. J Proteome Res 6:5(1806-11)2007 May

16966426. Goldfinger LE, Ptak C, Jeffery ED, Shabanowitz J, Hunt DF, Ginsberg MH, RLIP76 (RalBP1) is an R-Ras effector that mediates adhesion-dependent Rac activation and cell migration. J Cell Biol 174:6(877-88)2006 Sep 11

14570053. Kinbara K, Goldfinger LE, Hansen M, Chou FL, Ginsberg MH, Ras GTPases: integrins' friends or foes? Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 4:10(767-76)2003 Oct

12913113. Goldfinger LE, Han J, Kiosses WB, Howe AK, Ginsberg MH, Spatial restriction of alpha4 integrin phosphorylation regulates lamellipodial stability and alpha4beta1-dependent cell migration. J Cell Biol 162:4(731-41)2003 Aug 18

12837751. Han J, Rose DM, Woodside DG, Goldfinger LE, Ginsberg MH, Integrin alpha 4 beta 1-dependent T cell migration requires both phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of the alpha 4 cytoplasmic domain to regulate the reversible binding of paxillin. J Biol Chem 278:37(34845-53)2003 Sep 12

11054871. Jones JC, Dehart GW, Gonzales M, Goldfinger LE, Laminins: an overview. Microsc Res Tech 51:3(211-3)2000 Nov 1

10956663. Goldfinger LE, Jiang L, Hopkinson SB, Stack MS, Jones JC, Spatial regulation and activity modulation of plasmin by high affinity binding to the G domain of the alpha 3 subunit of laminin-5. J Biol Chem 275:45(34887-93)2000 Nov 10

10413670. Goldfinger LE, Hopkinson SB, deHart GW, Collawn S, Couchman JR, Jones JC, The alpha3 laminin subunit, alpha6beta4 and alpha3beta1 integrin coordinately regulate wound healing in cultured epithelial cells and in the skin. J Cell Sci 112 ( Pt 16):(2615-29)1999 Aug

9699461. Jones JC, Hopkinson SB, Goldfinger LE, Structure and assembly of hemidesmosomes. Bioessays 20:6(488-94)1998 Jun

9531563. Goldfinger LE, Stack MS, Jones JC, Processing of laminin-5 and its functional consequences: role of plasmin and tissue-type plasminogen activator. J Cell Biol 141:1(255-65)1998 Apr 6

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