Transmembrane receptors transmit signals across the plasma membrane by activating cellular G-proteins, allowing cells to respond to external stimuli as diverse as morphine, light, and hormone with appropriate cellular signaling events. Research in my laboratory focuses on the dynamic regulation of G-proteins by transmembrane G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), which turn the G-proteins "on", and Regulator of G-protein Signaling (RGS) proteins, which turn the G-proteins "off". We are broadly interested in defining the molecular mechanisms that govern the physiologic impact of these signaling complexes. Our long term goals are to delineate novel and therapeutically significant cellular functions of RGS proteins and to develop pharmacologic agents that regulate these functions.

We are currently investigating the regulation of neuronal dopamine signaling pathways by the striatal RGS protein, RGS9-2. Alterations in dopamine receptor activity in the striatum are implicated in the development of drug addition and Parkinson's disease, and the ability of RGS9-2 to modulate these responses suggests that RGS9-2 may be a therapeutic target in the treatment of these pathologies. A second major area of interest in the laboratory is to define the role of RGS proteins in the development and progression of ovarian cancer. G-protein activation by receptors is a well-studied factor in ovarian cancer pathology, but the role of counter-regulation of G-proteins by RGS proteins is unknown.