Pipettes And Politics

Shagha Ostadjoo discusses her transition from fungal enzyme research in academia to leading an assay development team at New England Biolabs. She shares insights on moving into management, navigating career transitions, and advice for international scientists seeking industry opportunities. ASBMB's interview series features engaging discussions with biological and life sciences professionals about their career journeys and the various opportunities available to graduate students and postdocs.

In conversation with... Carter Palmer by ASBMB

Malaria exerts a devastating impact on communities in the Global South, with upwards of 600,000 deaths yearly, primarily young African children. Using genetic approaches, we have explored the molecular basis of Plasmodium falciparum antimalarial drug resistance, which poses a constant threat to malaria treatment and control efforts. Using a genetic cross, we earlier identified that mutations in PfCRT conferred parasite resistance to chloroquine, the former first-line antimalarial drug. Structural and functional studies reveal that these mutations enable this transporter of globin-derived peptides to efflux chloroquine away from its heme target in parasitized erythrocytes. We also identified novel PfCRT variants that mediate resistance to piperaquine, a first-line combination partner drug that recently failed across Southeast Asia. We and others have also shown that mutations in Kelch13 are causal for parasite resistance to artemisinin, the core component of all current combination therapies, and have identifi

In conversation with... Betsy Martinez–Vaz by ASBMB

This episode features Dr. Sarah Smaga and covers what science policy roles look like in practice, as well as opportunities for scientists interested in advocacy and government engagement.

In conversation with... Sannie Culbertson by ASBMB

In conversation with... Chris Heinen by ASBMB

The first growth factors identified and studied during the early 1970s were Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) and Nerve Growth Factor (NGF). It was soon demonstrated that EGF and NGF mediate their cellular and physiological effects by binding to specific cell membrane receptors: the EGF receptor (EGFR) and the NGF receptor (NGFR), respectively. The mechanisms of activation and signaling of these receptors were compared to those of insulin and IGF1, which bind and activate the Insulin Receptor (IR) and IGF1 Receptor (IGF1R). These comparisons gained further significance with the discovery that EGFR, NGFR, IR, IGF1R, and many other membrane receptors belong to the receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) family of cell signaling molecules. Early insights into the activation and signaling mechanisms of EGFR revealed that ligand binding to its extracellular domain induces and stabilizes the formation of EGFR dimers. This dimerization plays a critical role in activating the receptor's intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity. Through

The joy of teaching lies not only in helping students surpass their own expectations but in the collaborative process that makes learning a shared journey. In my approach, fostering a love for science and learning happens through meaningful collaboration—with students, colleagues, and the broader academic community. I believe that when we embrace collaboration, we empower students to actively engage with material, rediscover their scientific curiosity, and take ownership of their learning. By creating discussion-based classrooms and utilizing evidence-based pedagogies, I work alongside students to foster inquiry and critical thinking, helping them develop the skills to ask insightful questions and seek meaningful answers. Incorporating my own research into the classroom enriches this process, bringing real-world insights and cutting-edge developments into our discussions. This not only keeps students connected to the latest in the field but also demonstrates the dynamic relationship between teaching and resea

The study of DNA damage has broad relevance to human pathophysiology with its involvement in birth defects, cancer, premature aging syndromes, and certain neurologic disorders. Single strand breaks (SSBs) are among the most common form of endogenous DNA damage. Here we will describe mechanisms by which SSBs threaten genome integrity in mitotic and post-mitotic cells. If they are not resolved in a timely manner, SSBs can derail passing replication forks converting them to toxic double strand breaks (DSBs). These so called “collapsed forks” arise spontaneously in every S phase and are believed to be the primary physiological trigger of homologous recombination. We will describe a recent study using the CRISPR/Cas9 nicking enzymes to examine the interaction of the human replication machinery with SSBs. We combine direct analyses of DNA end structures at sites of DNA nick-induced fork collapse with detailed mapping of repair factor binding to establish a comprehensive high-resolution view of how replication-coupl

Science is not performed in a vacuum, and scientists do not make strides without other who have helped them along the way. Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to have had many mentors who have been instrumental in my scientific journey. Now with a career in academia, I have worked hard to improve academia for scientists at all levels, especially those that have been historically marginalized. I will discuss my scientific career path through the lens of all the people that have supported, encouraged and inspired me throughout the years.

A multitude of hydrophobic lipids are present within the cell. Their distribution between the aqueous milieu of the cytosol and amphipathic membranes, and between different organellar membranes, is remarkably variant. In addition to their direct involvement as substrates and intermediates for energy storage and utilization, lipids play key roles in determining membrane physical-chemical properties as well as in regulating gene expression and intracellular signal transduction pathways. Intracellular lipid-binding proteins (LBPs) are thought to participate in establishing and maintaining the spatial and compositional variabilities in membrane structure and in regulating the activities of lipid involvement in metabolism, cell signaling, and gene regulation. Discerning their precise functions at the molecular level, however, has posed challenges. While in vitro studies establish binding affinities and specificities, and structural determinants of lipid binding and LBP-membrane interactions, intracellular activi

Background: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is the fastest-growing etiology of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This work identifies novel gene and lipid associations in human MASLD-driven HCC that may be exploited for therapeutic benefit. Methods: Human HCC tumor (n=8) and adjacent non-tumor samples (n=8) were obtained from the Biospecimen Procurement and Translational Pathology Shared Resource Facility at the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center. All patients met cardiometabolic MASLD criteria and were negative for viral hepatitis. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining was used for pathological determination of tumor and adjacent nontumor tissue. Lipids were extracted using a methyl-tert-butyl ether extraction method and subjected to lipidomics by the West Coast Metabolomics Center. RNA was isolated and used for bulk sequencing. Data were analyzed using paired nonparametric analyses via a Wilcoxon or Mann-Whitney test, as appropriate. Results: Histological analysis by H

Keynote presented by Rohit V. Pappu, Washington University in St. Louis, recipient of the 2025 ASBMB DeLano Award for Computational Biosciences. The ASBMB DeLano Award for Computational Biosciences is given to a scientist for accessible and innovative developments or applications of computation to enhance research in the life sciences at the molecular or cellular level.

My laboratory has made major contributions to our understanding of non-canonical functions for protein kinases by discovering diverse and unanticipated biochemical activities that are performed by this protein superfamily. Protein kinases have been studied for decades and play important roles in many physiological and pathological processes. The textbook view is that these enzymes transfer phosphate from ATP to protein substrates in a process termed phosphorylation. However, my laboratory has overturned this paradigm by discovering new catalytic activities of atypical protein kinases and pseudokinases. For example, we discovered that the predicted pseduokinases SelO, SidJ and nsp12 catalyze AMPylation, polyglutamylation and mRNA capping, respectively. These results have revealed important new insights into the cellular response to oxidative stress and the pathogenic mechanisms employed by bacterial and viral pathogens. Our work on eukaryotic, prokaryotic, and viral kinases has exposed the catalytic versatilit

Success in poker requires taking risks based on incomplete information, reassessing as new information emerges, perseverance in the face of adversity, and a healthy dose of luck. The same is true in scientific research. I will speak to how persistence and serendipity helped define my career and why understanding poker fundamentals can up your scientific game.

The rationale, design, and mechanism of GABA aminotransferase and ornithine aminotransferase inactivators will be presented as well as in vitro and in vivo efficacy and pharmacokinetic results, toxicology studies, and a clinical trial with one of the inactivators.

In conversation with... Lou Stancato by ASBMB

In conversation with... Cindy Khuu by ASBMB

In conversation with... Nisha Cavanaugh by ASBMB