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Research Interests

 

According to the American Diabetes Association there are over 14.6 Million people with diabetes.  Of these, nearly 95% have been diagnosed with diabetes type 2.  With no cure for this multifaceted metabolic disease and the rapid increase in the number of cases, diabetes has been characterized as an epidemic.

 

Potential targets for the treatment of diabetes and its associated disorders lie in the intricate cell signaling cascades that control glucose metabolism.  One of the hormones secreted by adipose (fat) tissue responsible for the control of blood glucose levels and metabolism is adiponectin.  This hormone is secreted in high levels in healthy individuals while decreased levels are associated with diabetes, obesity and arthrosclerosis.  Recently, two receptors have been identified that bind adiponectin; Adiponectin Membrane Receptor 1 and 2 (AdipoR1 and AdipoR2).  AdipoR1 is expressed mostly in skeletal muscle while AdipoR2 is found mostly in the liver.  Both receptors have been shown to regulate Fatty Acid Oxidation, Gluconeogenesis, and the activation of the AMP Kinase pathway.  According to hydrophobicity studies, AdipoR1 and AdipoR2 both contain seven transmembrane spanning domains and have an internal N-terminus and external C-terminus and are part of the PAQR family of proteins.  The PAQR family is distinct from G-coupled protein receptors in structure, sequence similarity and function. Structural analysis of AdipoR1 and AdipoR2 receptors and determination of the specific binding sites for adiponectin and other ligands may lead to novel therapeutic targets for diabetes and other associated diseases.

 

My research interests lie in the structural analysis of these receptors and how the binding of adiponectin and other ligands affects downstream cell signaling events.  In collaboration with Tom Lyons at the University of Florida, studies on the structural nature of these receptors will determine the specific binding interactions between the receptors and their ligand(s) thereby allowing for the development of new pharmaceutical targets for the receptors.

 

Research Students – Past and Present

Student

Major

Year First Involved in Research

Where are they now?

Or Where did they go after Winthrop University?

Devon

Bork

Chem/Biol

2002

Med School – MUSC

Kelly Murphy

Biology

2002

 

Heather Wright

Chemistry

2002

Atotech Industries

Elizabeth Dimond

Chem/Biol

2003

Graduate School – Clemson University

Nisheeth Rai

Chemistry

2003

Med School – Midwestern

Meagan Dowdy

Chem/Biol

2003

Anesthesiology Assistant Program – South University

Justin Daniel

Chemistry

2003

 

Anna Vagstad

Chemistry

2004

Graduate School – John’s Hopkins University

Vennece Fowlkes

Chemistry

2004

Graduate School – University of South Carolina

Lavonda Walker

Chemistry

2004

Method Development/Validation Chemist – Pharmaceuticals

Zainab Ghadiyali*

Chemistry

2005

DAAD Scholarship –

Current Student

Shannon Kissinger

Chem/Biol

2006

 

Rachel Glazener

Chem/Phil

2006

Graduate School – University of Tennessee

Inesha Baker

Chemistry

2006

Lab Technician at MUSC

Alena

James

Biology

2007

Graduate School – Winthrop University

Katie

Faile

Chemistry

2007

Pharmacy School –South Carolina College of Pharmacy

Rachel* Wilson

Chemistry

2008

Current Student

Shaylin Duncan*

Biology

2008

Current Student

                                                                   * Most Recent Students

                                                                                                                                                                                          

Student Presentations at State, Regional and National/International Meetings Since 2003

 

Bork, D., Murphy, K., Chiswell, B., Sodetz, J.M., and Parker, C.L. (2003) “Production of a Recombinant C8a Protein Fragment for Structural Analysis.”  Bull. S.C. Acad. Sci. 76, 61. South Carolina Academy of Science meeting at Clemson University, Clemson, S.C.  Presented as a talk.

 

Rai, N., Bork, D., Murphy, K., Dimond, E., Chiswell, B., Sodetz, J.M., and Parker, C.L. (2003) “Production of a Recombinant C8a Protein Fragment for Structural Analysis.”  Poster presentation at Duke University’s Duke Excellence in Chemical Biology Undergraduate Poster Contest.

 

Dimond, E., Bork, D., Murphy, K, Rai, N., Chiswell, B., Sodetz, J.M., and Parker, C.L. (2003)  “Production of a Recombinant C8a Protein Fragment for Structural Analysis.”  55th Southeast Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society. presented as a poster. Atlanta, GA.

 

Walker, L, and Parker, C. (2005) “Expression and Purification of Recombinant AdipoR1 in Sf9 cells” Poster Presentation. 19th National Conference on Undergraduate Research. Lexington, VA (VMI) April 21-23.

 

Fowlkes, V., and  Parker, C. (2005) “Reproduction of Recombinant MACPF C8alpha in Sf9 Insect Cells” Oral Presentation. 19th National Conference on Undergraduate Research. Lexington, VA (VMI) April 21-23.

 

Walker, L., and Parker, C.  (2005) “Expression and Purification of AdipoR1 in Sf9 cells.” FASEB J.  19(5), A234.1. Presented as a Poster at American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology meeting in San Diego, CA. April 2-6.

 

Fowlkes, V. and Parker, C. (2005) “Cloning and Expression of C8α in Sf9 insect cells.” FASEB J.  19(5), A234.5. Presented as a poster at American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology meeting in San Diego, CA. April 2-6.

 

Walker, L., and Parker, C. (2005) “Expression and Purification of Recombinant AdipoR1 in Sf9 cells.” Bull. S.C. Acad. Sci.  Volume LXVII. South Carolina Academy of Science meeting at Winthrop University March 16th. Presented as a talk.

 

Ghadiyali, Z and Parker, C. (2006) “Production of the MACPF Region of Complement C8alpha in Sf9 Insect Cells.”  FASEB J. 20(4), A462 – A463. Presented as a poster at American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology meeting in San Francisco, CA. April 1 – 5.

 

Ghadiyali, Z and Parker, C. (2006) “Production of Recombinant MACPF Complement C8α in Sf9 Insect Cells for Protein Production and Purification.” Presented as a poster at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research in Asheville, NC April 6-8.

 

Ghadiyali, Z  and Parker, C. (2006) “Expression and purification of Human Adiponectin receptor, AdipoR2 in Sf-9 Insect for Structural Analysis and Biochemical Assays.” Presented as a talk at the Southeast Regional Meeting of the National Organization of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers, Augusta, GA. November 10 -11.

 

Baker, I and Parker, C. (2006) “Cloning, Expression and Purification of Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase 2” Presented as a poster at the Southeast Regional Meeting of the National Organization of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers, Augusta, GA. November 10 -11.

 

Parker, C., Ghadiyali, Z., Kissinger, S., McKinney, K., and Hurlbert, J. “ Expression and Purification of Human Adiponectin Membrane Receptors, AdipoR1 and AdipoR2” (2007) Experimental Biology, Washington DC, April 28 – May 2.

 

Glazener, R, Baker, I, Hurlbert, J, and Parker, C. (2007) “Kinetic characterization of Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase 2 using the substrates sulfamethazine and 5-aminosalicylic acid” Submitted: National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, Chicago, IL, March 25-29.

 

Baker, I, and Parker, C. (2007) “Expression and Purification of Human Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase 2” Submitted: National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, Chicago, IL, March 25-29.

 

Ghadiyali, Z. and Parker, C. (2007) “Cloning, Expression and Purification of Human Adiponectin Receptor, AdipoR2” (2007) National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, Chicago,IL, March 25-29.

 

Kissinger, S., Walker, L., and Parker, C. (2007) “Expression of Adiponectin Membrane Receptor 1 in Sf9 cells” National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, Chicago,IL, March 25-29.

 

Glazener, R, Baker, I, Hurlbert, J, and Parker, C. (2007) “Kinetic characterization of Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase 2” Submitted: National Conference on Undergraduate Research, CA, April 12 – 14.

 

Kissinger, S., Walker, L., Hurlbert, J. and Parker, C. (2007) “Expression of Human Adiponectin Membrane Receptor 1 in Sf9 cells” National Conference on Undergraduate Research, CA, April 12 – 14.

 

Ghadiyali, Z., and Parker, C. (2007) “Cloning, Expression, and Purification of Human Adiponectin Receptor, AdipoR2 for Structural Analysis and Biochemical Assays”  National Organization of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers, Fl, April 1-7.

 

Faile, K., James, A., and Parker, C. (2007) “Expression of Adiponectin Protein Receptors: AdipoR1 and AdipoR2”  USC 2nd Annual Chemistry Coloquium, Columbia, SC, Oct. 6.

 

James, A., Faile, K.L., and Parker, C. (2008) "Adiponectin Membrane Receptors: ADIPOR1 and ADIPOR2"  Oral presentation at the South Carolina Academy of Sciences, Clemson, SC, March 20th. (Awarded the Sigma Xi and AAAS awards)

 

Faile, K., James, A., and Parker, C. (2008) “Adiponectin Membrane Receptors 1 and 2" Poster presented at Experimental Biology - American Association of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, San Diego, CA, April 4 - 8th.

 

James, A., Faile, K.L., and Parker, C. (2008) "Adiponectin Membrane Receptors: ADIPOR1 and ADIPOR2"  Oral presentation at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research, Salisbury, MD, April 10 - 12th.

 

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