John J. LaPres
- Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
- Graduate Program Director, Environmental and Integrative Toxicological Sciences, Institute for Integrative Toxicology
- Director, BioMolecular Sciences Graduate Studies
- Biochemistry
- 603 Wilson Rd Room 224
- East Lansing MI 48824
- 517-432-9282
- lapres@msu.edu
RESEARCH INTERESTS
The LaPres laboratory is focused on the PAS (named for the first identified members, Per, ARNT and Sim) superfamily of transcription factors. PAS proteins play a central role in sensing and coping with changes in various environmental cues. The goal of this research is to completely understand the signaling cascades of certain PAS proteins and how they mediate their pleiotropic effects on biological systems. The work focuses on two PAS proteins in particular, the hypoxia inducible factor 1a (HIF1a) and the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) and the role they play in modulating the toxicity of metals and dioxins, respectively. The laboratory is trying to identify novel proteins and signaling cascades that might influence these two transcription factors and therefore, control their ability to mediate normal biological responses and aberrant signaling leading to toxicity. The laboratory uses a wide range of experimental techniques, including proteomic, metabolomic and genomic technology, to gain novel insights into PAS protein signaling mechanisms and to ascertain possible mechanisms for their complex biological responses.
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
University of Michigan, B.S., Chemistry, 1983-1988
University of Michigan, School of Education, Secondary Teaching Certificate, 1988-1989
Northwestern University, Integrated Graduate Program, Ph.D., Pharmacology, 1991-1997
AFFILIATED WEBSITES
https://bmb.natsci.msu.edu/faculty/john-j-lapres/
https://biomolecular.natsci.msu.edu/faculty/alphabetical-directory/john-j-lapres/