Faculty Research Interests

The RPC maintains a database of SLU faculty and their research interests to aid researchers in finding collaborators and forming new research partnerships across departments.

If you wish to be included in the database, please fill out the RPC Research Interests Form.

Total Records Found: 17, showing 100 per page
First Name Yuna
Last Name Ayala,
Degree Ph.D.
Position Associate Professor
Department Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Work Phone 314-977-9247
Research Key Words

Key Words: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS); hnRN; P mRNA splicing; RNA binding; protein aggregation

Research Description

Research Interests: We study the role of RNA-binding proteins in neurodegeneration. Our chief interest is on TDP-43, a protein that controls a range of RNA-mediated processes. To characterize the connection between TDP-43 function and disease, we employ patient, cell based, biochemical and structural analyses studying gene expression, protein aggregation, and nuclear organization.

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First Name Angel
Last Name Baldan,
Degree Ph.D.
Position Associate Professor
Department Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Work Phone 314-977-9227
Research Key Words

Key Words: miRNA; lipoproteins; bile; atherogenesis; statins

Research Description

Research Interests: My lab is interested in the regulation of sterol and triglyceride metabolism by microRNAs (miRNAs) in both hepatocytes and macrophages, and its relationship to the development of atherosclerosis and liver disease.

Website Link Website
First Name Jennifer
Last Name Bello Kottenstette,
Degree M.D., MSCP
Position Assistant Professor
Department Family & Community Medicine
Work Phone 314-977-8490
Research Key Words

Key Words: Substance use disorders, women’s health, justice-involved populations, preconception health

Research Description

Research Interests: Dr. Bello Kottenstette’s research is focused on identifying and addressing the unique reproductive health needs of women and men with substance use disorders. She uses qualitative methods to explore understudied concepts related to preconception health behavior change in criminal justice-involved populations and analysis of large datasets to study relationships between SUD diagnoses and preconception services.

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First Name Sandeep
Last Name Dhindsa,
Degree M.D.
Position Professor of Medicine
Department Internal Medicine-Endocrinology
Work Phone 314-977-4911
Research Key Words

Key Words: diabetes; insulin resistance; testosterone; male hypogonadism

Research Description

Research Interests: My primary area of research is on metabolic effects of testosterone in men. This includes the relation of testosterone with obesity, insulin resistance, fatty liver and type 2 diabetes in men

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First Name Enrico
Last Name Di Cera,
Degree M.D.
Position Alice A. Doisy Professor & Chair
Department Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Work Phone 314-977-9201
Research Key Words

Key Words: blood coagulation; protease; zymogen; enzyme kinetics; X-ray crystallography

Research Description

Research Interests: We study function and regulation of proteins involved in blood coagulation, the molecular mechanism of zymogen activation and auto-activation, and the rational engineering of protease specificity for therapeutic and biotechnological purposes. Also of interest is ligand binding theory and kinetics. Our approach utilizes rapid kinetics, thermodynamics, spectroscopy and x-ray crystallography.

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First Name Megan
Last Name Ferber,
Degree Ph.D.
Position Assistant Professor
Department Family & Community Medicine-Medical Family Therapy Program
Work Phone 314-977-2507
Research Key Words

Key Words: obesity; social support; behavior change; family-based interventions

Research Description

Research Interests: I’m interested in the psychosocial processes that surround weight loss and maintenance within patients and family members with particular interest in romantic relationships and the bariatric surgery population, and in the development of family-based interventions to bolster patients’ long-term health behavior change, weight loss, and romantic relationships quality.

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First Name Julie
Last Name Gammack,
Degree M.D., FACP, CMD
Position Senior Associate Dean, Graduate Medical Education
Department Internal Medicine-Geriatrics
Work Phone 314-977-9851
Research Key Words

Key Words: geriatric medicine, long term care, post acute care, nursing home

Research Description

Research Interests: clinical reviews, book chapters, abstracts and posters on geriatrics and longterm care topics.

Website Link Website
First Name Katie
Last Name Heiden-Rootes,
Degree Ph.D.
Position Associate Professor
Department Family & Community Medicine
Work Phone 314-977-8196
Research Key Words

Key Words: LGBTQ; transgender; lesbian; gay; bisexual; sexuality; psychotherapy; counseling; mental health

Research Description

Research Interests: I study social determinants of health for LGBTQ youth and adults, addressing sexuality and gender in medical and mental health practice, and family therapy approaches to mental health with LGBTQ youth.

Website Link Website
First Name Sergey
Last Name Korolev,
Degree Ph.D.
Position Associate Professor
Department Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Work Phone 314-977-9261
Research Key Words

Key Words: protein crystallography; DNA repair; phospholipases

Research Description

Research Interests: Biochemical and structural studies of two systems: 1) recombination mediator proteins involved in DNA repair and replication, and 2) phospholipases involved in inflammatory and calcium signaling pathways. Using X-ray crystallography and variety of biochemical approaches we study basic mechanisms of protein activities involved in cancer, cardiovascular, neurodegenerative and other diseases.

Website Link Website
First Name Kyle
Last Name McCommis,
Degree Ph.D.
Position Assistant Professor
Department Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Work Phone 314-977-9233
Research Key Words

Key Words: mitochondria; heart failure; NAFLD; diabetes; insulin resistance

Research Description

Research Interests: Our lab studies how mitochondrial and lipid metabolic pathways are dysregulated in cardiometabolic diseases and how these pathways can be targeted nutritionally or therapeutically.

Website Link Website
First Name Terry
Last Name Moore,
Degree M.D., FACP, FAAP, MACR
Position Professor, IM/Peds/MMI; Director, Division of Rheumatology
Department Internal Medicine-Pedatrics
Work Phone 314-977-8838
Research Key Words

Key Words: JIA; SLE; Immune Complexes; Biomarkers

Research Description

Research Interests: We evaluate differnt biomarkers in JIA/SLE and immune complexes in these diseases.

Website Link Website
First Name Andrew
Last Name Nguyen,
Degree Ph.D.
Position Assistant Professor
Department Internal Medicine-Geriatrics
Work Phone 314-977-4036
Research Key Words

Key Words: Frontotemporal dementia; Lysosomes; Progranulin; Lipids

Research Description

Research Interests: Our lab studies progranulin – a protein linked to frontotemporal dementia (FTD) – and how its deficiency causes neurodegeneration. We are currently testing strategies (including antisense oligonucleotides) for increasing progranulin levels as potential therapies for progranulin-deficient FTD. We are also investigating progranulin’s structure and function using a variety of molecular and cellular approaches.

Website Link Website
First Name Jeffrey
Last Name Scherrer,
Degree Ph.D.
Position Professor
Department Family & Community Medicine
Work Phone 314-977-8486
Research Key Words

Key Words: epidemiology; observational; depression; opioids; dementia

Research Description

Research Interests: My work is focused on determining the health consequences of common psychiatric disorders. Separately I am investigating the mental health outcomes among persons taking long-term prescription opioids. Last, I have some experience in novel factors associated with dementia.

Website Link Website
First Name Dorota
Last Name Skowyra,
Degree Ph.D.
Position Associate Professor
Department Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Work Phone 314-977-9280
Research Key Words

Key Words: ubiquitin-proteasome system; type 1 diabetes onset; pediatric alpha1 liver disease; FSHD muscular dystrophy

Research Description

Research Interests: I am interested in the mechanisms by which the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) controls cellular functions in health and disease, as part of protein quality control (abnormal protein clearance, proteostasis, proteotoxicity) or signaling (cell growth & division, differentiation & life span progression, transcriptional regulation, generation of immunogenic peptides for MHC-I molecules). My independent research has initially focused on SCF, the founding member of Cullin-based E3 ubiquitin ligases. The subsequent clinically related interests focus on the roles of UPS in type 1 diabetes onset, pediatric alpha1 liver disease, and FSHD muscular dystrophy. Each of these projects, while developed relatively recently, benefits from my long-term experience with analysis of: 1) protein ubiquitination, E3 ubiquitin ligases, and proteasome function and regulation; 2) molecular chaperones, protein folding and aggregation; and 3) diverse research models, from biochemical in vitro systems to organisms such as yeast, animals/mouse, and human cells.

Website Link Website
First Name Fran
Last Name Sverdrup,
Degree Ph.D.
Position Associate Professor
Department Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Work Phone 314-977-5189
Research Key Words

Key Words: facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD); cell signaling; transcriptional regulation; epigenetics; drug discovery

Research Description

Research Interests: My lab is focused on drug discovery in human genetic diseases. We perform target identification and validation, drug screening, and preclinical evaluation of drug candidates. Our current project targets facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD), one of the most common forms of muscular dystrophy for which there is no treatment. Our goals are to identify druggable pathways (e.g. p38) that modulate expression of the toxic DUX4 gene that is responsible for FSHD and translate those findings into potential therapies.

Website Link Website
First Name John
Last Name Tavis,
Degree Ph.D.
Position Professor and Institute Director
Department Molecular Microbiology and Immunology
Work Phone 314-977-8893
Research Key Words

Key Words: Hepatitis B Virus; reverse transcription; ribonuclease H; drug discovery

Research Description

Research Interests: My lab studies HBV replication with an emphasis on viral reverse transcription. Most work is being done on the viral ribonuclease H activity of the reverse transcriptase protein. Basic enzymology, cell biology, and anti-HBV drug discovery are major foci of the lab.

Website Link Website
First Name Carissa
Last Name van den Berk,
Degree Ph.D., LMSW
Position Assistant Professor
Department Family & Community Medicine
Work Phone 314-977-4840
Research Key Words

Key Words: access to care, community-participatory research, substance use disorders, homelessness, trauma/ptsd

Research Description

Research Interests: Carissa van den Berk Clark, PhD, LMSW, is a social worker and an Assistant Professor of Family and Community Medicine at St. Louis University. She is an emerging scholar in the area of social service and healthcare coordination and interagency networks. She also studies the relationship between trauma and substance use disorders. She received her Ph.D. in Social Welfare Policy from the Luskin School of Public Affairs at University of California, Los Angeles in 2012 where she also completed a pre-doctoral training at the West Los Angeles Veterans Administration. From 2012 to 2015, she was a NIH postdoctoral fellow at the

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