Request for Funding

Medical Student Research Fellowship for Summer 2001

Mentor: Richard J. Auchus

Department: Internal Medicine/Endocrinology & Metabolism

Room number: Y9.308

Mail Code: 8857

Phone number: 8-6751

E-mail: richard.auchus@UTSouthwestern.edu

Project title: structure-function studies of human steroidogenic enzymes

Human subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable): N/A

Animal subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable): N/A

Project Type (patient-based research, animal-based research, or basic research; this characterization is only to permit a general classification for grouping similar types of projects)

basic research

Brief Description of Project:

Several projects are available depending on the student's interest and background. First, our lab performs structure-function studies of human enzymes that make steroids, particularly P450c17 (17-hydroxylase/17, 20-lyase) and P450c21 (21-hydroxylase), attempting to determine, using computer modeling and site-directed mutagenesis, which residues are responsible for these enzymes' unique activities. Second, the lab studies why cytochrome b5 enhances only the 17, 20-lyase activity of P450c17. Third, we are interested in the structural basis of hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase physiology. Finally, the lab is working on the genetics of steroid biosynthesis, issues ranging from determining the factors that influence disease severity in 17-hydroxylase deficiency to characterizing new enzymes and pathways in steroidogenesis.

Previous Research Activities or Publications with Medical Students:

Tim C. Lee, soon to graduate from Tufts University Medical School, worked with me for a year after graduating college. He and I developed our yeast system for studying P450c17 enzymology (Auchus et al 1998 J Biol Chem 273:3158-3165; Auchus et al 1998 Trends Endocrinol Metab 9:47-50). Tim then returned for the summer after his first year at Tufts and used this system to study the mechanism of action of medroxyprogesterone acetate in the treatment of gonadotropin-independent sexual precocity (Lee et al 1999 J Clin Endocrinol Metab 84:2104-2110). Tim received the Academic Pediatric Society/Society for Pediatric Research (APS/SPR) Student Research Award in 1999 for this work.

Kavita Vyas, a junior at UT Austin, worked in my lab here last summer, characterizing the biochemistry of novel fusion proteins to probe the mechanism of action of cytochrome b5 in the 17, 20-lyase reaction. Kavita won the award for best poster at the 39th Medical Student Research Forum this year, which she and I will present at the Endocrine Society meeting in Denver this June.

Return to UT Southwestern Homepage

Return to Student Research Projects Index