Medical Student Research Fellowship for Summer 2006

Mentor: Yan G. Ni, PhD, Assistant Professor
Department: Internal Medicine, Cardiology Division
Room number: NB11.610B
Mail Code:
Phone number: 214-645-6390
E-mail: Yan.Ni@UTSouthwestern.edu
Project title: The Role of Klotho and Foxo in Pathological Remodeling of the Heart.

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:

Foxo proteins are members of the Forkhead family of transcription factors and have been implicated in many physiological functions including stress responses, cell-cycle progression, apoptosis and longevity. We have found recently that Foxo transcription factors counter hypertrophic growth through inhibition of calcineurin activity. Recently, it has been reported that an anti-aging hormone, Klotho, activates Foxo protein in HeLa cells. We are interested in dissecting possible contribution of Foxo to the lifespan-extending properties of Klotho. Students who participating in this summer project will help to answer two specific questions:
1. Does Klotho activate Foxo in cardiac myocytes?
2. Does Klotho treatment increases resistance to oxidative stress in cardiac myocytes
Students will have opportunities to conduct hands-on experiments using a variety of molecular and cellular techniques, forming and refining hypothesis, and presenting in weekly lab meetings.

Previous Research Activities or Publications with Medical Students:

I supervised an undergraduate student, David Morris, from the Austin College last summer. He is a co-author of a manuscript we submitted recently to the journal Circulation.

Yan G. Ni, Kambeez Berenji, Misook Oh, Asim Dey, Jun Cheng, Guangrong Lu, David Morris, Robert D. Gerard, Diego Castrillon, Beverly A. Rothermel, Joseph A. Hill (2005) Foxo transcription factors are negative modulators of cardiac hypertrophy. Submitted

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