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Education:
- 1984: B.SC. in Biochemistry,
University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
- 1996: Ph.D. In Physiology,
University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Abstracts:
Akhavan A,
Atanasiu R,
Holder N, Han W, Shrier A. Cytoplasmic Domains
Determine HERG Potassium Channel Trafficking. (2004)
Biophysical Journal.
Akhavan
A,
Atanasiu R,
Shrier A, C-Terminal Determinants of HERG Potassium
Channels Trafficking. Canadian Physiological Society,
2003
Publications:
Akhavan
A,
Atanasiu R,
Shrier A, Identification of a C-Terminal Segment
Involved in Maturation and Stability of HERG Potassium
Channels. Journal of
Biological Chemistry. 2003 Jul 28
Petrecca K,
Atanasiu R,
Akhavan A, Shrier A, N-Linked Glycosylation
Sites Determine HERG Surface Membrane Expression.
Journal of Physiology.
515 (pt 1): 41-8, 1999 Feb
Current Project:
The project I am involved in regards
the proteomics characterization of the cardiac plasma membrane.
In collaboration with Dr. Bergeron, the director of Montreal
Proteomics Center, we are doing a comprehensive characterization
of the proteins composing the cardiac plasma membrane looking on
two different aspects: 1) identification and functional
classification of the plasma membran! e proteins (integrals and
associated) and 2) uncovering previously unknown proteins which
may play an important role in cardiac cell biology. For this we
have been developing a new method for preparation of plasma
membrane from rat heart which combines subcellular fractionation
and immunoadsorption. Mass spectrometry (MS) analysis combined
with sequence database searching revealed the presence of
several hundred known proteins, out of which 50% have an
attributed location to plasma membrane or are associated with
it. Interestingly, the MS analysis revealed the presence of 40
novel proteins which are being evaluated as relevant candidates
for further studies. Immunolocalization and immunoprecipitation
experiments will allow us to identify their localization and
interactions with other cellular proteins to gain insight as to
! directions for further functional studies.
We have also begun a parallel
project which through a series of immunoprecipitation
experiments and mass spectometry analysis is looking for
specific ion channel interacting proteins in order to
characterize structural and functional ion complexes. These can
represent potential molecular targets for therapies associated
with pathologies such as cardiac ischemia and heart failure.
Other interests:
Taking care, reading good books,
listening to music, dancing.
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