Pharmaceutical Sciences Seminar Series: “RGS protein regulation in health and disease”

ISEB 1010, 419 Physical Sciences Quad, Irvine, CA, United States

Pharmaceutical Sciences Seminar Series:
“RGS protein regulation in health and disease”

Dr. Jenny “Benita” Sjogren
Assistant Professor of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology
Perdue University

Presentation Synopsis:
Regulator of G protein signaling (RGS) proteins are key negative modulators of G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling, and have emerged as promising, but challenging drug targets. RGS proteins are tightly regulated in time and space, and expression is often altered during pathogenesis. Thus, our work is focused on deciphering the mechanisms regulating RGS protein function and how the knowledge of these mechanisms can be applied in drug discovery. Of particular interest is RGS2, which is implicated in hypertension, heart failure and asthma, among others, and we recently identified a potential for targeting RGS2 protein regulation in G-protein driven uveal melanoma. RGS2 is rapidly degraded through the ubiquitin-proteasomal pathway. Our work aims to dissect the precise molecular mechanisms driving RGS2 protein degradation. We have also developed high-throughput screening strategies to identify small molecule RGS2 stabilizers, which would serve as probes in diseases associated with low RGS2 protein levels.

Speaker Bio:
Dr. Sjogren received her M.Sc. in Molecular Biology from Stockholm University in 2002. She then spent two years at Biovitrum AB, Stockholm, Sweden, where she developed high-throughput screens for G protein-coupled receptors. She then entered the graduate program and received her Ph.D. at the Karolinska Institute, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, in 2008. Her postdoctoral work was performed in the lab of Richard R. Neubig in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Michigan. In 2013, Dr. Sjogren moved with Dr. Neubig to Michigan State University as a research Assistant Professor. In 2017 she joined the faculty in the Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University. Her current research is focused on the molecular mechanisms of RGS protein regulation, with a special focus on RGS2 and RGS10.