Benita Sjogren, PhD | UC Irvine
Bio: Dr. Sjogren graduated with her MS in Molecular Biology at Stockholm University before earning her PhD from the Karolinska Institute in 2008, both in Stockholm, Sweden. Following this, she completed postdoctoral research at The University of Michigan and held a research assistant professor position at Michigan State University. She started her independent research career in Purdue University’s Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology in 2017. Dr. Sjogren joined UCI as an assistant professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences in 2023.
Abstract: Regulator of G protein Signaling (RGS) proteins reduce duration and amplitude of signaling through G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) by binding to, and accelerating GTP hydrolysis by, active Gα subunits of heterotrimeric G proteins. Since their discovery in the mid-1990’s, RGS proteins have emerged as potential novel drug targets in numerous disease states. However, with a lack of enzymatic activity or sites amenable to small molecule binding, RGS proteins are difficult to target. We showed that increasing RGS protein levels results in increased function both in vitro and in vivo. RGS proteins are tightly regulated in time and space and expression is often altered during pathogenesis. The precise mechanisms involved in regulation are distinct for each member of the RGS protein family. Thus, our work is focused on deciphering the mechanisms regulating RGS protein levels and function and applying the knowledge of these mechanisms to inform drug discovery efforts.
