{"91981":{"#nid":"91981","#data":{"type":"event","title":"(09-0429) Dr. Teresa Ruiz, University of Vermont","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EDr. Teresa Ruiz (potential GRA Scholar)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nDepartment of Molecular Physiology \u0026amp; Biophysics\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI am interested in the structural\/functional relationship of macromolecular complexes. Currently, my research is focused in aspects of the sugar metabolism and bacterial adhesion. Muscle and  cancer cells use glycolysis as their main energy pathway. Deficiencies  of the key regulatory enzyme phosphofructokinase, whose structure is  largely unknown, can lead to hemolytic anemia and Tauri\u0027s Disease. We  are analyzing the structure of several yeast phosphofructokinases by  cryo-electron microscopy and image processing using different  combinations of effectors and substrates to obtain a better understanding of the eukaryotic mechanism. Oral bacteria not only can  cause severe periodontal diseases but, as opportunistic pathogens,  have been associated with other serious human infections. Bacterial  adhesion is essential for colonization and invasion, and is mediated  by proteinaceous surface appendages. We are studying two major  colonizers of the oral cavity as model systems, treptococcus\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nparasanguinis  and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans. Through a  combination of electron microscopy, biochemical and molecular genetic  techniques, we intend to unveil the structure of the external  appendages, their anchorage to the bacterial membrane and the  interaction with the various human cell host components.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"Dr. Teresa Ruiz, University of Vermont","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Dr. Teresa Ruiz, University of Vermont"}],"uid":"27275","created_gmt":"2009-04-29 00:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 01:57:11","author":"Shirley Tomes","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2009-04-29T16:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2009-04-29T17:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2009-04-29T17:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2009-04-29 20:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2009-04-29 21:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2009-04-29 21:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/physiology.med.uvm.edu\/ruiz\/","title":"Dr. Teresa Ruiz, University of Vermont"}],"groups":[{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"919","name":"Biochemistry"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"1791","name":"Student sponsored"}],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cstrong\u003EShirley Tomes\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EChemistry \u0026amp; Biochemistry\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=st81\u0022\u003EContact Shirley Tomes\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404-894-0591\u003C\/strong\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}