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Christopher Stipp, Ph.D. (Associate Member)
Associate Professor,
Department of Biology, University of Iowa
http://www.biology.uiowa.edu/faculty_info.php?ID=860
Research Interest:
Work in the Stipp laboratory is focused on understanding how cell surface
receptors are regulated to control cells-cell and cell-matrix interactions. In
particular, Dr. Stipp's group is interested in how different members of the
integrin family of matrix receptors transduce a variety of signals to generate
distinct cell behaviors. Integrins are heterodimers of an alpha and a beta
subunit, and although the beta subunit is the primary signaling component,
pairing of a particular beta integrin with different alpha integrins can mediate
different levels of cell motility. To understand the basis of this functional
diversity, Dr. Stipp's group is studying members of the tetraspanin
family¡Vintegrin-interacting proteins that selectively associate with specific
alpha integrin subunits. Using RNA interference and genetic rescue approaches,
together with time-lapse video microscopy and protein biochemistry, the group is
exploring the mechanisms whereby tetraspanins regulate integrin function, at the
single-cell level. Long-term goals include the development of gene therapy
strategies for improving the performance of neurons upon therapeutic engraftment
into the brain by manipulating the repertoire of integrin extracellular matrix
receptors present on neuronal cells, which improves survival and process
outgrowth.