Molecular Biology

Faculty and Research Interests

Katrina F. Cooper, PhD

Assistant Professor
Science Center, Room 362
856 566-2887
Fax: 856 566-6291
cooperka@umdnj.edu

Education

University of Oxford, Great Britain
PhD , 1992

University of Manchester, Great Britain,
MS , 1989

Research Interests

The long-term goal of my research is to elucidate the mechanism by which a cell decides its fate in response to environmental cues. Misinterpretation of these signals can result in the cell choosing the incorrect fate, which, in turn, can lead to neoplasia, i.e. tumor formation. To study this in the laboratory, I use two model experimental systems, Saccharomyces cerevisiae (bakers yeast) and the mouse. The combination of using yeast and mammalian model systems is very powerful. Experiments performed in yeast commonly identify the molecular pathways that are triggered in response to stress. As many biological processes are highly conserved, the information gained in yeast often translates directly to mammalian pathways. Here the consequence to the whole animal of making these cell fate decisions can be studied. Significantly, the mouse model system is excellent in determining which cell fate decision can trigger tumor formation.

Recent Publications

Cooper, K.F., Mallory, M.J., Guacci, V., Lowe, K. and Strich, R. Pds1p is Required for Meiotic Recombination and Prophase I Progression in S. cerevisae. Genetics, Vol. 181: 65-79 (2009).

1. Krasley E, Cooper KF, Mallory MJ, Dunbrack R, Strich R. Regulation of the oxidative stress response through Slt2p-dependent destruction of cyclin C in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. . Genetics. Vol. 172(3): 1477-86 (2006).
2. Cooper KF Rb, whi it's not just for metazoans anymore. . Oncogene. Vol. 25(38): 5228-32 (2006).
3. Strich, R., Mallory, M.J., Jarnik, M. and Cooper K.F. Cyclin B-cdk activity stimulates meiotic rereplication in budding yeast.. Genetics. Vol. 167: 1621-6218 (2004).
4. Cooper, K.F. and Strich, R. The yeast C-type cyclin Ume3p is required for the normal execution of Meiosis I. . Eukaryotic Cell. Vol. I: 66-74 (2002).
5. Cooper, K.F., Egeland, D.E., Mallory, M.J., and Strich, R Ama1p is a meiosis specific regulator of the anaphase promoting complex/cyclosome in yeast. . P. N. A. S. Vol. 97: 14534-14553(2000).
6. Cooper, K.F., Mallory, M.J., and Strich, R. Oxidative stress-induced destruction of the yeast C type cyclin Ume3p requires the phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PLC1) and the 26S proteasome. . Mol. Cell. Biol.. Vol. 19: 3338-3348 (1999).
7. Cooper, K.F. and Strich, R. Functional analysis of the yeast C-type cyclin Ume3p and the RNA polymerase II holoenzyme interaction. Gene Expression. Vol. 8: 43-57(1999).
8. Cooper, K.F., M.J. Mallory, J.B. Smith and Strich, R. Stress and developmental regulation of the yeast C-type cyclin UME3.. EMBO J.,. Vol. 16: 4665-4675(1997).
9. Cooper, K.F, Fisher, R.B. and Tyler-Smith, C. The major centromeric array of alphoid satellite DNA on the human Y chromosome is non-palindromic. Hum. Mol. Genet. . Vol. 2: 1267-1270(1993).
10. Cooper, K.F., Fisher, R.B. and Tyler-Smith, C. Structure of the sequences adjacent to the centromeric alphoid satellite DNA array on the human Y chromosome. J. Mol. Biol.. Vol. 230: 787-799(1993).
11. Cooper, K.F. and Tyler-Smith, C. The putative centromere-forming sequence, CM8 is a single copy sequence and is not a component of most human centromeres.. Hum. Mol. Genet. . Vol. 1: 753-754(1992).
12. Cooper, K.F., Fisher, R.B. and Tyler-Smith, C. Structure of the pericentric long arm region of the human Y chromosome. J. Mol. Biol. . Vol. 228: 421-432(1992).