Jeffrey K. Atkinson: Research Group

From left to right:  Phil Nava (MSc), Pat Cassolato (Hons), Candace Panagabko (PhD) , Marta Hernadez (MSc), Rachel Parsons (Post-doctoral fellow), Steve Neely (PhD???), Robin Jansen (Biochem Co-op), Pat Boyle (MSc)

Missing (but presumed innocent): Brian Parker (Hons), Grant Frahm (MSc) , 

Phil Nava (MSc, Biotech)

Phil is preparing fluorescent versions of tocopherols as tools for tracking tocopherol in lipid systems and in protein binding assays. 

Pat Cassolato (Biotechnology Honours)

Under the co-supervision of Dr. Heather Gordon, Pat is preparing a theortical model of the human TTP based on its sequence and structural homology with the yeast phosphatidylinositol transfer protein Sec14p whose x-ray crystal structure has been solved.

(from left) Candace "Queen Bee" Panagabko (PhD, Biotech) and Marta Hernandez (MSc, Biotech)

Candace was the recipient of a 1999-2000 Ontario Graduate Scholarship as more recently an NSERC PGS-A for 2001-2002. Marta's studies are supported by the Southern Crop Protection & Food Research Centre of Agriculture & AgriFood Canada. Candace has been exploring the ligand binding abiltities of native and mutant human tocopherol transfer proteins, while Marta has been looking at similar ligands and their affinity for the phosphatidylinositol transfer protein Sec14p and the so-called "tocopherol associated protein" (TAP).

 

(from left) Robin Jansen (Biochem Co-Op) and Dr. Rachel Parsons, University of Newcastle on Tyne (2001). 

Rachel is synthesizing pure, deuterated stereoisomers of alpha- and gamma-tocopherol as well as some fluorescent tocopherols. Robin has assisted in this project as well as with Grant Frahm in the development of a transfer assay for alpha-tocopherol between lipid vesicles.

Steve "Garage Band" Neely

Recipient of 1998-99, 1999-2000 NSERC Undergraduate Summer Research Awards and 2000-2001 PGS-A NSERC Graduate Research Scholarship. Steve has been working with the rat tocopehrol transfer protein to determine the intrespecific differences in this protein's affinity for tocopherols and other ligands.

Patrick "Killer" Boyle (MSc)

Recipient of 2001 and 2002 NSERC Undergraduate Summer Research Awards, and NSERC Post-Graduate Scholarhsip for 2002-03. Pat is determining whether there is any conformationla change to human tocopherol transfer protein on ligand binding using a limited proteolysis technique.
 

Grant Frahm (MSc)

Grant's fourth year project introduced working with lipids and vesicles to our lab.  This project was to assess the rate of spantaneous trnasfer of tocopherol between lipid vesicles of known size and composition.  This project continues as well as efforts to prepare an antibody to tocopherol for use in immunolocaliztion of this vitamin in membrane preparations.

Brian Parker (Hons)

Brian has been preparing stereochemically enriched version of deuterated vitamin E under the tutelage of Rachel.  A new topic of research awaits him in the fall when he begins his Honour's thesis project.

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Past Group Members

 

Dr. Frederic Levasseur - Post Doctoral Associate 1998 

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Solomon Fixon-Owoo - MSc 2000 

John Huangshu Lei - MSc 1999 (now at Pfizer in Ann Arbor, MI) 

Kevin Tays - MSc (1998), Honours Thesis 1996 

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Tammy Keifer - Research Assistant 1999 

Muthoni Kamau - Research Assistant 1996 

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Brad Harrison - Honours Thesis 2001 

Christina Pinelli - Honours Thesis 2000 

Steve Neely - Honours Thesis 2000 

Miranda Wellwood - Honours Thesis 1999 


Monika Dabrowski - Honours Thesis 1999 
Doug Burr - Honours Thesis 1999 
Ken Lo - Honours Thesis, Summer research1998 
Candace Panagabko - Honours Thesis 1998 
Brian Matier - Honours Thesis 1999 
Virginia Marks - Honours Thesis 1998 
Deb Chenier - Honours Thesis 1998 
Neil Shuart - Honours Thesis 1998 

Brad Schmor - Honours Thesis 1997 

Kathy Hiller - Honours Thesis 1997 

Dave Green - Honours Thesis 1995 


Steve Jenkins - Honours Thesis 1995 

Tony Pasquale - Summer research 

Luke Landry - Summer research 


Dennis Moore - High School Student 

Ben Lichty - High School Student