CURRICULUM VITAE

Aimee L. Eggler

 

The University of Illinois at Chicago

The Center for Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and

The Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy

900 South Ashland Avenue (M/C 870)

Chicago, IL 60607

Lab Phone:  (312) 996-1687

Fax:  (312) 413-9303

Email:  aeggler@uic.edu

 

EDUCATION

 

INSTITUTION AND LOCATION

DEGREE

YEAR

FIELD OF STUDY

University of California, Santa Cruz

B.S. Chemistry

1996

Chemistry

University of Wisconsin, Madison

Ph.D.

2002

Biochemistry

University of Illinois, Chicago

Post-Doctorate

2003

X-ray Crystallography

Biochemistry

 

POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH PROJECT

 

I study the signaling mechanisms involved in preventing oxidative and electrophilic damage to biological macromolecules, which if unrepaired can lead to cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, and allergic inflammation. Broccoli sprouts, for example, have very high levels of the compound sulforaphane, which helps to prevent cancer. I study how compounds like sulforaphane signal for oxidative damage prevention via upregulation of proteins and enzymes that eliminate damaging agents.

Specifically, I work on the Keap1-Nrf2 protein complex. The Keap1 protein senses the signal from sulforaphane via several of its 27 cysteines, then transmits that signal leading to nuclear accumulation of the Nrf2 transcription factor. Nrf2 then binds to the promoter regions of protective proteins and enzymes and upregulates their transcription.  I typically use in vitro protein biochemistry techniques as well as x-ray crystallography to study this system.

 

HOMETOWN

        

I’m from good old Central Pennsylvania, near Lewistown. Famous for Goose Day which includes a race and lots of goose to eat, a large Amish population (yummy baked goods), and the beautiful Appalachian mountains (hills, I must admit). 

 

EXPERIENCE

 

University of Illinois, Chicago (April 2003-present) Post-Doctoral Research Fellow under Professor Andrew D. Mesecar- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacogonosy and the Center for Pharmaceutical Biotechnology.  Research focuses on the structure and function of enzymes and proteins involved in human disease and in biological detoxification. 

 

National Academies Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy Internship Program (January 13, 2003-April 4, 2003)-This three-month internship provided in-depth exposure to science policy in Washington D.C. My particular project focused on communication of science to the public.

 

University of Wisconsin, Madison (1998 - 2002) Graduate Research Assistant under Professor Michael Cox-Department of Biochemistry. Dissertation Title: Dissecting the Inhibitory and Stimulatory Effects of Single-stranded DNA Binding Proteins on the Recombinases Rad51 from Saccharomyces cerevisiae and RecA from Escherichia coli.  Graduated in December of 2002.

 

Supelco, a division of Sigma-Aldrich, Bellefonte, PA (1996-1998) Research Chemist under the direction of Dr. Chobi Debroy. Designed molecular biology products, including DNA purification kits.

 

University of California, Santa Cruz (1995 -1996) Undergraduate Research Assistant under Professor Joseph Konopelski-Department of Chemistry.  Undergraduate thesis project-Developed a synthetic scheme and synthesized the naturally produced insecticide 1-cyano-2-hydroxy-3-butene.

 

Iowa State University, Ames, IA (1994 and 1995) Undergraduate Research Assistant/Summer Internship under Professor Joel Coats-Department of Entomology.  Synthesized analogs of several naturally occurring monoterpenoids, in order to increase their insecticidal activity. Demonstrated the efficacy of the analogs using bioassays.

 

University of California-Santa Cruz (1992-1994 )Research Assistant under the direction of Dr. Harry Prest,-Institute of Marine Sciences. Analyzed the levels of trace organic contaminants in local bodies of water.

 

AWARDS AND SCHOLARSHIPS

 

2001-2002 Peterson/Wharton Predoctoral Fellowship (full support)

                 Dept. of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison

1998-2001 Molecular Biosciences Training Grant Fellowship (full support)

                 University of Wisconsin-Madison

1998          Frank and Dorothy Strong Scholarship

                 Dept. of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison

1996                       Highest honors in Chemistry

                 University of California-Santa Cruz

1996                       Doug Drexler Chemistry Scholarship

                 University of California-Santa Cruz

1994          Program for Women in Science and Engineering

                 Research Award

                 Iowa State University (full summer internship support)

1992-1996 University of California Regents Scholar    

 

 

PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS (in chronological order).

 

1.    Peterson, C. J., Tsao, R. Eggler, A. L., and J. R. Coats, (2000) "Insecticidal Activity of Cyanohydrin and Monoterpenoid Compounds". Molecules, 5(4) p. 648-654.

2.    Rice, K. P., Eggler, A. L., Sung, P., and M. M. Cox, (2001) "DNA Pairing and Strand Exchange by the Escherichia coli RecA and Yeast Rad51 Proteins without ATP Hydrolysis. ON THE IMPORTANCE OF NOT GETTING STUCK". Journal of Biological Chemistry, 276(42) p. 38570-38581.

3.    Eggler, A. L., (2001) "Single-Stranded DNA-Binding Proteins (SSBs)". Encyclopedia of Genetics, ed. S. Brenner and J.H. Miller, New York City: Academic Press.

4.    Eggler, A. L., Inman, R. B., and M. M. Cox, (2002) "The Rad51-dependent Pairing of Long DNA Substrates is Stabilized by Replication Protein A". Journal of Biological Chemistry, 277(42) p.39280-39288.

5.    Eggler, A. L., Lusetti, S. L., and M. M. Cox, (2003) "The C terminus of the Escherchia coli RecA Protein Modulates the DNA binding competition with single-stranded DNA-binding protein", Journal of Biological Chemistry, 278(18) p16389-16396.

 

PATENTS

1.    Coats, J. R., Peterson, C. J., Tsao, R. Eggler, A. L., and G. L. Tylka, Biopesticides Related to Natural Sources. Patent Number US 6,207,705 B1. March 27, 2001.

 

ABSTRACTS

1.    Eggler, A. L., Inman, R. B. and M. M. Cox, Replication Protein A Maintains the Rad51-promoted Pairing of Long DNA Substrates by Sequestering the Displaced Single Strand. Presented at Keystone Symposium (DNA Replication and Recombination) Snowbird, UT. January, 2002.

2.    Eggler, A. L., Sung, P., Inman, R. B. and M. M. Cox, Formation of Rad51 Filaments on DNA and the Effects of Replication Protein A. Presented at National Academy of Sciences Colloquium (Links Between Recombination and Replication: Vital Roles of Recombination) Irvine, CA. November, 2000.

3.    Eggler, A. L., Tsao, R., Peterson, C. J., and J. R. Coats, Novel Monoterpenoid Derivatives as Insecticides. Presented at the National American Chemical Society Meeting, New Orleans, LA. March, 1996.

4.    Eggler, A. L. and H. Prest, Passive Water Sampling by Semipermeable Membrane Devices (SPMDs) at the Moss Landing Harbor. Presented at the Monterey Bay Research Symposium Monterey, CA. 1994.

 

 

MEMBERSHIPS AND PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

 

*     American Crystallographic Association (ACA)