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DBSP Research Faculty

Rujuan Dai

Rujuan Dai, PhD

Research Scientist
Department of Biomedical Sciences & Pathobiology

e-mail: rdai05@vt.edu


Education

1995-1997 PhD, Animal Genetics
China Agricultural University
Beijing, China
1991-1994 MS, Animal Genetics
China Agricultural University
Beijing, China
1987-1991 BS, Animal Physiology and Biochemistry
China Agricultural University
Beijing, China

Brief Bio

My current research interest is to investigate the molecular signaling changes in the immune system following exposure to the sex hormone, 17β-estradiol and estrogenic Endocrine Disrupting Chemical (EDC). In addition, we are currently exploring role of microRNAs (miRNA) in immunity in a variety of mouse models. The pressing goal is to determine whether microRNAs are dysregulated in lymphocytes from autoimmune lupus mice and whether miRNA play a role in pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases.


Professional Experience

7/2005-present Research Scientist
Center for Molecular Medicine & Infectious Diseases
Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathology
Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
5/2003-6/2005 Assistant Research Scientist
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Medical College of Georgia
Augusta, Georgia
1/1998-5/2003 Post-doctor Fellow
Medical College of Georgia
Augusta, Georgia
10/1996-12/1996 Visiting Scientist
STAFF-Institute
Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
6/1994-12/1997 Lecturer
College of Animal Science and Technology
China Agricultural University
P.R. China

Awards and Honors

2001 Second Class National Technology & Innovation Award (as a member of research team), China
2001 Recipient, National Award of Excellent Ph.D Thesis, China
1997 Outstanding Ph.D. Student Award
China Agricultural University, China

Selected Publications

  1. Dai R, Phillips RA, Zhang Y, Khan D, Crasta O, Ahmed SA. (2008) “Suppression of LPS-induced IFN{gamma} and nitric oxide in splenic lymphocytes by select estrogen-regulated miRNA: A novel mechanism of immune modulation”, Blood. 2008 Sep 12. [Epub ahead of print].
  2. Dai R, Ali MK, Lezcano N, Bergson C. (2008) “A crucial role for cAMP and protein kinase A in D1 dopamine receptor regulated intracellular calcium transients”, Neurosignals, 16(2-3):112-23.
  3. Trantham-Davidson H, Vazdarjanova A, Dai R, Terry A, Bergson C. (2008) “Up-regulation of calcyon results in locomotor hyperactivity and reduced anxiety in mice”, Behav Brain Res., Jun 3;189(2):244-9.
  4. Dai, R., R. A. Phillips, and S. Ansar Ahmed. (2007) “Despite inhibition of nuclear localization of NF-kappa B p65, c-Rel, and RelB, 17-beta estradiol up-regulates NF-kappa B signaling in mouse splenocytes: the potential role of Bcl-3”, J Immunol 179:1776-1783.
  5. Xiao, J.*, Dai, R.*, Negyessy, L., Bergson, C. (2006) “Calcyon, a novel partner of clathrin light chain, stimulates clathrin-mediated endocytosis”, The Journal of Biological Chemistry, 281(22):15182-93. (*: joint first author).
  6. Sumanas, S., Zhang, B., Dai, R., Lin, S. (2005) “15-zinc finger protein Bloody Fingers is required for zebrafish morphogenetic movements during neurulation”, Developmental Biology, 283(1):85-96.
  7. Dai, R. and Bergson, C. (2003) “Structure and expression of the murine calcyon gene”, Gene, 311: 111-7.
  8. Wang, G., Huang, H., Dai, R., Lee, K-Y., Lin, S., and Mivechi, NF. (2001): “Suppression of heat shock transcription factor HSF1 in zebrafish causes heat-induced apoptosis”, Genesis, 30:195-197.
  9. Frejtag, W., Zhang, Y., Dai, R., Anderson, M., and Mivechi NF. (2001): “Heat shock Factor-4 (HSF-4a) repress basal transcription through interaction TFIIF”, The Journal of Biological Chemistry, 276:14685-14694.
  10. Zhang, Y.*, Frejtag, W.*, Dai, R.*, and Mivechi NF. (2001): “Heat shock Factor-4 (HSF-4) is a repressor of HSF-1 mediated transcription” Transcriptional Repression of HSF-1”, The Journal of Cellular Biochemistry 9999:1-12 (*: joint first author).
  11. Dai, R., Frejtag, W., He, B., Zhang, Y. and Mivechi NF. (2000): “c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase targeting and phosphorylation of heat shock factor-1 suppress its transcriptional activity”. The Journal of Biological Chemistry, 275:18210-8.