Dr. Volchuk

Contact Information:

Phone: (416) 581-7675
Fax: (416) 978-4108
Email: avolchuk@uhnres.utoronto.ca
Address: Toronto General Research Institute
101 College Street
TMDT, 10-707
Toronto, ON
M5G 1L7



Academic Status:  Assistant Professor;  Cross-Appointed (Primary Department: Biochemistry)

Degrees: Ph.D. 1998

Research Divisions: Endocrine and Diabetes Platform

Keywords:  Pancreatic beta-cells, insulin, ER stress, apoptosis, secretion, signaling

Research Interests:
ER stress and the Unfolded Protein Response in Pancreatic beta-cells
Pancreatic beta-cell dysfunction in diabetes involves defective insulin secretion and increased beta-cell death. Chronic endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress has emerged as a possible factor that contributes to both beta-cell defects. Research in my laboratory focuses on the molecular mechanism of chronic activation of the UPR in pancreatic beta-cells and the mechanisms that lead to cell death. Current projects underway include developing beta-cell culture models of chronic ER stress and examining the role of free fatty acids and cytokines on ER stress in beta-cells. Future studies plan to use animal models of type 2 diabetes and transgenic and knock-out mouse models to examine the role of ER stress in beta-cell dysfunction.

Sample Publications:

Karaskov E., Scott C., Zhang L., Teodoro T., Ravazzola M., and Volchuk A. (2006) Chronic palmitate but not oleate exposure induces endoplasmic reticulum stress, which may contribute to INS-1 pancreatic b-cell apoptosis. Endocrinology 147:3398-3407.

Cosson, P., Ravazzola, M., Varlamov, O., Sollner, T.H., Di Liberto, M., Volchuk, A., Rothman J.E. and Orci, L. (2005) Dynamic transport of SNARE proteins in the Golgi apparatus. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 102:14647-14652.

Jagla, B., Aulner, N., Kelly, P.D., Kim, E., Song, D., Volchuk, A., Zatorski, A., Shum, D., Mayer, T., De Angelis, D.A. Ouerfelli, O., Rutishauser, U., and Rothman, J.E. (2005) Sequence Characteristics of functional siRNAs. RNA; 11:864-872.