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Research ProgramPrevention & Control
Research Interests
(Chair, Department of Biochemistry; Director of CeGMM)):
My research focuses on the study of genetic and molecular mechanisms of environmental disease with emphasis on transcriptional control, functional genomics and bioinformatics, and cellular differentiation and transdifferentiation in normal and cancer cells. Current efforts emphasize the study of redox-regulated transcription; gene regulatory networks involved in phenotypic control and pathogenesis; and, genetic and metabolic bases of normal and disrupted nephrogenesis. A variety of molecular and computational methodologies are being applied to elucidate biological regulatory networks controlled by LINE, aryl hydrocarbon receptor, and osteopontin genes.
EducationEducation/Training
B.S., University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR, Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chemistry, 1978
Ph.D., University of Texas, Austin, TX, Biochemical Pharmacology, 1983
Post-Doc, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, Physiology & Phamacology, 1984
Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, Molecular Biology, 1992
Research and Professional Experience
1984-1987
Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, PCPS,
Univ. Sciences Philadelphia
1987-1989
Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine,
Texas Tech University HSC
1989-1995
Associate Professor, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Department of Medical Physiology, College of Medicine,
Texas A&M University
1995-2003
Professor, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Department of Medical Physiology, College of Medicine,
Texas A&M University
1998-1999
Interim Head, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Rural Public Health,
Texas A&M University HSC
1999-2003
Director, Center for Environmental and Rural Health, Texas A&M University
2003-Present
Professor and Chairman, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Health Sciences Center,
University of Louisville
2003- Present
Distinguished University Scholar,
University of Louisville
2003- Present
Director, Center for Genetics & Molecular Medicine, Health Sciences Center,
University of Louisville
2003- Present
Member, James Graham Brown Cancer Center,
University of Louisville
Selected Awards and Professional Honors
1978
Magna Cum Laude, University of Puerto Rico
1978
Mortar and Pestle Award for Student Excellence, University of Puerto Rico
1982
Pre-doctoral Fellowship and Dissertation Award, The University of Texas
1983
Honorable Mention, Graduate Student Award for Meritorious Research, Society of Toxicology
1992-1997
USPHS Research Career Development Award, NIEHS
1995
Keynote Speaker, Annual Meeting of the Mexican Association for Human Genetics
1996
Achievement Award in Research, Society of Toxicology
1997
Keynote Speaker, Summer Research Fellowship program, Univ. of Massachusetts medical Center
1997
Keynote Speaker, 2nd Mexican Congress on Toxicology, Mexico City
2000
Zeneca ltd., European Traveling Lectureship Award, Society of Toxicology
2001-2003
Chester Reed Chair in Toxicology
PublicationsFan YY, Ramos KS, Chapkin, RS. Dietary primrose oil containing gamma linolenic acid suppresses smooth muscle cell proliferation and reduces atherosclerosis in Apo E knock out mice. Journal of Nutrition 31:675-1681, 2001
Kerzee JK, Ramos KS. Constitutive and inducible expression of CYP1A1 and CYP1B1 in vascular smooth muscle cells: Role of the AHR bHLH/PAS transcription factor. Circ Res 89:573-82, 2001
Holderman MT, Miller KP, Dangott L, Ramos KS. Identification of albumin precursor protein, phi AP3 and alpha smooth muscle action as components of the redox sensing machinery in vascular smooth muscle cells following oxidant injury. Molec Pharmacol 61:1174-83, 2002
Lu KP, Alejandro NF, Taylor KM, Joyce MM, Spencer T, Ramos KS. Differential expression of ribosomal L31, Zis, Gas-5 and mitochondrial ATP subunit 6 mRNAs following oxidant induction of proliferative vascular smooth muscle phenotypes. Atherosclerosis 160:273-80, 2002
Moorthy B, Miller KP, Ramos KS. The atherogen 3-methylcholanthrene induces DNA adducts in mouse aortic smooth muscle cells: Role of cytochrome P4501B1. Cardiovasc Res 53:1002-1009, 2002
Wilson E, Parrish AR, Bral CM, Williams S, Ramos KS. Collagen suppresses induction of proliferative smooth muscle phenotypes by oxidative injury. Atherosclerosis 162:289-97, 2002
Falahatpisheh HM, Ramos KS. Ligand activated Ahr signaling leads to disruption of nephrogenesis and altered Wilms’ tumor suppressor gene splicing. Oncogene 14:2160-71, 2003
Johnson CD, Tadesse M, Falahatpisheh MH, Balagurunathan Y, Lu KP, Carroll RJ, Dougherty ER, Afshari CA, Ramos KS. Genomic profiles and predictive biological networks in oxidant-induced atherogenesis. Physiol Genomics 13:263-75, 2003
Lu KP, Ramos KS. Redox regulation of a novel L1Md-A2 retrotransposon in vascular smooth muscle cells. J Biol Chem 278:28201-209, 2003
Johnson CD, Balagurunathan Y, Tadesse M, Falahatpisheh MH, Brun M, Walker M, Dougherty ER, Ramos, KS. Unraveling gene-gene interactions regulated by ligands of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor. Env Health Perspectives: Toxicogenomics 112:403-12, 2004
Jones S A, Patterson JL, Ramos KS, Wilson E. Modulation of cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor proteins and ERK1/2 activity in allylamine-injured vascular smooth muscle cells. J Cell Biochem 91:1248-59, 2004
Weber TJ, Negash S, Smallwood H, Ramos KS, Thrall BD, Squier TC. Calmodulin involvement in stress- activated nuclear localization of albumin in JB6 epithelial cells. Biochemistry 43:7433-50, 2004
Chao JT, Jones S, Partridge CR, Neiger JD, Spencer EW, Kaufman SJ, Meininger GA, Ramos KS, Wilson E. Regulation of alpha7 Integrin expression in vascular smooth muscle by allylamine. Am J Physiol: Heart Circ Physiol 287(1):H381-89, 2004
Neiger JD, Crow TY, Partridge CR, Williams ES, Chao JT, Meininger GA, Wilson E. Modulation of integrin mRNA levels and vasomotor function in rat arterioles. Life Sciences 76(16):1895-905, 2004
Puebla-Osorio N, Ramos KS, Falahatpisheh MH, Smith R III, Berghman LR. 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p- dioxin (TCDD) causes aryl hydrocarbon receptor (Ahr) mediated apoptosis in the avian DT40 pre-B-cell line through activation of caspase 9 and 3. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 138(4):461-68, 2004
Alejandro NF, Nanez A, Falahatpisheh MH, Roths JB, Ramos KS. Disruption of cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions in hydrocarbon nephropathy. Kidney International (in revision), 2004
Miller KP, Ramos KS. DNA sequence specificity of nuclear protein binding to c-Ha-ras antioxidant/electrophile response element in vascular smooth muscle cells. Submitted 2004
Williams ES, Wilson E, Ramos KS. Alterations in Nuclear factor kappa B participates in matrix-dependent regulation of the atherogenic vascular smooth muscle cell phenotype following oxidative injury. Submitted 2004
Phone: Coming soon.
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