Bernard S Marasa
(IPMB 2001)
Positions held since graduation:
6/2007-
Visiting Postdoctoral Fellow. National Institute of Aging-NIH, US
My key role was to initiate an independent line of inquiry on the potential functional consequences of interplay between miRNA and RNA Binding Proteins (RBPs) in various pathologies associated with aging and senescence. In addition, my position required analysing the whole human miRNome expression profile between young and senescent human fibroblasts, and under various stress condition. I am also responsible for maintaining the laboratory components of miRNA research in the group and some of my routine duties and responsibilities include;
Graduate Research Assistant
University of Maryland, Baltimore
Major Duties & Responsibilities
Conducted independent research for my PhD project examining the physiological roles of the novel mammalian transient receptor potential channels (TRPCs) in normal intestinal epithelial cells. Involved in the generation and characterization of TRPC1 & TRPC5 channels in IEC-6 cells. My mainduties and responsibilities included;
1. Perform real-time PCR on TRPC1 genes and downstream signaling partners
2. Cloning, sequencing and site directed mutagenesis on contructs
3. Perform real-time Ca2+ imaging on stable transfected cells
4. Analyse the downstream signal transduction pathways mediated by TRPC channels
5. Served as teaching assistant for several graduate courses including Human Pathology(PATH 601), Systemic Pathology (PATH 602) and Molecular Mechanisms of Signal Transduction (MPHY 616)
10/2001-8/2003
Research Assistant
University of Maryland, Baltimore
Major Duties & Responsibilities
Department of Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
Conducted independent research leading to characterization of the roles of substance P in store operated calcium entry and intestinal epithelial cell restitution
8/1999-9/2001
Graduate Research Fellow
Vlaamse Institute of Biotechnology and Vrije Universiteit Brussels
Major Duties & Responsibilities
Conducted independent research for my Masterâs thesis involving generation & characterization of unique phage derived camel antibodies (cAbs) against chicken lysozyme & human TNF-α under the mentorship of Prof. Sergei Muyldermans. I was involvedroutinely in
1. Isolation of PBMCs from blood of immunized camels
2. Cloning, sequencing and site-drected mutagensis of the camellid VHH library the generation of phage display library of the binders against human TNF-α and chicken lysozyme antigens.
3. Used bio-panning (ELISA) to select the high affinity binders and the IAsys system for analyzing the binding affinity of isolated binders.
List of publications:
1. Marasa B.S, Srikantan S, Masuda K, Abdelmohsen K, Kuwano Y, Yang X, Martindale J, Rinker-Schaeffer C, and Gorospe M. MKK4 Increase during senescence linked to the lowering of multiple microRNAs. Sci Signal. 2009 Oct 27;2(94):ra69
2. Kuwano, Yuki; Pullmann, Rudolf; Marasa, Bernard; Abdelmohsen, Kotb; Lee, Eun Kyung; Yang, Xiaoling; Martindale, Jennifer; Zhan, Ming; Gorospe, Myriam. NF90 selectively represses the translation of target mRNAs bearing an AU-rich signature motif. NAR 2009 Oct, 2009 (Accepted)
3. Kiyoshi Masuda, Bernard Marasa, Jennifer L. Martindale, Marc K. Halushka, and Myriam Gorospe. Tissue- and age-dependent expression of RNA-binding proteins that influence mRNA turnover and translation Priority Research Paper - AGING August, 2009 Vol.1 No.8 pp.681-698
4. Shant J, Cheng K, Marasa BS, Wang JY and Raufman JP. Akt dependent NF-kappa B activation is required for bile acids to rescue colon cancer cells from stress-induced apoptosis. Exp Cell Res. 2009 Feb 1: 315 (3): 432-50. Epub 2008 Nov 20.
5. Greenspon J, Li R, Xiao L, Rao JN, Marasa BS, Strauch ED, Wang JY and Turner DJ. Sphingosine-1-Phosphate protects intestinal epithelial cells from apoptosis through the Akt signaling pathway. Dig Dis Sci. 2009 Mar;54(3):499-510. Epub 2008 Jul 25.
6. Marasa BS , Xiao L, Rao JN, Zou T, Liu L, , Wang J, Bellavance E, Turner DJ, and Wang JY. Induced TRPC1 expression increases protein phosphatase 2A sensitizing intestinal epithelial cells to apoptosis through inhibition of NFκB activation. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2008 March 5; 294 C1277-1287. Epub 2008 March 05.
7. Zou T, Liu L, Rao JN, Marasa BS, Chen J, Xiao L, Zhou H, Gorospe M, and Wang JY. Polyamines modulate the subcellular localization of RNA-binding protein HUR through AMP-activated protein kinase-regulated phosphorylation and acetylation of importin alpha 1. Biochem J. 2008 Jan 15:409(2):389-98.
8. Xiao L, Rao JN, Zou T, Liu L, Marasa BS, Chen J, Turner DJ, Zhou H, Gorospe M, Wang JY. Polyamines regulate the stability of activating transcription factor-2 mRNA through RNA-binding protein HuR in intestinal epithelial cells. Mol Biol Cell. 2007 Nov;18(11):4579-90. Epub 2007 Sep
9. Chen J, Rao JN, Zou T, Liu L, Marasa BS, Xiao L, Zeng X, Turner DJ, Wang JY. Polyamines are required for expression of Toll-like receptor 2 modulating intestinal epithelial barrier integrity. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2007 Sep;293(3):G568-76. Epub 2007 Jun 28
10. Zhang AH, Rao JN, Zou T, Liu L, Marasa BS, Xiao L, Chen J, Turner DJ, Wang JY.
p53-dependent NDRG1 expression induces inhibition of intestinal epithelial cell proliferation but not apoptosis after polyamine depletion. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2007 Jul;293(1):C379-89. Epub 2007 Apr 18.
11. Xiao L, Rao JN, Zou T, Liu L, Marasa BS, Chen J, Turner DJ, Passaniti A, Wang JY. Induced JunD in intestinal epithelial cells represses CDK4 transcription through its proximal promoter region following polyamine depletion. Biochem. J. 2007 Jan 25 [Epub ahead of print]
12. Rao JN, Liu L, Zou T, Marasa BS, Boneva D, Wang SR, Malone DL, Turner DJ, Wang JY. Polyamines are required for phospholipase-C (gamma) 1 expression promoting intestinal epithelial cell restitution after wouding. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2006 Sep 14; [Epub ahead of print]
13. Lan Liu, Xin Guo, Jaladanki N. Rao, Tong tong Zou, Bernard S. Marasa, Jie Chen, Jose Greenspon, Robert A. Casero Jr, and Jian-Ying Wang. Polyamine modulated c-Myc regulates p21 transcription through proximal region of its promoter in normal intestinal epithelial cells. Biochem J. 2006 Sep 1;398(2):257-67.
14. Tongtong Zou, Krystyna Mazan-Mamczarz, Jaladanki N. Rao, Lan Liu, Bernard S. Marasa, Ai-Hong Zhang, Lan Xiao, Myriam Gorospe and Jian-Ying Wang. Polyamine depletion increases cytoplasmic levels of RNA-binding protein HUR leading to stabilization of nucleophosmin and p53 mRNAs. . J Biol Chem. 2006 Jul 14; 281(28):19387-94. Epub 2006 May 10.
15. Marasa BS, Rao JN, Zou T, Liu L, Keledjian KM, Zhang A-I, Xiao L, Chen Jie, Turner DJ, and Wang JY . Induced TRPC1 expression sensitizes intestinal epithelial cells to apoptosis by inhibiting NF-κB activation through Ca2+ influx. Biochem J. 2006 Jul 1; 397(1):77-87.
16. Zhang HM, Keledjian KM, Rao JN, Zou T, Liu L, Marasa BS, Wang SR, Ru L, Strauch ED, Wang JY. Induced focal adhesion kinase expression suppresses apoptosis by activating NF-κB signaling in intestinal epithelial cells. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2006 May; 290(5):C1310-20. Epub 2005 Dec 14.
17. Liu L, Li L, Rao JN, Zou T, Zhang HM, Boneva D, Bernard MS, Wang JY. Polyamine-modulated expression of c-myc plays a critical role in stimulation of normal intestinal epithelial cell proliferation.Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2005 Jan; 288(1):C89-99. Epub 2004 Sep 8.
18. Rao JN, Platoshyn O, Golovina VA, Liu L, Zou T, Marasa BS, Turner DJ, X-J Yuan J, Wang JY. TRPC1 functions as a store-operated Ca2+ channel in intestinal epithelial cells and regulates early mucosal restitution after wounding. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2006 Apr; 290(4):G782-92. Epub 2005 Nov 10.
19. Zou T, Rao JN, Liu L, Marasa BS, Keledjian KM, Zhang AH, Xiao L, Bass BL, Wang JY.Polyamine depletion induces nucleophosmin modulating stability and transcriptional activity of p53 in intestinal epithelial cells.Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2005 Sep;289(3):C686-96. Epub 2005 May 4.
20. GuoX, Rao JN, Liu L, Zou T, Keledjian KM, Boneva D, Marasa BS, Wang JY. Polyamines are necessary for synthesis and stability of occludin protein in intestinal epithelial cells. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2005 Jun; 288(6):G1159-69. Epub 2005 Feb 3.
21. Ballingall, KT; Marasa,SB; Luyai, A; McKeever, DJ. Identification of diverse BoLA DQA3 genes consistent with non-allelic sequences. Anim Genet. 1998 Apr; 29(2):123-9.
Projects involved in:
My current projects involve investigations on the potential functional consequences of interplay between miRNA and RNA Binding Proteins (RBPs) in various pathologies associated with aging and senescence. In addition, my position requires analysing the whole human miRNome expression profile between young and senescent human fibroblasts, and under various stress conditions to identify potential aging signaling networks controlled by miRNAs.
Contact details:
Bernard Saisi Marasa, Ph.D
Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology,
National Institute of Aging,
National Institute of Health,
5600 Nathan Shock Drive, RM 1-217,
Baltimore, MD 21224
(IPMB 2001)
Positions held since graduation:
6/2007-
Visiting Postdoctoral Fellow. National Institute of Aging-NIH, US
My key role was to initiate an independent line of inquiry on the potential functional consequences of interplay between miRNA and RNA Binding Proteins (RBPs) in various pathologies associated with aging and senescence. In addition, my position required analysing the whole human miRNome expression profile between young and senescent human fibroblasts, and under various stress condition. I am also responsible for maintaining the laboratory components of miRNA research in the group and some of my routine duties and responsibilities include;
- Perform routinely tasks involving cloning, sequencing, site-directed mutagenesis and confirmatory assays using either EGFP or dual luciferase reporter assays
- Develop, and perform qRT- PCR assays for various miRNAs and genes of interest and trouble shoot in case of problems.
- Perform miRNA and gene microarrays as may be needed
- Maintain and update regularly the real time PCR systems of the group (HT7900 and AB-7300 machines)
- Manage the human tissue biopsies of new and archived age matched PBMCs from young and old donors from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study on Aging (BLSA) and biopsies from tissue matched human normal and tumour biopsies.
- Provide technical support and guidance in methods used by the RNA Regulation Section (RRS) research group
- Drafting progress reports and prepare manuscripts for publication in peer reviewed journals.
- Help in supervision of summer students, post-bacs and PhD students in the lab and lead journal club for the group
Graduate Research Assistant
University of Maryland, Baltimore
Major Duties & Responsibilities
Conducted independent research for my PhD project examining the physiological roles of the novel mammalian transient receptor potential channels (TRPCs) in normal intestinal epithelial cells. Involved in the generation and characterization of TRPC1 & TRPC5 channels in IEC-6 cells. My mainduties and responsibilities included;
1. Perform real-time PCR on TRPC1 genes and downstream signaling partners
2. Cloning, sequencing and site directed mutagenesis on contructs
3. Perform real-time Ca2+ imaging on stable transfected cells
4. Analyse the downstream signal transduction pathways mediated by TRPC channels
5. Served as teaching assistant for several graduate courses including Human Pathology(PATH 601), Systemic Pathology (PATH 602) and Molecular Mechanisms of Signal Transduction (MPHY 616)
10/2001-8/2003
Research Assistant
University of Maryland, Baltimore
Major Duties & Responsibilities
Department of Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
Conducted independent research leading to characterization of the roles of substance P in store operated calcium entry and intestinal epithelial cell restitution
8/1999-9/2001
Graduate Research Fellow
Vlaamse Institute of Biotechnology and Vrije Universiteit Brussels
Major Duties & Responsibilities
Conducted independent research for my Masterâs thesis involving generation & characterization of unique phage derived camel antibodies (cAbs) against chicken lysozyme & human TNF-α under the mentorship of Prof. Sergei Muyldermans. I was involvedroutinely in
1. Isolation of PBMCs from blood of immunized camels
2. Cloning, sequencing and site-drected mutagensis of the camellid VHH library the generation of phage display library of the binders against human TNF-α and chicken lysozyme antigens.
3. Used bio-panning (ELISA) to select the high affinity binders and the IAsys system for analyzing the binding affinity of isolated binders.
List of publications:
1. Marasa B.S, Srikantan S, Masuda K, Abdelmohsen K, Kuwano Y, Yang X, Martindale J, Rinker-Schaeffer C, and Gorospe M. MKK4 Increase during senescence linked to the lowering of multiple microRNAs. Sci Signal. 2009 Oct 27;2(94):ra69
2. Kuwano, Yuki; Pullmann, Rudolf; Marasa, Bernard; Abdelmohsen, Kotb; Lee, Eun Kyung; Yang, Xiaoling; Martindale, Jennifer; Zhan, Ming; Gorospe, Myriam. NF90 selectively represses the translation of target mRNAs bearing an AU-rich signature motif. NAR 2009 Oct, 2009 (Accepted)
3. Kiyoshi Masuda, Bernard Marasa, Jennifer L. Martindale, Marc K. Halushka, and Myriam Gorospe. Tissue- and age-dependent expression of RNA-binding proteins that influence mRNA turnover and translation Priority Research Paper - AGING August, 2009 Vol.1 No.8 pp.681-698
4. Shant J, Cheng K, Marasa BS, Wang JY and Raufman JP. Akt dependent NF-kappa B activation is required for bile acids to rescue colon cancer cells from stress-induced apoptosis. Exp Cell Res. 2009 Feb 1: 315 (3): 432-50. Epub 2008 Nov 20.
5. Greenspon J, Li R, Xiao L, Rao JN, Marasa BS, Strauch ED, Wang JY and Turner DJ. Sphingosine-1-Phosphate protects intestinal epithelial cells from apoptosis through the Akt signaling pathway. Dig Dis Sci. 2009 Mar;54(3):499-510. Epub 2008 Jul 25.
6. Marasa BS , Xiao L, Rao JN, Zou T, Liu L, , Wang J, Bellavance E, Turner DJ, and Wang JY. Induced TRPC1 expression increases protein phosphatase 2A sensitizing intestinal epithelial cells to apoptosis through inhibition of NFκB activation. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2008 March 5; 294 C1277-1287. Epub 2008 March 05.
7. Zou T, Liu L, Rao JN, Marasa BS, Chen J, Xiao L, Zhou H, Gorospe M, and Wang JY. Polyamines modulate the subcellular localization of RNA-binding protein HUR through AMP-activated protein kinase-regulated phosphorylation and acetylation of importin alpha 1. Biochem J. 2008 Jan 15:409(2):389-98.
8. Xiao L, Rao JN, Zou T, Liu L, Marasa BS, Chen J, Turner DJ, Zhou H, Gorospe M, Wang JY. Polyamines regulate the stability of activating transcription factor-2 mRNA through RNA-binding protein HuR in intestinal epithelial cells. Mol Biol Cell. 2007 Nov;18(11):4579-90. Epub 2007 Sep
9. Chen J, Rao JN, Zou T, Liu L, Marasa BS, Xiao L, Zeng X, Turner DJ, Wang JY. Polyamines are required for expression of Toll-like receptor 2 modulating intestinal epithelial barrier integrity. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2007 Sep;293(3):G568-76. Epub 2007 Jun 28
10. Zhang AH, Rao JN, Zou T, Liu L, Marasa BS, Xiao L, Chen J, Turner DJ, Wang JY.
p53-dependent NDRG1 expression induces inhibition of intestinal epithelial cell proliferation but not apoptosis after polyamine depletion. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2007 Jul;293(1):C379-89. Epub 2007 Apr 18.
11. Xiao L, Rao JN, Zou T, Liu L, Marasa BS, Chen J, Turner DJ, Passaniti A, Wang JY. Induced JunD in intestinal epithelial cells represses CDK4 transcription through its proximal promoter region following polyamine depletion. Biochem. J. 2007 Jan 25 [Epub ahead of print]
12. Rao JN, Liu L, Zou T, Marasa BS, Boneva D, Wang SR, Malone DL, Turner DJ, Wang JY. Polyamines are required for phospholipase-C (gamma) 1 expression promoting intestinal epithelial cell restitution after wouding. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2006 Sep 14; [Epub ahead of print]
13. Lan Liu, Xin Guo, Jaladanki N. Rao, Tong tong Zou, Bernard S. Marasa, Jie Chen, Jose Greenspon, Robert A. Casero Jr, and Jian-Ying Wang. Polyamine modulated c-Myc regulates p21 transcription through proximal region of its promoter in normal intestinal epithelial cells. Biochem J. 2006 Sep 1;398(2):257-67.
14. Tongtong Zou, Krystyna Mazan-Mamczarz, Jaladanki N. Rao, Lan Liu, Bernard S. Marasa, Ai-Hong Zhang, Lan Xiao, Myriam Gorospe and Jian-Ying Wang. Polyamine depletion increases cytoplasmic levels of RNA-binding protein HUR leading to stabilization of nucleophosmin and p53 mRNAs. . J Biol Chem. 2006 Jul 14; 281(28):19387-94. Epub 2006 May 10.
15. Marasa BS, Rao JN, Zou T, Liu L, Keledjian KM, Zhang A-I, Xiao L, Chen Jie, Turner DJ, and Wang JY . Induced TRPC1 expression sensitizes intestinal epithelial cells to apoptosis by inhibiting NF-κB activation through Ca2+ influx. Biochem J. 2006 Jul 1; 397(1):77-87.
16. Zhang HM, Keledjian KM, Rao JN, Zou T, Liu L, Marasa BS, Wang SR, Ru L, Strauch ED, Wang JY. Induced focal adhesion kinase expression suppresses apoptosis by activating NF-κB signaling in intestinal epithelial cells. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2006 May; 290(5):C1310-20. Epub 2005 Dec 14.
17. Liu L, Li L, Rao JN, Zou T, Zhang HM, Boneva D, Bernard MS, Wang JY. Polyamine-modulated expression of c-myc plays a critical role in stimulation of normal intestinal epithelial cell proliferation.Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2005 Jan; 288(1):C89-99. Epub 2004 Sep 8.
18. Rao JN, Platoshyn O, Golovina VA, Liu L, Zou T, Marasa BS, Turner DJ, X-J Yuan J, Wang JY. TRPC1 functions as a store-operated Ca2+ channel in intestinal epithelial cells and regulates early mucosal restitution after wounding. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2006 Apr; 290(4):G782-92. Epub 2005 Nov 10.
19. Zou T, Rao JN, Liu L, Marasa BS, Keledjian KM, Zhang AH, Xiao L, Bass BL, Wang JY.Polyamine depletion induces nucleophosmin modulating stability and transcriptional activity of p53 in intestinal epithelial cells.Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2005 Sep;289(3):C686-96. Epub 2005 May 4.
20. GuoX, Rao JN, Liu L, Zou T, Keledjian KM, Boneva D, Marasa BS, Wang JY. Polyamines are necessary for synthesis and stability of occludin protein in intestinal epithelial cells. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2005 Jun; 288(6):G1159-69. Epub 2005 Feb 3.
21. Ballingall, KT; Marasa,SB; Luyai, A; McKeever, DJ. Identification of diverse BoLA DQA3 genes consistent with non-allelic sequences. Anim Genet. 1998 Apr; 29(2):123-9.
Projects involved in:
My current projects involve investigations on the potential functional consequences of interplay between miRNA and RNA Binding Proteins (RBPs) in various pathologies associated with aging and senescence. In addition, my position requires analysing the whole human miRNome expression profile between young and senescent human fibroblasts, and under various stress conditions to identify potential aging signaling networks controlled by miRNAs.
Contact details:
Bernard Saisi Marasa, Ph.D
Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology,
National Institute of Aging,
National Institute of Health,
5600 Nathan Shock Drive, RM 1-217,
Baltimore, MD 21224