Michaela Jansen, PharmD, Ph.D.

Professor, Associate Dean for Medical Education and Accreditation, School of Medicine

GSBS Concentrations: Molecular Biophysics; Affiliate Faculty - Biotechnology, Associate Faculty - Translational Neuroscience and Pharmacology

 

Department of Cell Physiology and Molecular Biophysics
Center for Membrane Protein Research
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
3601 4th Street, STOP 6551
Lubbock, Texas 79430
Phone: (806) 743-4059

Email: michaela.jansen@ttuhsc.edu

Research Interests

Research in the Jansen laboratory focuses on structure and function studies and pharmacology of membrane transport proteins.  Our primary focus are neurotransmitter receptors of the pentameric ligand-gated ion channel superfamily (nAChR, 5HT3, GABA). We also investigate the proton-coupled folate transporter (PCFT) that mediates (anti)folate uptake into tumors and cancer cells.

The proteins we study represent therapeutic targets for diverse neurological disorders/diseases and cancer chemotherapy.

Recent News and Views feature in Nature by Dr. Jansen.

2022 submissions to bioRxiv (open access preprint repository for the biological sciences hosted by the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory): 

• Currently all posts to bioRxiv have found their peer-reviewed home.

We apply techniques out of the areas of molecular biology (genetic engineering), biochemistry, chemical biology, biophysics (electrophysiology, spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography), and pharmacology.

Past lab members

are employed in academica (Columbia, Einstein, Vanderbilt, Yale) and pharmaceutical industry (Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, Sanofi).  

Past PhD students

Kumar Duddempudi, now Associate at Einstein, New York.

Elham Pirayesh, now scientist at Moderna.

Funding

Current Lab Members

For a list of past lab members go to Jansen Lab Members

Diversity Statement

The core foundational value of including the diverse, cultures, lifestyles, personal beliefs and ideas of all those we serve ─ and serve alongside ─ provides a positive impact on the health of our regional, national and global societies. As we pursue excellence in health care education, research and patient care, we will be ever mindful of the strength that is gained through unity in diversity.

TTUHSC Office of Diversity

Recent Publications

	Hoa Quynh Do, Michaela Jansen. (2023) Binding motif for RIC-3 chaperon protein in serotonin type 3A receptors. J. Gen. Phys., 155, e202213305.
	Hoa Quynh Do, Michaela Jansen. (2022) Cell-Free Expression of Proton-Coupled Folate Transporter in the Presence of Nanodiscs. Methods in Mol. Biol., 2507:425-444. PMID: 35773596.
	Hoa Quynh Do, Carla M Bassil, Elizabeth I Andersen, Michaela Jansen (2021). Impact of nanodisc lipid composition on cell-free expression of proton-coupled folate transporter. PLoS One 2021 Nov 18;16(11):e0253184. PMCID: PMC8601550. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0253184
	Antonia G. Stuebler, Michaela Jansen (2020). Mobility of Lower MA-Helices for Ion Conduction through Lateral Portals in 5-HT 3A Receptors. Biophys J. 119 (12), 2593-2603. PMID: 33157122  PMCID: PMC7822733
	Antonia G. Stuebler, Michaela Jansen (2020). Bupropion Inhibits Serotonin Type 3AB Heteromeric Channels at Clinically Relevant Concentrations. Mol Pharm. 97 (3) 171-179. PMID: 31871303
	Elham Pirayesh, Akash Pandhare, Antonia G. Stuebler, Michaela Jansen (2020). Delineating the Site of Interaction of the 5-HT3A Receptor with the Chaperone Protein RIC-3. Biophys J. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 31870537
	Akash Pandhare, Elham Pirayesh, Antonia G. Stuebler, Michaela Jansen (2019). Triple arginines as molecular determinants for pentameric assembly of the intracellular domain of 5-HT3A receptors. J Gen Physiol. 151 (9), 1135-1145.
	Michaela Jansen (2019). An in-depth structural view of a GABAA brain receptor. Nature. Epub 2019 Jan 02.
	Akash Pandhare, Antonia G Stuebler, Elham Pirayesh, Michaela Jansen (2019). A modified clear-native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis technique to investigate the oligomeric state of MBP-5-HT3A-intracellular domain chimeras. Protein Expression and Purification. 153, 45-52.
	Swapneeta S. Date, Mariana C. Fiori, Guillermo A. Altenberg, Michaela Jansen  (2017). Expression in Sf9 insect cells, purification and functional reconstitution of the human proton-coupled folate transporter (PCFT, SLC46A1) PLOS One. 12(5):e0177572
	Akash Pandhare, Aneesh Satya Pappu, Henrik Wilms, Michael Paul Blanton, Michaela Jansen (2017).  The antidepressant bupropion is a negative allosteric modulator of serotonin type 3A receptors. Neuropharmacology. 113(Pt A):89-99.
	Akash Pandhare, Petar N. Grozdanov & Michaela Jansen (2016). Pentameric quaternary structure of the intracellular domain of serotonin type 3A receptors. Sci Rep. 6. 6:23921.
	Sita Nirupama Nishtala, Nelli Mnatsakanyan, Akash Pandhare, Chun Leung, Michaela Jansen (2016). Direct interaction of the resistance to inhibitors of cholinesterase type 3 protein with the serotonin receptor type 3A intracellular domain. J Neurochem. 137(4):528-38.
	Swapneeta S. Date, Cheng‐Yen Charles Chen, Yidong Chen, Michaela Jansen (2016). Experimentally optimized threading structures of the proton‐coupled folate transporter. FEBS Open Bio. 6(3):216-30.
	Nelli Mnatsakanyan, S Nirupama Nishtala, Akash Pandhare, Mariana C Fiori, Raman Goyal, Jonathan E Pauwels, Andrew F Navetta,  Afzal Ahrorov, Jansen M (2015). Functional Chimeras of GLIC Obtained by Adding the Intracellular Domain of Anion- and Cation-Conducting Cys-loop Receptors. Biochemistry. 54(16):2670-2682.
	Phaneendra Kumar Duddempudi, Raman Goyal, Swapneeta Sanjay Date, Michaela Jansen (2013). Delineating the Extracellular Water-Accessible Surface of the Proton-Coupled Folate Transporter. PLOS One. 8(10):e78301
	Phaneendra K. Duddempudi, Prachi Nakashe, Michael P. Blanton, Michaela Jansen (2013). The monomeric state of the proton‐coupled folate transporter represents the functional unit in the plasma membrane. The FEBS Journal. 280(12):2900-15.
	Nelli Mnatsakanyan, Michaela Jansen (2013). Experimental determination of the vertical alignment between the second and third transmembrane segments of muscle nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Journal Neurochem. 25(6):843-54.
	Jonathan M. Labriola, Akash Pandhare, Michaela Jansen, Michael P. Blanton, Pierre-Jean Corringer, John E. Baenziger (2013). Structural sensitivity of a prokaryotic pentameric ligand-gated ion channel to its membrane environment. J Biol Chem 288(16):11294-303.
	Akash Pandhare, Ayman K. Hamouda, Brandon Staggs, Shaili Aggarwal, Phaneendra K. Duddempudi, John R. Lever, David J. Lapinsky, Michaela Jansen, Jonathan B. Cohen, Michael P. Blanton (2012). Bupropion Binds to Two Sites in the Torpedo Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Transmembrane Domain: A Photoaffinity Labeling Study with the Bupropion Analogue [125I]-SADU-3-72. Biochemistry. 51(12):2425-35.
	Raman Goyal, Ahmed Abdullah Salahudeen, Michaela Jansen (2011). Engineering a Prokaryotic Cys-loop Receptor with a Third Functional Domain. J Biol Chem. 286(40):34635-42.
	A. Bauman, M. Piel, S. Höhnemann, A. Krauss, Michaela Jansen, C. Solbach, G. Dannhardt,b and F. Rösch (2010). Synthesis, labelling and evaluation of hydantoin‐substituted indole carboxylic acids as potential ligands for positron emission tomography imaging of the glycine binding site of the N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate receptor. J Label Compd Radiopharm. 54(10):645-656.
	Moez Bali, Michaela Jansen and Myles H. Akabas (2009). GABA-Induced Intersubunit Conformational Movement in the GABAA Receptor α1M1-β2M3 Transmembrane Subunit Interface: Experimental Basis for Homology Modeling of an Intravenous Anesthetic Binding Site. J Neurosci.29 (10) 3083-3092.
	Roger Ernest Wiltfong and Michaela Jansen (2009). Probing Protein Packing Surrounding the Residues in and Flanking the Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor M2M3 Loop. J Neuroscience. 29(6):1626 –1635.
	Michaela Jansen, Holger Rabe, Axelle Strehle, Sandra Dieler, Fabian Debus, Gerd Dannhardt, Myles H. Akabas, and Hartmut Luddens (2007). Synthesis of GABAA Receptor Agonists and Evaluation of their α-Subunit Selectivity and Orientation in the GABA Binding Site. J Med Chem. 51(15):4430-48
	Rongbao Zhao, Andong Qiu, Eugenia Tsai, Michaela Jansen, Myles H. Akabas, and I. David Goldman (2008). The Proton-Coupled Folate Transporter: Impact on Pemetrexed Transport and on Antifolates Activities Compared with the Reduced Folate Carrier. Mol Pharmacol. 74(3):854-62.
	Michaela Jansen , Moez Bali , and Myles H. Akabas (2008). Modular Design of Cys-loop Ligand-gated Ion Channels: Functional 5-HT 3 and GABA 1 Receptors Lacking the Large Cytoplasmic M3M4 Loop. J. Gen. Physiol. 131: 137–146.
	Andong Qiu, Sang Hee Min, Michaela Jansen, Usha Malhotra, Eugenia Tsai, Diane C. Cabelof, Larry H. Matherly, Rongbao Zhao, Myles H. Akabas, and I. David Goldman (2007). Rodent intestinal folate transporters (SLC46A1): secondary structure, functional properties, and response to dietary folate restriction. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 293: C1669–C1678.
	Andong Qiu, Michaela Jansen, Antoinette Sakaris, Sang Hee Min, Shrikanta Chattopadhyay, Eugenia Tsai, Claudio Sandoval, Rongbao Zhao, Myles H. Akabas, and I. David Goldman (2006). Identification of an Intestinal Folate Transporter and the Molecular Basis for Hereditary Folate Malabsorption. Cell. 127(5):917-28.
	Michaela Jansen and Myles H. Akabas (2006). State-Dependent Cross-Linking of the M2 and M3 Segments: Functional Basis for the Alignment of GABAA and Acetylcholine Receptor M3 Segments. J Neurosci. 26(17):4492– 4499.
	David C. Reeves, Michaela Jansen, Moez Bali, Thomas Lemster, and Myles H. Akabas (2005). A Role for the 1 – 2 Loop in the Gating of 5-HT3 Receptors. J Neurosci. 25(41):9358 –9366.

Complete list of publications.