Understanding the role of sphingolipids has been a direct goal of Dr. Shaymans lab. And this week’s interview was a great insight into his work. We spent time covering the basics such as what are sphingolipids . And quickly went into diseases that are a result of an over abundance of sphingolipids due to an under abundance of the enzymes that break them down. By being very specific Dr. Shayman picked a few diseases that are rare, yet have these issues with sphingolipid proliferation and he is quickly figuring them out. Listen to the interview to see how his research to treat and cure these diseases can and will move onto others such as diabetes and more.
Take a moment to check out this link to Dr Shaymans lab!
And this link to some of his publications!
Here are two papers of interest.
http://ajprenal.physiology.org/cgi/content/abstract/294/1/f100
http://jasn.asnjournals.org/cgi/content/full/17/1/15
Dr James Shayman
James Shayman is Professor of Internal Medicine and Pharmacology and the Associate Vice-President for Research at the University of Michigan. He received his undergraduate degree from Cornell University and his medical degree from Washington University. He trained in internal medicine and nephrology at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis and was a post-doctoral fellow in the Department of Pharmacology at Washington University. Since 1986 he has been on the faculty at the University of Michigan as a clinician and physician scientist. For the last 20 years his laboratory has devoted their efforts the study of sphingolipids in health and disease. This research has focused on three questions. First, what roles do sphingolipids play in normal cellular signaling events? Second, by what mechanisms do sphingolipids mediate the pathology associated with rare storage diseases such as Gaucher and Fabry disease and more common diseases such as diabetes? Third, can small molecule inhibitors of enzymes involved in sphingolipid metabolism be designed and demonstrated to have clinical utility in the treatment of these diseases? The pursuit of an answer to the last question led to the development of the “PDMP” based inhibitors of glucosylceramide synthesis. Following proof of concept studies in models of Fabry disease, these compounds were licensed to the Genzyme Corporation in October, 2000. The clinical trials with Genz-112638 represent the current extension of these efforts. Dr. Shayman has been an Established Investigator of the American Heart Association, member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation and Association of American Physicians, and Fellow of the American Heart Association and American Society of Nephrology. He has authored more than 100 scientific papers, edited two text books, served on the editorial boards of several scientific journals, and holds more than 30 patents.
