Michael Cascio

 

Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry

W1155 Biomedical Science Tower

412-648-9488, 624-1401(fax)

cascio@pitt.edu

http://www.mgb.pitt.edu/personnel/view.asp?uid=cascio

 

 

The major interest of Michael Cascio’s laboratory is correlating the structure and function for membrane protein receptors and channels, primarily neuroreceptors. Utilizing recent biotechnological advances, they are engineering recombinant human glycine receptors by systematically incorporating cysteine residues at select regions of the receptor and incorporating novel chemical moieties to modify channel specifity, selectivity, and activity. Computational studies aim to understand the functional dynamics of this allosteric receptor. His lab is also involved in studies aimed at engineering neprilysin, a Zn-dependent membrane-bound protease that has been shown to cleave fibril-forming Aß peptide both in vitro and in vivo, to create an Aß-selective protease that may be used in combating Alzheimer’s disease. He is also involved in collaborative studies with Olja Finn of the Department of Immunology in engineering a more efficacious interaction of T cell receptors with human mucin in combating breast cancer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Binding of MUC-1 to cognate T cell receptor.