EDUCATION
Ph.D., Biozentrum, University of Basel, Switzerland
POSITIONS
• Associate Professor, Department of Biology, School of Science and Technology, Nazarbayev University, Astama, Kazakhstan; 2014 – Present
• Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas; 2001 – 2015
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Elucidating the role of PI4,5P2 signaling networks in cell migration and cancer metastasis:
We are interested in how signaling networks control normal cell migration and cancer cell metastasis. Cell migration is an essential part of many normal biological processes, including wound healing, the immune response, and embryonic development. Cell migration is also what drives the spread of cancer and a better understanding of this process is essential for improving the treatment of cancer patients and patient survival. Intricate molecular communication networks have evolved to control these processes. Our work is focusing on how cells receive, read and relay such signals, and how disruptions in these processes lead to tumor formation and cancer metastasis. We are approaching these questions by focusing on the signaling processes regulated by the lipid phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2). Our research focuses on PIP2, because PIP2 is central to the control of multiple signaling networks critical for cell migration.
Our current research is focused on understanding how PIP2 specifically, yet differently, controls several processes that are key drivers of cell migration and tissue invasion: (1) actin polymerisation, (2) focal adhesion assembly and disassembly, and (3) the emerging role that the trafficking of cell surface receptors – in particularly of integrins – plays in cell migration. We anticipate that a better understanding of how PIP2 regulates and coordinates these processes to drive cell migration will enable the development of new therapeutic anti-cancer approaches by targeting the kinases that produce PIP2.
Targeting Mechanotransduction at the Transcriptional Level: YAP and BRD4 Are Novel Therapeutic Targets for the Reversal of Liver FibrosisZhubanchaliyev, A., Kunz Halder, J.,
2016 In : Frontiers in Pharmacology. p. 762
Type I PIPK-α regulates directed cell migration by modulating Rac1 plasma membrane targeting and activation (The Journal of Cell Biology (2010) 190, 2, (247-262))Chao, W., Daquinag, A., Ashcroft, F., Kunz, J.,
2010 In : Journal of Cell Biology. 190, 3, p. 479
Type I PIPK-α regulates directed cell migration by modulating Rac1 plasma membrane targeting and activationChao, W., Daquinag, A., Ashcroft, F., Kunz, J.,
2010 In : Journal of Cell Biology. 190, 2, p. 247-262
Type I phosphatidylinositol phosphate kinase beta regulates focal adhesion disassembly by promoting β1 integrin endocytosisChao, W., Ashcroft, F., Daquinag, A., Vadakkan, T., Wei, Z., Zhang, P., Dickinson, M., Kunz, J.,
2010 In : Molecular and Cellular Biology. 30, 18, p. 4463-4479
Focal adhesion disassembly requires clathrin-dependent endocytosis of integrinsChao, W., Kunz, J.,
2009 In : FEBS Letters. 583, 8, p. 1337-1343
16-kDa prolactin inhibits endothelial cell migration by down-regulating the Ras-Tiam1-Rac1-Pak1 signaling pathwayLee, S., Kunz, J., Lin, S., Yu-Lee, L.,
2007 In : Cancer Research. 67, 22, p. 11045-11053
The yeast PH domain proteins Slm1 and Slm2 are targets of sphingolipid signaling during the response to heat stressDaquinag, A., Fadri, M., Jung, S., Qin, J., Kunz, J.,
2007 In : Molecular and Cellular Biology. 27, 2, p. 633-650
Regulation of dendritic morphogenesis by Ras-PI3K-Akt-mTOR and Ras-MAPK signaling pathwaysKumar, V., Zhang, M., Swank, M., Kunz, J., Wu, G.,
2005 In : Journal of Neuroscience. 25, 49, p. 11288-11299
The v-ATPase V0 subunit a1 is required for a late step in synaptic vesicle exocytosis in DrosophilaHiesinger, P., Fayyazuddin, A., Mehta, S., Rosenmund, T., Schulze, K., Zhai, R., Verstreken, P., Cao, Y., Zhou, Y., Kunz, J., Bellen, H.,
2005 In : Cell. 121, 4, p. 607-620
The pleckstrin homology domain proteins Slm1 and Slm2 are required for actin cytoskeleton organization in yeast and bind phosphatidylinositol-4,5- bisphosphate and TORC2Fadri, M., Daquinag, A., Wang, S., Xue, T., Kunz, J.,
2005 In : Molecular Biology of the Cell. 16, 4, p. 1883-1900
Stereo-specific substrate recognition by phosphatidylinositol phosphate kinases is swapped by changing a single amino acid residueKunz, J., Fuelling, A., Kolbe, L., Anderson, R.,
2002 In : Journal of Biological Chemistry. 277, 7, p. 5611-5619
Erratum: FAP1, a homologue of human transcription factor NF-X1, competes with rapamycin for binding to FKBP12 in yeast (Molecular Microbiology (2001) 37:6 (1480-1493))Kunz, J., Loeschman, A., Deuter-Reinhard, M., Hall, M.,
2001 In : Molecular Microbiology. 39, 4, p. 1107
HEAT repeats mediate plasma membrane localization of Tor2p in yeastKunz, J., Schneider, U., Howald, I., Schmidt, A., Hall, M.,
2000 In : Journal of Biological Chemistry. 275, 47, p. 37011-37020
The activation loop of phosphatidylinositol phosphate kinases determines signaling specificityKunz, J., Wilson, M., Kisseleva, M., Hurley, J., Majerus, P., Anderson, R.,
2000 In : Molecular Cell. 5, 1, p. 1-11
FAP1, a homologue of human transcription factor NF-X1, competes with rapamycin for binding to FKBP12 in yeastKunz, J., Loeschmann, A., Deuter-Reinhard, M., Hall, M.,
2000 In : Molecular Microbiology. 37, 6, p. 1480-1493
Coupled inositide phosphorylation and phospholipase D activation initiates clathrin-coat assembly on lysosomesArneson, L., Kunz, J., Anderson, R., Traub, L.,
1999 In : Journal of Biological Chemistry. 274, 25, p. 17794-17805
Phosphatidylinositol phosphate kinases, a multifaceted family of signaling enzymesAnderson, R., Boronenkov, I., Doughman, S., Kunz, J., Loijens, J.,
1999 In : Journal of Biological Chemistry. 274, 15, p. 9907-9910
The TOR nutrient signalling pathway phosphorylates NPR1 and inhibits turnover of the tryptophan permeaseSchmidt, A., Beck, T., Koller, A., Kunz, J., Hall, M.,
1998 In : EMBO Journal. 17, 23, p. 6924-6931
Phosphalidylinositol 4-phosphate 5-kinascs: A Novel FamilyAnderson, R., Loiiens, J., Boronenkov, I., Parker, G., Kunz, J., Lu, F.,
1997 In : FASEB Journal. 11, 9,
TOR2 is required for organization of the actin cytoskeleton in yeastSchmidt, A., Kunz, J., Hall, M.,
1996 In : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 93, 24, p. 13780-13785
TOR1 and TOR2 are structurally and functionally similar but not identical phosphatidylinositol kinase homologues in yeastHelliwell, S., Wagner, P., Kunz, J., Deuter-Reinhard, M., Henriquez, R., Hall, M.,
1994 In : Molecular Biology of the Cell. 5, 1, p. 105-118
The Immunosuppressant FK506 Inhibits Amino Acid Import in Saccharomyces cerevisiaeHeitman, J., Koller, A., Kunz, J., Henriquez, R., Schmidt, A., Movva, N., Hall, M.,
1993 In : Molecular and Cellular Biology. 13, 8, p. 5010-5019
Target of rapamycin in yeast, TOR2, is an essential phosphatidylinositol kinase homolog required for G1 progressionKunz, J., Henriquez, R., Schneider, U., Deuter-Reinhard, M., Movva, N., Hall, M.,
1993 In : Cell. 73, 3, p. 585-596
Cyclosporin A, FK506 and rapamycin: more than just immunosuppressionKunz, J., Hall, M.,
1993 In : Trends in Biochemical Sciences. 18, 9, p. 334-338
Active transport of proteins into the nucleusWagner, P., Kunz, J., Koller, A., Hall, M.,
1990 In : FEBS Letters. 275, 1-2, p. 1-5
