University of Virginia
Department of Microbiology
1300 Jefferson Park Avenue
Room 2-25 Jordan Hall
Charlottesville, VA 22908
Phone: 434-924-5341 (lab)
FAX: 434-982-0689
email: jks6a@virginia.edu

Research:

I have been studying the signal transduction pathways that regulate cell migration. In particular, my work, in collaboration with Mike Weber's group, has focused on the role of the Ras-MAPK pathway in regulating epidermal growth factor-mediated or fibronectin-stimulated migration. Recent studies have centered on mechanisms regulating adhesion-dependent activation of components of the MAPK pathway within focal adhesions, structures critical to the regulation of migration.

Relevant Publications:

Slack, J. K., A. D. Catling, S. T. Eblen, M. J. Weber, and J. T. Parsons. 1999. C-Raf mediated inhibition of EGF-stimulated migration. Journal of Biological Chemistry. 274: 27177-27184.

Parsons, J. T., K. H. Martin, J. K. Slack, J.M. Taylor, and S. A. Weed. 2000. Focal Adhesion Kinase: a regulator of focal adhesion dynamics and cell movement. Oncogene. 19:5606-5613.

Slack, J. K., R. B. Adams, J. D. Rovin, E. Bissonette, C. E. Stoker, and J. T. Parsons. 2001. Alterations in the Focal Adhesion Kinase/Src signal transduction pathway correlate with increased migratory capacity of prostate carcinoma cells. Oncogene. 20:1152-1163.

Haskell, M. D., J. K. Slack, J. T. Parsons, and S. J. Parsons. 2001. C-Src tyrosine
phosphorylation of epidermal growth factor receptor, p190 RhoGAP, and focal adhesion kinase regulates diverse cellular processes. Chemical Reviews. Submitted.

Slack, J. K. 2001. Gene Regulation by Adhesion-dependent Signal Transduction Pathways. Current Genomics. Submitted.

Eblen, S. T., J. K. Slack, M. Marshall, M. J. Weber, and A. D. Catling, 2001. Rac/PAK signaling facilitates the formation of MEK/ERK complexes to stimulate ERK activation and promote cell migration. EMBO Journal. Submitted.

Slack, J. K., M. Zecevic, S. Boerner, S. T. Eblen, M. J. Weber, J. T. Parsons and A. D. Catling. 2001. Adhesion-dependent activation of MAPK in peripheral focal complexes. In Preparation.