Overview

Dept. of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania, Postdoctoral Fellow
1981-1983
Dept. of Biochemistry, University of Bristol Medical School, Research Associate 1983-
1985
Dept. of Pathology & Cell Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Assistant Professor
1986-1989
Dept. of Pathology & Cell Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Associate Professor
1989-1994
Dept. of Pathology & Cell Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Professor 1994-1997
Dept. of Pharmacology & Physiology, New Jersey Medical School, Professor & Chair
1997-2015
Senior Associate Dean, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at New Jersey Medical
School of Rutgers University (formerly UMDNJ*), Newark, NJ. 2009-2017
Dept. of Pharmacology, Physiology & Neuroscience, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School,
Professor & Chair 2015-present
Senior Associate Dean, School of Graduate Studies, Rutgers University. 2017-Present

Education

PHD, 1981, University of Bristol
BSC, 1978, University of Bristol

Curriculum Vitae

View CV

Relevant Publications

Garcia, CRS, Alves, E, Pereira, PHS, Bartlett, PJ, Thomas, AP, Mikoshiba, K, Plattner, H and Sibley, LD. (2017) InsP3 Signaling in Apicomplexan Parasites. Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry. 17:2158-2165 (PMID: 28137231)

Bartlett, PJ, Metzger, W, Gaspers, LD and Thomas, AP. (2015) Differential Regulation of Multiple Steps in Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate Signaling by Protein Kinase C Shapes Hormone-stimulated Ca2+ Oscillations. J. Biol. Chem. 290:18519-18533. (PMID: 26078455)

Gaspers, LG, Bartlett, PJ, Politi, A, Burnett, P, Metzger, W, Johnston, J, Joseph, SK, Hofer, T and Thomas, AP (2014) Direct evidence that Hormone-induced calcium oscillations are driven by oscillations in inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate. Cell Reports. 9:1209?1218. (PMID: 25456123)

Thurley, K, Tovey, SC, Moenke, G, Prince, VL, Meena, A, Thomas, AP, Skupin, A, Taylor, CW and Falcke, M. (2014) Reliable encoding of stimulus intensities by random sequences of intracellular Ca2+ spikes. Science Signaling, 24;7(331):ra59.(PMID: 24962706)

Bartlett, PJ, Gaspers, LD, Pierobon, N and Thomas, AP. (2014) Calcium-dependent regulation of glucose homeostasis in the liver. Cell Calcium, 55:306-316. (PMID: 24630174)

Huang, G, Bartlett, PJ, Thomas, AP, Moreno, SNJ, and Docampo, R. (2013) Acidocalcisomes of Trypanosoma brucei have an inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor that is required for growth and infectivity. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 110:1887- 1892. (PMID: 23319604)

Gulati P, Gaspers LD, Dann SG, Joaquin M, Nobukuni T, Natt F, Kozma SC, Thomas AP and Thomas G (2008) A rise in [Ca2+]i and enhanced binding of CaM to hVps34 mediates mTOR Complex1 activation by Amino Acids. Cell Metabolism 7:456-465. (PMID: 18460336)

Colella M, Grisan F, Robert V, Turer, JD, Thomas AP and Pozzan, T. (2008) Ca2+ oscillation frequency decoding in cardiac cell hypertrophy: role of calcineurin/NFAT as Ca2+ signal integrators. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA.105:2859-2864. (PMID: 18287024)

Hajnoczky, G, Robb-Gaspers, LD, Seitz, MB and Thomas, AP. (1995) Decoding of cytosolic calcium oscillations in the mitochondria. Cell. 82:415-424. (PMID: 7634331)

Hajnoczky, G and Thomas, AP. (1994) The inositol trisphosphate calcium channel is inactivated by inositol trisphosphate. Nature 370:474-477. (PMID: 8047168)

Areas Of Interest

Calcium signaling

liver

malaria

mitochondria

signal transduction

Course List

GSND5200Q

Intro to Biomedical Sciences

Major research interests encompass four distinct areas: 1) studies of the basic
mechanisms, regulation and subcellular organization of the IP3-dependent calcium
signaling system; 2) mechanisms and function of metabolic sensing and nutrient-
derived signals; 3) signaling and drug development targeting blood stage malaria
parasites; 4) investigations of excitation-contraction coupling in cardiac muscle
cells. In the context of IP3-dependent signaling, my laboratory has played a leading
role in the developing recognition of the importance of subcellular organization in
calcium signaling. We have extended these studies to investigations of proliferative
signaling and the regulation of synchronized development of intraerythrocytic malaria
parasites. Current work focuses on the development of therapeutic approaches based
on interfering with the latter signals. We are also investigating mechanisms
underlying calcium oscillations and waves, the regulation of IP3-receptor function,
and the role of spatially organized calcium signals in the subcellular targeting and
tissue integration of calcium-regulated processes. In addition, we study other
intracellular calcium release channels, including a ryanodine receptor variant that
appears to play an important role in nonexcitable cells. Our studies of the
intracellular organization of calcium signaling also examine how cytosolic calcium
signals are transmitted to the mitochondrial matrix. This mitochondrial signaling
pathway plays a key role in coordinating energy metabolism with cell function. In
addition, our studies of mitochondrial function investigate the mechanism and targets
of oxidative stress. While our work on calcium signaling is relevant to many
physiologic processes, a particular focus of the laboratory is on the role of calcium
in the endocrine regulation of metabolism in the brain, liver and peripheral tissues.
In addition to the well-known endocrine pathways of metabolic regulation, it is
becoming increasingly clear that nutrients and metabolites can also function as
signaling molecules in their own right. We refer to these processes as metabolic
sensing. We are investigating the signal transduction pathways activated by
metabolites in specific neurons of the hypothalamus, as well as liver, muscle and
other tissues. We are also interested in metabolic sensing in cardiac muscle.
However, most of our research efforts in the heart focus on cardiomyocyte excitation
contraction coupling and how this is modified in response to disease states,
including alcoholic cardiomyopathy and ischemic injury. The broad range of research
emphasis in my laboratory are linked by the common role of calcium as an
intracellular signal and by the similar technical approaches utilized, which range
from molecular biology to high-speed digital imaging.