Faculty Profile
Mehmet Sen
Assistant Professor
Department of Biology and Biochemistry
Research Division: Biochemistry (Primary)
Office: Science & Engineering Research Center, 4012
Contact: msen@uh.edu - (713) 743-1448
Education: Ph.D., University of Houston
Dr. Mehmet Sen’s research interests lie in the structural and functional basis of receptor/ligand interactions, which are relevant to human health and disease. Much of his studies aim to elucidate the molecular recognition properties governing receptor interactions with ligand, and subsequent molecular events coupling ligand recognition to receptor activation. Many of the systems being studied are related to the interaction of the host cell with environmental cues. Structural studies are complemented by functional approaches using molecular biology and protein engineering to dissect structural information, design proteins/peptides/small molecules with modified specificities and activities, and ultimately contribute to the development of biologics with therapeutic potential.
- Activated β2 Integrins Restrict Neutrophil Recruitment During Murine Acute Pseudomonal Pneumonia.
Wilson ZS, Ahn LB, Serratelli WS, Belley MD, Lomas-Neira J, Sen M, Lefort CT.
Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 2017 Feb 3. doi: 10.1165/rcmb.2016-0215OC. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID: 28157452 - Sen M, Springer TA. Leukocyte integrin αLβ2 headpiece structures: The αI domain, the pocket for the internal ligand, and concerted movements of its loops. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 2016; 113(11):2940-5. PubMed [journal] PMID: 26936951, PMCID: PMC4801256
- Rosetti F, Chen Y, Sen M, Thayer E, Azcutia V, Herter JM, Luscinskas FW, Cullere X, Zhu C, Mayadas TN. A Lupus-Associated Mac-1 Variant Has Defects in Integrin Allostery and Interaction with Ligands under Force. Cell reports. 2015; NIHMSID: NIHMS666159 PubMed [journal] PMID: 25772353, PMCID: PMC4567551
- Sen M, Yuki K, Springer TA. An internal ligand-bound, metastable state of a leukocyte integrin, αXβ2. The Journal of cell biology. 2013; 203(4):629-42. PubMed [journal] PMID: 24385486, PMCID: PMC3840939
- Yuki K, Bu W, Xi J, Sen M, Shimaoka M, Eckenhoff RG. Isoflurane binds and stabilizes a closed conformation of the leukocyte function-associated antigen-1. FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. 2012; 26(11):4408-17. PubMed [journal] PMID: 22815384,PMCID: PMC3475260
- Wang Y, Li D, Nurieva R, Yang J, Sen M, Carreño R, Lu S, McIntyre BW, Molldrem JJ, Legge GB, Ma Q. LFA-1 affinity regulation is necessary for the activation and proliferation of naive T cells. The Journal of biological chemistry. 2009; 284(19):12645-53. PubMed [journal] PMID: 19297325, PMCID: PMC2675993
- Sen M, Herzik M, Craft JW, Creath AL, Agrawal S, Ruf W, Legge GB. Spectroscopic Characterization of Successive Phosphorylation of the Tissue Factor Cytoplasmic Region. The open spectroscopy journal. 2009; 3:58-64. NIHMSID: NIHMS137543 PubMed [journal] PMID: 20076769, PMCID: PMC2805860
- Carreño R, Li D, Sen M, Nira I, Yamakawa T, Ma Q, Legge GB. A mechanism for antibody-mediated outside-in activation of LFA-1. The Journal of biological chemistry. 2008; 283(16):10642-8. PubMed [journal] PMID: 18199751
- Sen M, Legge GB. Pactolus I-domain: functional switching of the Rossmann fold. Proteins. 2007; 68(3):626-35. PubMed [journal] PMID: 17523188
Honors and Awards:
1996-2001 Distinguished Academic Fellowship, Bogazici University
2000 Research Excellence Award, Institute of Molecular Biology and Tumor Research, Marburg, Germany
2001 Graduated with Honor Degree, Bogazici University
2003 1st Place, Poster Contest, Houston High Field NMR Symposium
2004 Departmental Travel Award, Keystone Symposia
2005 Departmental Travel Award, European Science Foundation Conference, Sweden
2010 Best Poster Award, Immune Disease Institute Retreat Conference, Harvard Medical School