معرفی
James B Ames is a Professor and Faculty Director of the NMR Facility at the University of California, Davis. His research focuses on using NMR and biophysical techniques to study neuronal calcium sensor proteins involved in signal transduction, particularly in vision processes like phototransduction. Key proteins under investigation include recoverin, GCAPs, DREAM, and CaBPs. He has held academic positions since 1998, including appointments at the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute and UC Davis, and has received awards such as the AAAS Fellowship (2016) and Beckman Young Investigator Award (2000).
Education:
- Ph.D. in Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley (1992)
- B.S. in Chemistry, University of Michigan (1986)
- Postdoctoral Fellow at Stanford University (1993-1997)
Research Interests:
Ames' work integrates molecular biology, biophysics, and structural biology to understand how calcium-binding proteins regulate cellular signaling. His lab uses NMR spectroscopy to elucidate atomic-level structural changes in proteins like GCAP1 and recoverin, linking these changes to their roles in diseases such as cone dystrophy and pain modulation. Recent studies explore the dynamics of voltage-gated ion channels and the thermodynamics of signal transduction.
Awards:
- Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (2016)
- Beckman Young Investigator Award (2000)
Grants & Advising:
No explicit grant details or student advisees listed, but his publications include collaborations with postdoctoral fellows and graduate students. His work is supported by NIH and NSF grants implied through publication affiliations.
Labs & Teams:
Ames directs the NMR Facility at UC Davis, housing advanced spectroscopic equipment for structural biology research. His lab collaborates with neuroscientists and biophysicists to bridge molecular mechanisms and physiological outcomes.
