Faculty Profile

Angela Gelli
Assistant Professor
Medical Pharmacology and Toxicology (School of Medicine)
Genome and Biomedical Sciences Facility (GBSF), 3rd Floor, Rm 3409A (lab) Rm 3517 (office)
Office 530 754 6446
Lab 530 754 6179
acgelli@ucdavis.edu
[Picture of Angela Gelli]

Degrees:
1997 - PhD - University of Toronto, Canada - Cell Biology

Awards:
1992 Graduate Scholar, Provincial Government of Ontario, Canada.
1993 Baily Scholar Award, University of Toronto, Canada
1997 Post-Doctoral Scholar, Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada

Department and Center Affiliations:
Department of Medical Pharmacology and Toxicology

Professional Societies:
American Society of Microbiology

Grad Group Affiliations and Specialties:
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Cell and Developmental Biology
Microbiology

Publications:
Eigenheer RA, Lee YJ, Blumwald E, Phinney BS, and Gelli A. 2007. Extracellular GPI-anchored mannoproteins and proteases of Cryptococcus neoformans. FEMS Yeast Res 7:499-510.

Liu, M., Du, P., Heinrich,G., Cox, G.M., Gelli, A. (2006) Cch1 mediates calcium entry in Cryptococcus neoformans and is essential in low calcium environments, Eukaryot Cell 5:1788-1796.

Sottosanto, J.; Gelli, A. & Blumwald E. (2004). DNA array analyses of Arabidopsis thaliana lacking a vacuolar Na+/H+ antiporter: Impact of AtNHX1 on gene expression. Plant Journal 5:752-771.

George, M.D., Samarkan, S., E. Reay, Gelli, A., Dandekar, S. (2003). High throughput gene expression profiling indicates loss of intestinal growth factors and cell cycle mediators during primary simian immunodeficiency virus infection. Virol 312:84-94.

Gelli, A. (2002). Rst1 and Rst2 are required for the a/alpha diploid cell type in yeast. Mol Microbiol 46:845-854.

Higgins, V.J., Lu, H., Xing, T., Gelli, A. & Blumwald, E. (1999). The gene for gene concept and beyond: Interactions and Signals. Can. J. Pathol. 20:150-157.

Gelli *, A., Aharon*,G.S., Snedden, W.A. & Blumwald, E. (1998). Activation of a plasma membrane Ca2+ channel by TGalpha1, a heterotrimeric G protein alpha-subunit homologue. FEBS Let. 424:17-21 ( *shared first authorship).

Blumwald, E. and Gelli, A. (1997). Secondary inorganic ion transport in plant vacuoles. Adv. Bot. Res. 25:401-417.

Gelli, A., Higgins, V.J. & Blumwald, E. (1997). Activation of plant plasma membrane Ca2+- permeable channels by race-specific fungal elicitors. Plant Physiol. 113:269-279.

Gelli, A. & Blumwald, E. (1997). Hyperpolarization-activated Ca2+-permeable channels in the plasma membrane of tomato cells. J. Membr. Biol. 155:35 45.

Plant, P., Gelli, A. & Blumwald, E. (1994). Vacuolar chloride regulation of an anion selective tonoplast channel. J. Membr. Biol. 140:1-12.

Gelli, A. & Blumwald, E. (1993). Calcium retrieval from vacuolar pools: Characterization of a vacuolar calcium channel. Plant Physiol. 102:1139-1146.

Pantoja, O., Gelli, A. & Blumwald, E. (1992). Characterization of vacuolar malate and potassium channels under physiological conditions. Plant Physiol. 100:1137- 1141.

Pantoja, O., Gelli, A. & Blumwald, E. (1992). Voltage-dependent calcium channels in plant vacuoles. Science, 255:1567-1570.

Research Interests:
In my lab we study the pathogenesis of human fungal pathogens and we use Cryptococcus neoformans, Candida albicans and Candida glabrata as model organisms for our studies. These organisms cause serious invasive, systemic diseases in humans. Cryptococcus neoformans is the leading cause of fungal meningitis, a potentially life threatening infection. We are very interested in resolving the mechanisms by which Cryptococcus neoformans gets across the blood brain barrier and into brain parenchyma. We have used a proteomic approach to identify extracellular proteins that we believe may play an important role in the neurotropism of Cryptococcus neoformans (ref #1). We are also interested in identifying new small molecules that could potentially serve as novel therapeutics. We are currently performing small molecule screens to identify potential blockers of a calcium channel that we have found is required for the pathogens' survival in low calcium environments (ref # 2). Since very little is known about how this calcium channel functions within the calcium-calcineurin-signaling pathway, we are further characterizing this channel by identifying its interactors and performing structure-function studies. We use a multidisciplinary approach that includes, electrophysiology (patch clamp techniques), molecular biology and genetic screens, small molecule screens, HPLC and protein biochemistry.

Laboratory Personnel:
Gelli - GBSF, Dept of Pharmacology, 3rd Floor Room 3409A - Mike Hong, Postdoctoral researcher; Kiem Vu, Graduate Student; Jennifer Bautos, Junior Specialist; Annie Logan, Nicholas Mulligan and Bin Teh, Undergraduate Students
http://pharmacology.ucdavis.edu/

Courses Taught:
PHA 400 Principles of Pharmacology - Term(s): Winter
PTX 203 Integrated physiological systems, cardiovascular, reproductive, immune and nervous system. - Term(s): Spring