Douglas Cavener
Huck Distinguished Chair in Evolutionary Genetics; Professor of Biology; Former Dean, Eberly College of Science

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110 Huck Life Sciences
University Park, PA - drc9@psu.edu
- 814-865-9591
Research Summary
Regulation of protein synthesis and control of translation initiation of mRNAs in higher eukaryotes and the evolution of tissue specific transcriptional regulation.
Huck Graduate Students
Huck Affiliations
- Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Biosciences
- Neuroscience Institute
- Center for Cellular Dynamics
Links
Publication Tags
Proteins Genes Protein Endoplasmic Reticulum Phosphotransferases Insulin Mammals Unfolded Protein Response Protein Kinases Perk Kinase Giraffa Camelopardalis Calcineurin Phosphorylation Insulin Derivative Giraffes Mutation Genome Eukaryotic Initiation Factor 2 Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Evolutionary Biology Regeneration Physiology Cell Cycle Population Structure ProcessingMost Recent Publications
Using spot pattern recognition to examine population biology, evolutionary ecology, sociality, and movements of giraffes: a 70-year retrospective
Derek E. Lee, George G. Lohay, Douglas R. Cavener, Monica L. Bond, 2022, Mammalian Biology
Co-opting regulation bypass repair as a gene-correction strategy for monogenic diseases
Jingjie Hu, Rebecca A. Bourne, Jingjie Hu, Barbara C. McGrath, D Cavener, Alice Lin, Rebecca Bourne, Zifei Pei, Alice Lin, Z Pei, Douglas R. Cavener, 2021, Molecular Therapy on p. 3274-3292
Calcineurin activity is increased in Charcot-Marie-Tooth 1B demyelinating neuropathy
Mariapaola Sidoli, Chelsey B. Reed, Cristina Scapin, Pablo Paez, Douglas R. Cavener, Randal J. Kaufman, Maurizio D’Antonio, M. Laura Feltri, Lawrence Wrabetz, 2021, Journal of Neuroscience on p. 4536-4548
Genetic connectivity and population structure of African savanna elephants (Loxodonta africana) in Tanzania
G Lohay, T Weathers, A Estes, Barbara C. McGrath, Douglas Cavener, 2020, Ecology and Evolution on p. 11069-11089
Ribosome binding protein GCN1 regulates the cell cycle and cell proliferation and is essential for the embryonic development of mice
Hiromi Yamazaki, Shuya Kasai, Junsei Mimura, Peng Ye, Atsushi Inose-Maruyama, Kunikazu Tanji, Koichi Wakabayashi, Seiya Mizuno, Fumihiro Sugiyama, Satoru Takahashi, Tsubasa Sato, Taku Ozaki, Douglas R. Cavener, Masayuki Yamamoto, Ken Itoh, 2020, PLoS Genetics
The protein kinase PERK/EIF2AK3 regulates proinsulin processing not via protein synthesis but by controlling endoplasmic reticulum chaperones
C Sowers, R Wang, R Bourne, Barbara C. McGrath, J Hu, S Bevilacqua, J Paton, A Paton, S Collardeau-Frachon, M Nicolino, Douglas R. Cavener, 2018, Journal of Biological Chemistry on p. 5134-5149
Seeing spots: Quantifying mother-offspring similarity and assessing fitness consequences of coat pattern traits in a wild population of giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis)
Derek E. Lee, Douglas R. Cavener, M Bond, 2018, PeerJ on p. e5690
The PERK arm of the unfolded protein response regulates satellite cell-mediated skeletal muscle regeneration
Guangyan Xiong, Sajedah M. Hindi, Aman K. Mann, Yann S. Gallot, Kyle R. Bohnert, Douglas R. Cavener, Scott R. Whittemore, Ashok Kumar, 2017, eLife
Evolutionary analysis of vision genes identifies potential drivers of visual differences between giraffe and okapi
Edson Ishengoma, Morris Agaba, Douglas R. Cavener, 2017, PeerJ
Ablation of Perk in schwann cells improves myelination in the S63del charcot-marie-tooth 1B mouse
Mariapaola Sidoli, Nicolò Musner, Nicholas Silvestri, Daniela Ungaro, Maurizio D’Antonio, Douglas R. Cavener, M. Laura Feltri, Lawrence Wrabetz, 2016, Journal of Neuroscience on p. 11350-11361
Most-Cited Papers
Suppression of eIF2α kinases alleviates Alzheimer's disease-related plasticity and memory deficits
Tao Ma, Mimi A. Trinh, Alyse J. Wexler, Clarisse Bourbon, Evelina Gatti, Philippe Pierre, Douglas R. Cavener, Eric Klann, 2013, Nature Neuroscience on p. 1299-1305
Insulin secretion and Ca<sup>2+</sup> dynamics in β-cells are regulated by PERK (EIF2AK3) in concert with calcineurin
Rong Wang, Barbara C. McGrath, Richard F. Kopp, Michael W. Roe, Xin Tang, Gong Chen, Douglas R. Cavener, 2013, Journal of Biological Chemistry on p. 33824-33836
Endoplasmic reticulum stress sensor protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK) protects against pressure overload-induced heart failure and lung remodeling
Xiaoyu Liu, Dongmin Kwak, Zhongbing Lu, Xin Xu, John Fassett, Huan Wang, Yidong Wei, Douglas R. Cavener, Xinli Hu, Jennifer Hall, Robert J. Bache, Yingjie Chen, 2014, Hypertension on p. 738-744
Repression of the eIF2α kinase PERK alleviates mGluR-LTD impairments in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease
Wenzhong Yang, Xueyan Zhou, Helena R. Zimmermann, Douglas R. Cavener, Eric Klann, Tao Ma, 2016, Neurobiology of Aging on p. 19-24
The eIF2α kinase PERK limits the expression of hippocampal metabotropic glutamate receptor-dependent long-term depression
Mimi A. Trinh, Tao Ma, Hanoch Kaphzan, Aditi Bhattacharya, Marcia D. Antion, Douglas R. Cavener, Charles A. Hoeffer, Eric Klann, 2014, Learning and Memory on p. 298-304
The PERK arm of the unfolded protein response regulates satellite cell-mediated skeletal muscle regeneration
Guangyan Xiong, Sajedah M. Hindi, Aman K. Mann, Yann S. Gallot, Kyle R. Bohnert, Douglas R. Cavener, Scott R. Whittemore, Ashok Kumar, 2017, eLife
25-Hydroxycholesterol activates the integrated stress response to reprogram transcription and translation in macrophages
Norihito Shibata, Aaron F. Carlin, Nathanael J. Spann, Kaoru Saijo, Christopher S. Morello, Jeffrey G. McDonald, Casey E. Romanoski, Mano R. Maurya, Minna U. Kaikkonen, Michael T. Lam, Andrea Crotti, Donna Reichart, Jesse N. Fox, Oswald Quehenberger, Christian R.H. Raetz, M. Cameron Sullards, Robert C. Murphy, Alfred H. Merrill, H. Alex Brown, Edward A. Dennis, Eoin Fahy, Shankar Subramaniam, Douglas R. Cavener, Deborah H. Spector, David W. Russell, Christopher K. Glassa, 2013, Journal of Biological Chemistry on p. 35812-35823
Giraffe genome sequence reveals clues to its unique morphology and physiology
Morris Agaba, Edson Ishengoma, Webb C. Miller, Barbara C. McGrath, Chelsea N. Hudson, Oscar C. Bedoya Reina, Aakrosh Ratan, Rico Burhans, Rayan Chikhi, Paul Medvedev, Craig A. Praul, Lan Wu-Cavener, Brendan Wood, Heather Robertson, Linda Penfold, Douglas R. Cavener, 2016, Nature Communications
Genetic inactivation of PERK signaling in mouse oligodendrocytes: Normal developmental myelination with increased susceptibility to inflammatory demyelination
Yassir Hussien, Douglas R. Cavener, Brian Popko, 2014, GLIA on p. 680-691
The protein kinase PERK/EIF2AK3 regulates proinsulin processing not via protein synthesis but by controlling endoplasmic reticulum chaperones
C Sowers, R Wang, R Bourne, Barbara C. McGrath, J Hu, S Bevilacqua, J Paton, A Paton, S Collardeau-Frachon, M Nicolino, Douglas R. Cavener, 2018, Journal of Biological Chemistry on p. 5134-5149
News Articles Featuring Douglas Cavener
Jun 02, 2022
Metal AF Giraffe Cousins Had Skulls Made for Bashing
Before evolution made giraffes, it made this feisty little gentleman.
Full Article
Oct 14, 2021
Douglas Cavener named Huck Chair in Evolutionary Genetics
Douglas R. Cavener, Penn State professor of biology and former Verne M. Willaman Dean of the Eberly College of Science, has been named Dorothy Foehr Huck and J. Lloyd Huck Distinguished Chair in Evolutionary Genetics by the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences.
Full Article
Apr 22, 2021
Bypassing broken genes
A new approach to gene editing using the CRISPR/Cas9 system bypasses disease-causing mutations in a gene, enabling treatment of genetic diseases linked to a single gene, such as cystic fibrosis, certain types of sickle cell anemia, and other rare diseases
Full Article
Nov 19, 2020
Elephant genetics guide conservation
New study recommends preserving wildlife corridors between protected areas to maintain genetic connections between African elephant populations
Full Article