Biographical Sketch: Pablo Sobrado, Ph.D
Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24060
(a) Professional Preparation
Merrimack College / Biology / B.A / 1993-1997Texas A&M University / Biochemistry / Ph.D. / 1997-2003
University of Chile / Cell Biology / postdoc / 2003-2004
University of Wisconsin, Madison / Biochemistry / postdoc / 2004-2007
(b) Appointments
2007- present Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic
Institute and State University.
(c) Publications
(i) Publications most closely related to the proposed project.
(Bold-Lead Author; *Undergraduate Student, **Graduate Student, ***Postdoc)
1. ***Qi, J., Oppenheimer, M., Sobrado, P. (2011) Fluorescence polarization binding assay for Aspergillus fumigatus virulence factor UDP-galactopyranose mutase. Enzyme Research. In press
2. **Oppenheimer, M., *Valenciano, A.L., Sobrado, P. (2011) Biosynthesis of galactofuranose biosynthesis in kinetoplastids: Novel therapeutics targets for treating Leishmaniasis and Chagas’ Disease. Enzyme Research. vol. 2011, Article ID 415976, 13 pages.
3. **Oppenheimer, M., *Valenciano, A.L., Sobrado, P. (2011) Isolation and characterization of functional Leishmania major virulence factor UDP-galactopyranose mutase. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. 407. 552-6.
4. **Chocklett, W.S, Sobrado, P. (2010) Aspergillus fumigatus SidA is a highly specific ornithine hydroxylase with bound flavin cofactor. Biochemistry. 49. 6777-83
5. **Oppenheimer, M., Polin, M.B., Lowary, T.L., Helm, F. R., Sobrado, P. (2010) Characterization of UDP-galactopyranose mutase from Aspergillus fumigatus. Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics 502. 31-38.
(ii) Publications most closely related to the proposed project.
1. Sobrado, P. (2008) Functional Expression and Purification of UDP-Galactopyranose Mutase from Trypanosoma cruzi. In Flavins and Flavoproteins (Frago, S., Gomez-Moreno, C,Medina, M. eds.) 509-513
2. Sobrado, P., Gorem, M.A., James, D., Amundson, C.K., Fox, B.G. (2008) A Protein Structure Initiative approach to expression, purification, and in situ delivery of human cytochrome b5 to membrane vesicles. Protein Expr. Purif. 2. 229-41.
3. Sobrado, P., Kyle, K., Kaul, S., Marwah, A., Arabshahi, I., Turco, M. and Fox, B.G. (2006) Identification of the Binding Region of the [2Fe-2S] Ferredoxin in Stearoyl Acyl Carrier Protein Desaturase: Insight in to the Catalytic complex and Mechanism of Action. Biochemistry.45.4848-4858.
4. Sobrado, P. and Fitzpatrick P. F. (2002) Analysis of the Roles of Amino Acid Residues in the Flavoprotein Tryptophan 2-Monooxygenase Modified by 2-Oxo-3-pentynoate: Characterization of His338, Cys339 and C511 Mutant Enzymes. Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics. 402. 24-30.
5. Sobrado, P., Jedliki, A., Bustos, V.H., Allende, C. C. and Allende, E.J. (2005) The Basic Region of Residues 228-231 of Protein Kinase CK1 is Involved in its Interaction with Axin: Binding to axin does not affect kinase activity. J .Cell. Biochem. 94. 217-224. (Fast Track)
(d) Synergistic Activities
International Structural Biochemistry training program for Virginia Tech students
I have established a research collaboration with Dr. Andrea Mattevi from the University of Pavia, Italy to determine the 3-dimensional structure of siderophore hydroxylating enzymes. Dr. Mattevi is an expert in the elucidation of the structure of flavin dependent enzymes and has made extensive contributions to the field. Our collaboration includes training of graduate students from my laboratory in Dr. Mattevi’s lab in Italy. This program is funded by NSF MCB- 1021384.
Internship program from Costa Rican students
I have established an Internship program for Biotechnology students from the Costa Rica Institute of Technology and other institutions in Costa Rica. The students complete a 3-5 month internship to perform an independent research project that will be part of their Senior Thesis.
Mentoring High School Students
Mentor of High School students from the Southwest Virginia Governor’s School for Science, Mathematics and Technology on their research projects.
Participation on local Science Fair (Ms. Kaslin Fields won First place in the Biological Science section)
Participant at the Wisconsin Youth Apprenticeship Program 2005-2006
Broadening the participation of groups underrepresented in science
Mentor of undergraduate students participating in VT’s Post-Baccalaureate Research
and Education Program (VT-PREP)
Mentor of undergraduate students participating in VT’s Initiative to Maximize Student Diversity (VT-IMSD) program
Development of curricular activities.
Developed and implemented the use of web-based programs to identify the gene
product, protein sequence, structure, and activity of enzymes. I also developed an on-line experiment for the generation and analysis of kinetic data as part of the curriculum of a graduate course: Protein Structure and Function.
Grant Panel Member
National Science Foundation, Structural Biochemistry Advisory panel review member (2010)
Alzheimer’s and Related Diseases Research Fund (ARDRAF) panel review member (2010)
Grant reviewer (ad hoc)
National Science Foundation
American Chemical Society-Petroleum Research Fund
Alzheimer’s Association
Journal reviewer
Journal of Biological Chemistry (ad hoc)
Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics (ad hoc)
Editorial Review Board of Scientific Journals International (SJI)
Collaborators not at VT: Dr. Andrea Mattevi (University of Pavia, Italy), Dr. Brian G. Fox (University of Wisconsin-Madison), Dr. Rick Tarlenton (University of Georgia), Dr. Paul F. Fitzpatrick (Texas A&M University), Dr. George Phillips (Center for Eukaryotic Structural Genomic University of Wisconsin, Madison), Dr. Brad Pierce (University of Texas, Arlington), Kavita Shah (Purdue University), Dr. Jorge Allende (University of Chile), Dr. Janine LeBlanc-Straceski (Merrimack College).
Graduate Advisor: Paul Fitzpatrick, Texas A&M University
Post-doctoral Advisors: Dr. Brian Fox, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Dr. Jorge Allende, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Undergraduate Students: Six since 2007: 9 female (one Hispanic and two African American, three international exchange students from Costa Rica), 11 male (two Hispanic, and one international exchange student).
Graduate Students:
Current: Michelle Oppenheimer (PhD candidate, expected graduation 2012), Reeder Robinson (PhD second year, expected graduation 2015), Michael Fedkenheuer (PhD second year, expected graduation 2015), Previous: Wyatt Chocklett (Masters Student, Graduated in 2009)
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