 |
|
James M. Spotts
Area of Expertise
Molecular and Cellular Biology
Microfluidics
Laser Spectroscopy and Imaging
Mass Spectrometry
Chemical Physics
Current Position
Senior Research Scientist
Degree
Ph.D., Chemistry, California Institute of Technology, 1998
Research Interests
Dr. Spotts' research interests lie broadly in the development and implementation of the next generation of tools to measure the kinetic behavior of cellular processes at the single-cell level. His research training integrates expertise in the design and construction of scientific instrumentation, application of laser spectroscopic techniques and imaging approaches to study chemical and biological processes, and the techniques and methodologies of molecular and cellular biology.
The current focus is to characterize the diversity and range of functional responsiveness within cell types serving key regulatory roles in the innate and acquired immune response to pathogens. We are currently combining microfluidic capabilities for long-term cell culture and "in-chip" detection of secreted proteins to perform parallel measurements of secreted cytokines and chemokines from single cells (macrophages, dendritic cells, T-cells, B-cells). The microfluidic platform permits stimulation of single cells with complete temporal control using defined stimuli such as whole pathogen, fractions derived from pathogen lysates, or adjuvant components singly or in combination. By monitoring the kinetic profiles of multiple secreted proteins in parallel over time, we can gain insight into the heterogeneity of immune regulatory cells such as macrophages, and how different responses at the single-cell level may mediate cell-specific effector functions that would be otherwise masked by population-based cell assays. We are also interested in utilizing these microfluidic platforms to study rare cell types, such as memory T-cells and B-cells, whose scarcity limits analysis by standard biochemical assays. A detailed understanding of the cellular processes leading to the long-term maintenance of memory cell populations specific for certain pathogens has important implications for improving our ability to rationally engineer effective vaccines.
Dr. Spotts also has long-standing interests in the design of technologies for in vitro and in vivo detection of dynamic protein-protein interaction kinetics relevant to signal transduction, promoter-specific gene induction, proteolysis, intracellular trafficking, secretory processes, and intercellular contact-mediated signaling.
Selected Publications
Spotts JM, Wong C-K, Johnson MS, Okumura M, Sheehy JA, Boatz JA, Langhoff PW. Experimental and theoretical characterization of the X 2Π½(3p) → G 2Σ+(4p) bound-to-continuum transition in AlAr.". In preparation.
Spotts JM, Wong C-K, Johnson MS, Okumura M, Langhoff PW, Boatz JA, Sheehy JA, Hinde RJ. Multiphoton ionization spectroscopy of AlArN clusters. 2003. J. Phys. Chem. A 107:6948-6965
Spotts JM, Dolmetsch RE, Greenberg ME. Time-lapse imaging of a phosphorylation dependent protein protein interaction in mammalian cells. 2002. PNAS USA 99:15142-15147
Dolmetsch RE, Pajvani U, Fife K, Spotts JM, Greenberg ME. Signaling to the nucleus by an L type calcium channel calmodulin complex through the MAP kinase pathway. 2001. Science 294:333-339
Lobo JD, Deev A, Wong C-K, Spotts JM, Okumura M. Electronic spectroscopy of the alkaline-earth halide cluster Ca2Cl3. 2001. J. Chem. Phys 114:8913-8925
|
|
|
home
