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Research and Clinical Interests

Dr. Smith’s research is focused on the molecular mechanisms controlling telomere function in human cells. Telomere integrity is essential for chromosome stability and maintenance, and telomeres play a key role in ageing and cancer. Dr. Smith’s laboratory is taking cell biological, biochemical and genetic approaches to identify and characterize telomere-associated proteins and to elucidate their role in telomere replication, protection, and sister chromatid cohesion.

Selected Publications

Hsiao SJ, Smith S. Tankyrase function at telomeres, spindle poles, and beyond. Biochimie. 2008 Jan;90(1):83-92. Epub 2007 Jul 24. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 17825467. doi: 10.1016/j.biochi.2007.07.012.

Canudas S, Houghtaling BR, Kim J, Dynek JN, Chang WG, Smith S. Protein requirements for sister telomere association in human cells. EMBO J. 2007 Nov 28;26(23):4867-78. Epub 2007 Oct 25. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 17962804. doi: 10.1038/sj.emboj.7601903.

Hsiao SJ, Poitras MF, Cook BD, Liu Y, Smith S. Tankyrase 2 PARP domain deleted mice exhibit growth defects but have normal telomere length and capping. Mol Cell Biol. 2006 Mar;26:2044–54. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 16507985.

Chang W, Dynek JN, Smith S. NuMA is a major acceptor of poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation by tankyrase 1 in mitosis. Biochem J. 2005;391:177–84. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 16076287.

Dynek JN, Smith S. Resolution of Sister telomere association is required for mitotic progression in human cells. Science. 2004 Apr 2;304:97–100. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 15064417.

Seimya H, Murimatsu Y, Smith S, Tsuruo T. A functional subdomain in the ankyrin domain of tankyrase 1 required for poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation of TRF1 and telomere elongation. Mol Cell Biol. 2004 Mar;24:1944–55. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 14966275.

Houghtaling BR, Cuttonaro L, Chang W, Smith S. A dynamic molecular link between the telomere length regulator TRF1 and the chromosome end protector TRF2. Curr Biol. 2004;14:1621–31. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 15380063.

Chang W, Dynek J, Smith S. TRF1 is degraded by ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis after release from telomeres. Genes Dev. 2003 Jun 1;17:1328–33. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 12782650.

Cook B, Dynek J, Chang W, Shostak G, Smith S. Role for the related poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases tankyrase1 and 2 at human telomeres. Mol Cell Biol. 2002;22:332–42. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 11739745.

Seimiya H, Smith S. The telomeric PARP, tankyrase1, contains multiple binding sites for TRF1 and a novel acceptor, TAB182. J Biol Chem. 2002;277:14116–26. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 11854288.

Smith S. The world according to PARP. Trends Biochem Sci. 2001 Mar;26:174–9. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 11246023.

Smith S. Recombination: a means to an end in human cells. Nat Genet. 2000 Dec;26:388–9. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 11101826.

Smith S, de Lange T. Tankyrase promotes telomere elongation in human cells. Curr Biol. 2000 Oct 19;10:1299–302. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 11069113.

Smith S, de Lange T. Cell cycle dependent localization of the telomeric PARP, tankyrase, to nuclear pore complexes and centrosomes. J Cell Sci. 1999 Nov;112:3649-56. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 10523501.

Smith S, Giriat I, Schmitt A, de Lange T. Tankyrase, a poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase at human telomeres. Science. 1998 Nov 20;282:1484–7. Cited in Pubmed; PMID 9822378.

Organizational Associations

The American Association for the Advancement of Science; The American Society for Cell Biology; The Harvey Society; New York Academy of Sciences

Selected Awards

1990-1993 Damon Runyon-Walter Winchel Cancer Research Fellowship
1996-1999 Special Fellow of The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
2000-2002 Kimmel Scholar Award
2000-2003 Edward Mallinckrodt Jr. Foundation
2000-2003 The New York Academy of Medicine Speaker's Fund for Biomedical Research

Additional Information

Smith Lab

© 2008 NYU Department of Pathology