Victoria M. Bolotina, Ph.D.

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Professor of Medicine, Physiology and Biophysics

B.Sc./Ph.D.: Moscow State University

Dr. Bolotina is a Professor of Medicine, Physiology and Biophysics, and a leading expert in calcium signaling and ion channels (with over 2000 citations of her work), who is well funded by NIH. The focus of her research is on the molecular mechanisms of calcium entry and its role in physiological and pathological function. Calcium signaling is an essential component of cell life and death, and is directly involved in virtually all cellular functions. Using an integrative multidisciplinary approach and multiple state-of-the-art techniques, investigators in Dr. Bolotina’s lab track each process from individual molecules and protein complexes, to Ca2+ signaling cascades within the cell and the function of the whole organs/systems, and translate it to the origins of different disease and potential cures. We combine molecular, biochemical and electrophysiological approaches with advanced imaging of live cells (confocal, FRET, TIRF, live imaging and other), and with studies of the main physiological functions of primary cells and cell lines (proliferation, migration, secretion, constriction and other). To study how targeted impairment of specific molecules translates into organ dysfunction and disease we develop and study new transgenic and KO mouse models.

Currently, there are several major projects underway in Dr. Bolotina’s lab:

  • Molecular mechanism of the notorious store-operated Ca2+ entry pathway, and its role in health and disease
  • New molecular determinants of cell migration, angiogenesis and wound healing
  • New mechanism of Ca2+ oscillations and insulin secretion in beta cells, and new determinants of diabetes
  • Identification of the mysterious calcium influx factor (CIF)
  • Age-dependent progressive neurodegeneration (PD) in a new constitutive and inducible iPLA2β (park14)-deficient mouse models that have been developed in Dr. Bolotina’s lab.

Dr. Bolotina is also a Director of the Affinity Research Collaborative program (ARC) on Calcium Homeostasis in Health and Disease, which is supported by the Department of Medicine. This program promotes multidisciplinary research and collaboration of PI’s from different departments and scientific backgrounds, and opens new directions for integrative research.