Assistant Professor
Office Location: UH 209
Phone Number: (262) 472-5133
Email Address: chanc@uww.edu
1997 - Ph. D. in Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Wisconsin - Madison
1989 - B. S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Wisconsin - Madison
Research Interest:
My research interest is in the area of calcium signal transduction. Calcium is arguably one of the most important signaling molecules in eukaryotes. In plants, similar to other eukaryotes, its cellular concentrations are carefully maintained at homeostatic levels by the coordinated activities of calcium uptake, extrusion and sequestration systems. Specific temporal and spatial changes in calcium concentrations are correlated with various changes in environmental and physiological conditions and their subsequent biological responses. My research focuses on the identification and characterization of various components of calcium transduction pathways, and how they affect plant growth and development. This work is important for achieving a better understanding of many aspects of plant physiology as well as basic mechanisms of eukaryotic signal transduction. In particular, my lab has been studying how the loss of a calcium-uptake pathway leads to alterations in vegetative and reproductive growth, and how calcium- and hormone-signaling pathways may interact with one another. My work uses a combination of molecular, genetic, biochemical and physiological techniques to study how plants use calcium as a signaling molecule to regulate fundamental developmental processes.
C. W. M. Chan, D. J. Wohlbach, M. J. Rodesch and M. R. Sussman (2008) Transcriptional Changes in Response to Growth of Arabidopsis in High External Calcium. FEBS Letters 582: 967–976.
C. W. M. Chan, L. M. Shorrak, R. K. Smith Jr., A. F. Bent, and M. R. Sussman (2003) A Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated Ion channel, CNGC2, is Crucial for Plant Development and Adaptation to Calcium Stress. Plant Physiology 132: 728-731.
E. M. Hrabak, C. W. M. Chan, M. Gribskov, J. F. Harper, J. H. Choi, N. Halford, J. Kudla, S. Luan, H. G. Nimmo, M. R. Sussman, M. Thomas, K. Walker-Simmons, J.-K. Zhu, and A. C. Harmon (2003) The Arabidopsis CDPK-SnRK Superfamily of Protein Kinases. Plant Physiology 132: 666-680.Manuscripts in progress:
S. Chaiwongsar, A. K. Strohm*, J. R. Roe*, R. Y. Godiwalla* and C. W. M. Chan (2008) A Cyclic Nucleotide-gated Channel is Necessary for Optimum Fertility in High Calcium Environments. Manuscript submitted and under review.
J. R. Roe*, T. M. Long*, B. M. Asby*, R. Y. Godiwalla* and C. W. M. Chan (2008) Cyclic Nucleotide Signaling Affects Cell Elongation, Gravitropic Response and Ion Accumulation in Arabidopsis thaliana. Manuscript under preparation.
R. F. Boyle Jr.*, B. M. Asby* and C. W. M. Chan (2008) Cross-talk Between Cyclic Nucleotide-, Calcium- and Hormone-signaling in Arabidopsis thaliana. Manuscript under preparation.
* Denotes undergraduate co-author