Robert T. Dirksen, Ph.D.

Contact Information

Biography

Research

Dr. Dirksen directs a multi-disciplinary research program focused on elucidating disease mechanisms and advancing treatment for muscular dystrophy and heart disease. The laboratory investigates the pathophysiological mechanisms by which defects in the proper control of intracellular calcium signaling lead to muscle dysfunction and disease. Current projects involve elucidating the cellular mechanisms by which muscle function is controlled by proteins involved in coordinating: 1) excitation-contraction coupling, 2) store-operated calcium entry, and 3) mitochondrial calcium uptake and energy production, as well as 4) the molecular mechanisms for skeletal and cardiac muscle dysfunction in myotonic dystrophy.

Credentials

Education

1985
BS | University of Notre Dame
Biology

1988
MS | University of Rochester
Pharmacology

1991
PhD | University of Rochester
Pharmacology

Post-doctoral Training & Residency

1991 - 1996
Postdoctoral Fellow, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO (Mentor: Kurt G. Beam, Ph. D.)

Awards

2015
Chair
Sponsor: Muscle: Excitation-Contraction Coupling Gordon Conference

2012
Vice-Chair
Sponsor: Muscle: Excitation-Contraction Coupling Gordon Conference

2002
Graduate Student Society Faculty Mentoring Award

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Publications

Journal Articles

9/5/2023
Magyar ZÉ, Hevesi J, Groom L, Dirksen RT, Almássy J. "Function of a mutant ryanodine receptor (T4709M) linked to congenital myopathy." Scientific reports.. 2023 Sep 5; 13(1):14659. Epub 2023 Sep 05.

2/11/2023
Asantewaa G, Tuttle ET, Ward NP, Kang YP, Kim Y, Kavanagh ME, Girnius N, Chen Y, Duncan R, Rodriguez K, Hecht F, Zocchi M, Smorodintsev-Schiller L, Scales TQ, Taylor K, Alimohammadi F, Sechrist ZR, Agostini-Vulaj D, Schafer XL, Chang H, Smith Z, O'Connor TN, Whelan S, Selfors LM, Crowdis J, Gray GK, Bronson RT, Brenner D, Rufini A, Dirksen RT, Hezel AF, Huber AR, Munger J, Cravatt BF, Vasiliou V, Cole CL, DeNicola GM, Harris IS. "Glutathione supports lipid abundance ." bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology.. 2023 Feb 11; Epub 2023 Feb 11.

2/10/2023
Zhao N, Michelucci A, He M, Malik S, Pietrangelo L, Boncompagni S, Protasi F, Dirksen RT. "Characterization of ORAI1 mouse model of tubular aggregate myopathy." Biophysical journal.. 2023 Feb 10; 122(3S1):377a.

Books & Chapters

2006
Chapter Title: Malignant hyperthermia Susceptibility is: GeneReviews at GeneTests.
Book Title: Medical Genetics Information Resource [database online]
Author List: Rosenberg, H; and Dirksen, RT
Published By: University of Washington 2006 in Seattle

2005
Chapter Title: Pathophysiology of muscle disorders linked to mutations in the skeletal muscle ryanodine receptor.
Book Title: Ryanodine Receptors: Structure, Function and Dysfunction in Clinical Disease
Author List: Dirksen RT and Avila G
Edited By: XH Wehrens and AR Marks
Published By: Springer 2005

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