Rachel E. Sterne-Marr

Dr. Sterne-Marr earned a B.S. in Biology from UCLA in 1983 and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from UC Berkeley in 1989.  She carried out post-doctoral work on an in vitro assay to measure nuclear protein import with Dr. Larry Gerace at Scripps Research Institute and cancer research at Merck, Sharp and Dohme Research Laboratories before initiating studies on cell signaling with Dr. Jeffrey Benovic at Thomas Jefferson University.  She joined the Siena faculty in 1995 where she teaches Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics and leads a group of undergraduate researchers in the study of the regulation G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling. The group focuses on the action of GPCR kinase 2 (GRK2) in regulating hormone and neurotransmitter-induced cell signaling. The role of GRK2 is assessed using mutagenesis, in vitro kinase assays, cell culture, intact cell phosphorylation assays, and BRET-based receptor recruitment assays. In 2016, she joined the Genomics Education Partnership (GEP), and in collaboration with Dr. Tom Giarla, directs students in a course-based undergraduate research project in Drosophila genomics. Another GEP project will use course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) to carry out a proteomic analysis of Drosophila-parasitoid wasp interaction with Dr. Nate Mortimer of Illinois State University. She is also a member of Bridging Research and Education (BREW) and hopes to develop a CURE using yeast as an experimental system.

My Siena Experience

My Teaching Philosophy

I believe in building a strong foundation and challenging students to apply their knowledge to novel situations.

What I Love About Siena

Siena students are very talented, friendly, and energetic.  It is fun to teach in the classroom and the lab.

My Favorite Courses to Teach

 Biochemistry, Molecular Genetics, Senior Research

My Professional Experience

Current Research

Promoting Undergraduate Research

I am committed to developing career scientists and providing opportunities for undergraduate research. With the assistance of three National Science Foundation research grants (1997-2014), I have mentored >100 research students in the last twenty-fivea years.  In addition, in collaboration with other Siena science faculty, I have secured funding to support undergraduate research training (NSF STEM/Tech Valley Scholars and Clare Booth Luce Fellowships) and to promote the participation of women and under-represented individuals in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Twenty-three former undergraduate students are co-authors on papers from my lab published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Methods in Enzymology.

Articles & Book Reviews

• Facilitating Growth through Frustration: Using Genomics Research in a Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience: Formative Frustration is an Element of CUREs.
  Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education, vol. 21
  2020
• Impact of the Siena College Tech Valley Scholars Program on Student Outcomes
  Journal of STEM Education
  2016
• Mapping the Putative G Protein-Coupled Receptor (GPCR) Docking Site on GPCR Kinase 2: Insights from Intact Cell Phosphorylation and Recruitment Assays
  Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 289
  2014
• Purification and Structural and Functional Analysis of G Protein-Coupled Receptor Kinases
  Methods in Enzymology
  2013
• Structural and Functional Analysis of the Regulator of G Protein Signaling 2 (RGS2)-Gαq Complex
  Structure
  2013
• GRK2 Activation by Receptors: Role of the Kinase Large Lobe and Carboxyl-Terminal Tail
  Biochemistry, vol. 48
  2009
• Phosphorylation-independent Regulation of Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor 1 Signaling Requires G Protein-coupled Receptor Kinase 2 Binding to the Second Intracellular Loop
  Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 280
  2005
• The role of Gbg and domain interfaces in the structure and function of GRK2
  Biochemistry, vol. 44
  2005
• Characterization of GRK2 RH Domain-dependent Regulation of GPCR Coupling to Heterotrimeric G Proteins
  Methods in Enzymology, vol. 390
  2004
• Characterization of the GRK2 binding site of Gaq.
  Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 279
  2004
• G Protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 RGS homology domain binds to both metabotropic glutamate receptor 1a and Gaq to attenuate signaling
  Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 279
  2004
• GRK2 Discriminates between Gaq and Ga16
  Biochemistry, vol. 42
  2003
• GRK2/Gaq/11 Interaction: A Novel Surface on an RGS Homology Domain for Binding Ga Subunits
  Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 278
  2003
• Phosphorylation-independent regulation of metabotropic glutamate receptor signaling by G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2
  Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 277
  2002
• Arrestin interactions with G protein-coupled receptors: Direct binding studies of wildtype and mutant arrestins with rhodopsin, b2-adrenergic, and m2 muscarinic cholinergic receptors
  Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 270
  1995
• Polypeptide variants of b-arrestin and arrestin3
  Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 268
  1993
• Nuclear protein import using digitonin permeabilized cells
  Methods in Enzymology, vol. 219
  1992
• O-linked glycoproteins of the nuclear pore complex interact with a cytosolic factor required for nuclear protein import
  Journal of Cell Biology, vol. 116
  1992
• In vitro nuclear protein import using permeabilized mammalian cells
  Meth. Cell Biology, vol. 35
  1991
• Glutactin, a novel Drosophila basement membrane-related glycoprotein with sequence similarity to serine esterases
  EMBO Journal, vol. 9
  1990
• Nuclear protein import in permeabilized mammalian cells requires soluble cytoplasmic factors
  Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 111
  1990
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae STE14 gene is required for COOH-terminal methylation of a-factor mating pheromone
  Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 265
  1990
• Genetic and pharmacological suppression of oncogenic mutations in RAS genes of yeast and humans
  Science, vol. 245
  1989
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae STE6 gene product: a novel pathway for protein export in eukaryotic cells
  EMBO Journal, vol. 8
  1989
• Enzymes required for yeast prohormone processing
  Ann. Rev. Physiology, vol. 50
  1988

Awards & Distinctions

• Jerome Walton Excellence in Teaching Award
  Category: Teaching
  Siena College, 2015
• Raymond Kennedy Excellence in Scholarship Award
  Category: Research
  Siena College, 2009
• G Protein-coupled Receptor Kinase 2: Mechanism of Activation
  Category: Research
  National Science Foundation Research Grant, 2008
• Jerome Walton Excellence in Teaching Award
  Category: Teaching
  Siena College, 2008
• Raymond Kennedy Excellence in Scholarship Award
  Category: Teaching
  Siena College, 2008
• Student Scholarship
  Category: Student
  Clare Boothe Luce Scholarship Fund, 2006
• G Protein-coupled Receptor Kinase 2: Structure and Function
  Category: Research
  National Science Foundation Research Grant, 2003
• Regulation of the Beta-Adrenergic Receptor Kinase
  Category: Research
  National Science Foundation Research Grant, 1998
• National Cancer Institute Predoctoral Trainee
  Category: External
  National Cancer Institute, 1989
• National Cancer Institute Predoctoral Trainee
  Category: External
  National Cancer Institute, 1988
• National Cancer Institute Predoctoral Trainee
  Category: External
  National Cancer Institute, 1987
• National Cancer Institute Predoctoral Trainee
  Category: External
  National Cancer Institute, 1986
• National Cancer Institute Predoctoral Trainee
  Category: External
  National Cancer Institute, 1985
• Phi Beta Kappa
  Category: Other
  UCLA, 1983
• Chancellor's Scholarship
  Category: Internal
  UCLA, 1979

Books & Book Chapters

• Vitamins and Hormones
  
  1995
• Yeast Cell Biology
  
  1986
• In Role of Extracellular Matrix in Development
  
  1984

Presentations

• Purification and Proteomic Analysis of Major Whey Proteins in a Nutritional Supplement: A Six-Week Undergraduate Independent Project.
  2019
  American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Annual Meeting, Orlando, Florida
• Intact Cell Assay to Measure Agonist- and GRK2-Dependent Phosphorylation of the α2A-Adrenergic Receptor.
  2018
  American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Annual Meeting, San Diego, California
• Phosphorylation of GPCR Kinase 2 in Intact Cells: A Proteomic Approach.
  2018
  American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Annual Meeting, San Diego, California
• GRK2 Activation
  2009
  Local Meeting of the American Chemical Society, Loudonville, New York
• Receptor-Binding Mutants of GRK2
  2006
  Gordon Research Conference on Phosphorylation & G-Protein Mediated Signaling Networks, Biddeford, Maine
• Receptor Binding Sites on GRK2
  2005
  Laudise Symposium, Union College, Schenectady, New York
• Regulation of the metabotropic glutamate receptor 1a by G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2
  2004
  12th International Conference on Second Messengers and Phosphoproteins, Montreal, Canada
• Role of RGS domain in G protein-coupled receptor kinase function
  2004
  Second RGS Protein Colloquium, Washington, District of Columbia
• GRK2/Gaq/11 Interaction: An Update.
  2003
  Gordon Research Conference on Second Messengers and Protein Phosphorylation, Meriden, New Hampshire
• GRK2/Gaq/11 Interaction: A Novel Surface on an RGS Homology Domain for Binding Ga Subunits
  2002
  Gordon Research Conference on Second Messengers and Protein Phosphorylation, Meriden, New Hampshire
• Identification of GRK2 Mutants Defective in Binding Gaq.
  2001
  Gordon Research Conference on Second Messengers and Protein Phosphorylation, Meriden, New Hampshire
• Mutational Analysis of the RGS Domain of the G Protein Coupled Receptor Kinase, GRK2
  2000
  Gordon Research Conference on Second Messengers and Protein Phosphorylation, Meriden, New Hampshire
• Epitope Mapping of bARK Monoclonal Antibodies
  1997
  Gordon Research Conference on Second Messengers and Protein Phosphorylation, Meriden, New Hampshire
• Structure/Function Analysis of the b-Adrenergic Receptor Kinase Using Monoclonal Antibodies
  1996
  Gordon Research Conference on Molecular Pharmacology, Meriden, New Hampshire
• Polypeptide variants of b-arrestin and a novel arrestin, arrestin3
  1993
  Gordon Research Conference on Molecular Pharmacology, Ventura, California
• In vitro nuclear protein import using permeabilized mammalian cells
  1989
  Ann. Mtng. Amer. Soc. Cell Biol, Houston, Texas
• Biogenesis of the yeast peptide hormone, a-factor, by a novel pathway
  1988
  Ann. Mtng. Amer. Soc. Cell Biol, San Francisco, California
• Biogenesis of the yeast peptide hormone, a-factor, by a novel pathway
  1987
  Ann. Mtng. Amer. Soc. Cell Biol, St. Louis, Missouri
• Biosynthesis of the mating pheromone, a-factor: Is a-factor a lipopeptide?
  1986
  Genet. Soc. Amer. Yeast Genet. Molec. Biol. Mtng, Urbana, Illinois
• Processing and secretion of a yeast peptide hormone by a novel pathway
  1986
  Ann. Mtng. Amer. Soc. Cell Biol, Washington, District of Columbia
• Biogenesis of the yeast peptide mating pheromone, a-factor
  1985
  Symp. Amer. Soc. Prot. Chem, San Diego, California