David L. Farrens, Ph.D.
- Professor of Chemical Physiology and Biochemistry, School of Medicine
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, School of Medicine
- Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine
Biography
Dr. Farrens obtained his undergraduate (1985) and Ph.D. (1991) in chemistry from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. His graduate work involved physical and biochemical studies of the plant photoreceptor phytochrome (carried out under the supervision of Dr P.-S. Song), followed by similar work at RIKEN in Tokyo with Dr. Furuya. He then moved to MIT to work on the visual photoreceptor rhodopsin with Dr H. G. Khorana (1992–1995), and then at UCLA with DrW. L. Hubbell (1996).
In his laboratory at OHSU, Dr. Farrens (and colleagues) develop and use novel biochemical and physical methods to identify common structural mechanisms involved in the activation and attenuation of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). Their work focuses primarily on rhodopsin and the cannabinoid receptor CB1, studying how these proteins interact with their affiliate signaling partners (G-proteins, arrestins and kinases).
Education and training
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Degrees
- B.S., 1985, University of Nebraska
- Ph.D., 1991, University of Nebraska
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Fellowship
- NRSA NIH Fellowship - 1993-1995
Memberships and associations:
- NIH study section Biology and Diseases of the Posterior Eye [BDPE] (ad hoc reviewer) - 2007, 2008, 2010
- Molecular and Integrative Signal Transduction [MIST] (ad hoc reviewer) - 2010, 2016
- Biology of the Visual System [BVS] (permanent study section member) - 2011-2015
- Biophysical Society member
- International Conference on Retinal Proteins - Advisory Committee
Areas of interest
- Photobiology/photochemistry
- Spectroscopy
- Molecular pharmacology
- G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs)
Additional information
Honors and awards
- National Merit Scholarship - 1980
- Regents Scholarship, University of Nebraska - 1980
- Upson Scholar, University of Nebraska - 1990
- National Science Foundation Travel Award - 1990
- American Society for Photobiology Student Travel Award - 1990
- Outstanding Graduate Student Award, Univ. Nebraska Department of Chemistry - 1990
- NIH Training Grant - 1992
- Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award - Graduate Program, OHSU - 2001-2002
- Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award - Graduate Program, OHSU - 2003-2004
- Royal Society of Chemistry (U.K.) Travel Award - 2006
- Faculty Excellence in Education Award, OHSU - 2011-2012
Publications
Publications
A rapid, tag-free way to purify functional GPCRs
Journal of Biological ChemistryFunctional independence of endogenous µ-and δ-opioid receptors co-expressed in cholinergic interneurons
eLifeFunctional integrity of membrane protein rhodopsin solubilized by styrene-maleic acid copolymer
Biophysical JournalStyrene-maleic acid copolymer effects on the function of the GPCR rhodopsin in lipid nanoparticles
Biophysical JournalNovel fluorescent GPCR biosensor detects retinal equilibrium binding to opsin and active G protein and arrestin signaling conformations
Journal of Biological ChemistryStructure of a Signaling Cannabinoid Receptor 1-G Protein Complex
CellVisualizing endogenous opioid receptors in living neurons using ligand-directed chemistry
eLifeSingle Proteoliposome High-Content Analysis Reveals Differences in the Homo-Oligomerization of GPCRs
Biophysical JournalBiosensor reveals multiple sources for mitochondrial NAD+
ScienceDecay of an active GPCR
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of AmericaEvidence that the Rhodopsin Kinase (GRK1) N-Terminus and the Transducin Gα C-Terminus Interact with the Same "hydrophobic Patch" on Rhodopsin TM5
BiochemistryConformational selection and equilibrium governs the ability of retinals to bind opsin
Journal of Biological ChemistryRetinal attachment instability is diversified among mammalian melanopsins
Journal of Biological ChemistryStructural dynamics and energetics underlying allosteric inactivation of the cannabinoid receptor CB1
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of AmericaThe Enzymatic Activity of Lipases Correlates with Polarity-Induced Conformational Changes
BiochemistryDistance mapping in proteins using fluorescence spectroscopy
BiochemistryNanoscale high-content analysis using compositional heterogeneities of single proteoliposomes
Nature MethodsRhodopsin TM6 can interact with two separate and distinct sites on arrestin
BiochemistryA constitutively activating mutation alters the dynamics and energetics of a key conformational change in a ligand-free G protein-coupled receptor
Journal of Biological ChemistryThe membrane proximal region of the cannabinoid receptor CB1 N-terminus can allosterically modulate ligand affinity
BiochemistryA key agonist-induced conformational change in the cannabinoid receptor CB1 is blocked by the allosteric ligand Org 27569
Journal of Biological ChemistryContributions of H G Khorana to understanding transmembrane signal transduction
ResonanceRhodopsin in nanodiscs has native membrane-like photointermediates
BiochemistryDistance mapping in proteins using fluorescence spectroscopy
BiochemistryMonomeric rhodopsin is the minimal functional unit required for arrestin binding
Journal of molecular biologyWhat site-directed labeling studies tell us about the mechanism of rhodopsin activation and G-protein binding
Photochemical and Photobiological SciencesThe magnitude of the light-induced conformational change in different rhodopsins correlates with their ability to activate G proteins
Journal of Biological Chemistry