Positions

Overview

  • Obtained his B.S degree in Chemistry at Birzeit University in Palestine (1996), M.S degree in Bioinorganic Chemistry at Bergen University in Norway (1998; advisor: Dr. Einar Sletten), and a Ph.D degree in Bioinorganic Chemistry at Emory University in Atlanta (2002; advisor: Dr. Luigi Marzilli). His M.S. and Ph.D studies focused on studying the interactions of cisplatin, a leading anticancer drug, with DNA by using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and other biophysical methods. Dr. Saad's postdoctoral work in Dr. Michael Summers' lab (HHMI, UMBC) focused on the mechanism by which retroviruses are directed to specific cellular membranes for assembly. Dr. Saad joined the UAB faculty in 2007.

    • Selected Publications

    Academic Article

    Year Title Altmetric
    2019 The KN-93 Molecule Inhibits Calcium/Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase II (CaMKII) Activity by Binding to Ca 2+ /CaM 2019
    2019 The tuberculosis necrotizing toxin is an NAD and NADP glycohydrolase with distinct enzymatic properties 2019
    2018 Structural basis for targeting avian sarcoma virus Gag polyprotein to the plasma membrane for virus assembly 2018
    2018 The matrix domain of the Gag protein from avian sarcoma virus contains a PI(4,5)P 2 -binding site that targets Gag to the cell periphery 2018
    2017 Solution Structure and Membrane Interaction of the Cytoplasmic Tail of HIV-1 gp41 Protein 2017
    2017 Position of O-acetylation within the capsular repeat unit impacts the biological properties of pneumococcal serotypes 33A and 33F 2017
    2017 Derepression of SaPIbov1 Is Independent of φNM1 Type 2 dUTPase Activity and Is Inhibited by dUTP and dUMP 2017
    2017 Discovery of novel pneumococcal serotype 35D, a natural WciG-deficient variant of serotype 35B 2017
    2017 The interplay between calmodulin and membrane interactions with the pleckstrin homology domain of akt 2017
    2016 Pneumococcus with the "6E" CPS locus produces serotype 6B capsular polysaccharide 2016
    2016 Identification of the calmodulin-binding domains of Fas death receptor 2016
    2015 Structural and biophysical characterization of the interactions between calmodulin and the pleckstrin homology domain of Akt 2015
    2015 Erratum: Discovery of Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 6 variants with glycosyltransferases synthesizing two differing repeating units (The Journal of Biological Chemistry (2013) 288 (25976-25985)) 2015
    2015 Targeting the Early Step of Building Block Organization in Viral Capsid Assembly 2015
    2015 Editorial: Role of lipids in virus assembly 2015
    2015 Structural and molecular determinants of HIV-1 Gag binding to the plasma membrane 2015
    2014 Solution structure of calmodulin bound to the binding domain of the HIV-1 matrix protein 2014
    2014 HIV: A vicTIM 2014
    2014 Spectrum of pneumococcal serotype 11A variants results from incomplete loss of capsule O-acetylation 2014
    2013 Discovery of streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 6 variants with glycosyltransferases synthesizing two differing repeating units 2013
    2013 Structural and biophysical characterization of the interactions between the death domain of fas receptor and calmodulin 2013
    2013 Trio engagement via plasma membrane phospholipids and the myristoyl moiety governs HIV-1 matrix binding to bilayers 2013
    2012 Structural characterization of Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 9A capsule polysaccharide reveals role of glycosyl 6-O-acetyltransferase wcjE in serotype 9V capsule biosynthesis and immunogenicity 2012
    2012 Role of the HIV-1 matrix protein in Gag intracellular trafficking and targeting to the plasma membrane for virus assembly 2012
    2011 The staphylococcus aureus pathogenicity island 1 protein gp6 functions as an internal scaffold during capsid size determination 2011
    2011 NMR, biophysical, and biochemical studies reveal the minimal calmodulin binding domain of the HIV-1 matrix protein 2011
    2011 Single-stranded oligonucleotide adducts formed by Pt complexes favoring left-handed base canting: Steric effect of flanking residues and relevance to DNA adducts formed by Pt anticancer drugs 2011
    2011 NMR studies of models having the Pt(d(GpG)) 17-membered macrocyclic ring formed in DNA by platinum anticancer drugs: Pt complexes with bulky chiral diamine ligands 2011
    2010 Binding of calmodulin to the HIV-1 matrix protein triggers myristate exposure 2010
    2010 Myristate exposure in the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 matrix protein is modulated by pH 2010
    2010 Basic coordination chemistry relevant to DNA adducts formed by the cisplatin anticancer drug. NMR studies on compounds with sterically crowded chiral ligands 2010
    2010 Reverse Micelle Encapsulation of Membrane-Anchored Proteins for Solution NMR Studies 2010
    2010 Targeting of murine leukemia virus gag to the plasma membrane is mediated by PI(4,5)P2/PS and a polybasic region in the matrix 2010
    2009 Targeting of MuLV gag to the plasma membrane is mediated by PI(4,5)P2 and phosphatidylserine 2009
    2009 Origins of the distortions in the base pair step adjacent to platinum anticancer drug-DNA adducts. Fundamental NMR solution studies utilizing right-handed cross-link models having 5′- and 3′-flanking residues 2009
    2008 Structure of the Myristylated Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 2 Matrix Protein and the Role of Phosphatidylinositol-(4,5)-Bisphosphate in Membrane Targeting 2008
    2007 Mutations that mimic phosphorylation of the HIV-1 matrix protein do not perturb the myristyl switch 2007
    2007 Point Mutations in the HIV-1 Matrix Protein Turn Off the Myristyl Switch 2007
    2006 Structural basis for targeting HIV-1 Gag proteins to the plasma membrane for virus assembly 2006
    2003 Chiral discrimination in the formation reaction and at equilibrium for N,N,N′9N′-tetramethyl-1,2-diaminocyclohexane-PtG2 complexes 2003
    2002 Factors influencing conformer equilibria in retro models of cisplatin-DNA adducts as revealed by moderately dynamic (N,N′-dimethyl-2,3-diaminobutane)PtG2 retro models (G = a guanine derivative) 2002
    2002 Dramatic 5′-residue effect on conformer distribution of short oligonucleotide retro models of the cisplatin-DNA cross-link: Implications for the lippard and cross-link distorted base pair steps present in cisplatin-DNA duplex adducts 2002
    2002 Modification of second-sphere communication, leading to an unusually high abundance of the head-to-head conformer of cisplatin cross-link retro models 2002
    2001 Relationship of solution and protein-bound structures of DNA duplexes with the major intrastrand cross-link lesions formed on cisplatin binding to DNA 2001

    Research Overview

  • HIV-Host Interactions and Fas-Mediated Apoptosis - My lab is interested in understanding biological mechanisms in virology and cancer at the atomic level. Our biggest state-of-the-art toy in the lab is called Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR). We apply this technology to assess how proteins interact with membranes, other proteins, small molecules, and sugars. In collaboration with UAB colleagues, we are starting to apply NMR Spectroscopy methods to detect and quantify metabolites in animal cells and tissues. Our main focus in the virology field is aimed at elucidating molecular mechanisms of HIV assembly. Our cancer projects include those aimed at characterization of protein-protein interactions pertaining to Fas-mediated apoptosis in cholangiocarcinoma. Most recently, we have been investigating at the structural level how the Akt protein interacts with lipids and proteins to facilitate translocation to the plasma membrane for activation in many cancer cells.

    Keywords - HIV, NMR, Cancer, Drug design

    • Principal Investigator On

    Investigator On

    Full Name

  • Jamil Saad

    • Fax

  • 205-996-4008