Roger J. Davis

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Roger J. Davis
Roger J. Davis.jpg
Roger J. Davis (UMass Chan Medical School)
Born
Herne Bay, Kent, UK
Academic work
DisciplineBiochemistry
Institutions
Website davislab.umassmed.edu

Roger J. Davis. is a biochemist and molecular biologist born in Great Britain. He is the H. Arthur Smith Endowed Chair and serves as Professor and Chair of the Program in Molecular Medicine at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School. [1] His work focuses on signaling pathways related to cellular stress,including the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway. Davis molecularly cloned human JNK [2] and has used biochemical, molecular, and mouse model techniques to study the physiological roles and molecular mechanisms of JNK. [3] [4] The goal of his laboratory is to identify molecular targets within stress signaling pathways that can be used to develop treatments for diseases linked to cellular inflammation, including cancer, metabolic disorders, and ischemia, his lab seeks to identify molecular targets within stress signaling pathways. [5]

Contents

His recent studies have focussed on the role of hepatic JNK in the development of the metabolic syndrome, which includes obesity, steatosis and insulin resistance) caused by the consumption of a high-fat diet. [6] His work investigates the JNK-dependent regulation of the nuclear hormone receptor complex PPARα/RXRα. These studies aim to identify potential therapeutic targets. [7]

Academic career

Research contributions

Roger Davis was involved in the molecular cloning of human JNK, establishing that these kinases are part of the MAP kinase superfamily. [2] In particular, he worked on the stress kinase pathway, a signal transduction mechanism that helps cells sense external stimuli and adapt to changes. [5]

He also contributed to identifying the MAP kinase kinases (MKK4 and MKK7) that activate JNK. [11] Later research showed that pro-inflammatory cytokines and environmental stress trigger the activation of the JNK pathway. [4] His group has used mouse models deficient in JNK1, JNK2, JNK3, MKK4, and MKK7 to study the roles of these kinases in vivo.

Additionally, he has studied transcription factors such as cJun, JunD, JunB, ATF2, Elk1, and NFAT4 that function downstream of JNK signaling. After JNK activation, these proteins play a role in controlling gene expression. [12] [13] [14]

He has reported that JNK activation can cause cell death by apoptosis. This form of death is suppressed by activated AKT. JNK-mediated expression of TNF and JNK-mediated phosphorylation of the BH3-only proteins (Bim and Bmf) contribute to apoptosis caused by JNK activation. This form of cell death occurs during development (e.g. in the central nervous system) and in response to injury (e.g. excitotoxic stress and axotomy). JNK also contributes to tumor cell death and can suppress tumorigenesis. [15] [16] [17] [18]

He has also studied the role of JNK in the metabolic stress response to a high-fat diet. His group showed that JNK in the hypothalamus and pituitary gland suppresses energy expenditure and promotes obesity. In contrast, JNK in peripheral tissues causes insulin resistance. Examples include JNK-mediated inflammation via macrophage M1 polarization and tissue infiltration, hepatic JNK suppression of PPARα-mediated lipid oxidation and FGF21 action, and the role of adipose tissue JNK in modulating insulin sensitivity in both liver and fat tissue. These findings support a key role for JNK in the metabolic response to a high-fat diet. [6] [19] [20] [7]

Honors and awards

Elected memberships

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 https://www.umassmed.edu/davislab/lab-members/roger-davis-biography/ Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry
  2. 1 2 Dérijard, B.; Hibi, M.; Wu, I. H.; Barrett, T.; Su, B.; Deng, T.; Karin, M.; Davis, R. J. (1994). "JNK1: A protein kinase stimulated by UV light and Ha-Ras that binds and phosphorylates the c-Jun activation domain". Cell. 76 (6): 1025–1037. doi:10.1016/0092-8674(94)90380-8. PMID   8137421.
  3. ↑ Sabio, G.; Davis, R. J. (2014). "TNF and MAP kinase signalling pathways". Seminars in Immunology. 26 (3): 237–245. doi:10.1016/j.smim.2014.02.009. PMC   4099309 . PMID   24647229.
  4. 1 2 Davis, Roger J. (2000). "Signal Transduction by the JNK Group of MAP Kinases". Cell. 103 (2): 239–252. doi: 10.1016/S0092-8674(00)00116-1 . PMID   11057897.
  5. 1 2 Hotamisligil, G. S.; Davis, R. J. (2016). "Cell Signaling and Stress Responses". Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology. 8 (10): a006072. doi:10.1101/cshperspect.a006072. PMC   5046695 . PMID   27698029.
  6. 1 2 Sabio, Guadalupe; Das, Madhumita; Mora, Alfonso; Zhang, Zhiyou; Jun, John Y.; Ko, Hwi Jin; Barrett, Tamera; Kim, Jason K.; Davis, Roger J. (2008). "A Stress Signaling Pathway in Adipose Tissue Regulates Hepatic Insulin Resistance". Science. 322 (5907): 1539–1543. Bibcode:2008Sci...322.1539S. doi:10.1126/science.1160794. PMC   2643026 . PMID   19056984.
  7. 1 2 Vernia, S.; Cavanagh-Kyros, J.; Garcia-Haro, L.; Sabio, G.; Barrett, T.; Jung, D. Y.; Kim, J. K.; Xu, J.; Shulha, H. P.; Garber, M.; Gao, G.; Davis, R. J. (2014). "The PPARα-FGF21 hormone axis contributes to metabolic regulation by the hepatic JNK signaling pathway". Cell Metabolism. 20 (3): 512–525. doi:10.1016/j.cmet.2014.06.010. PMC   4156535 . PMID   25043817.
  8. ↑ https://history.queens.cam.ac.uk/people/eminent-alumni
  9. 1 2 https://www.damonrunyon.org/sites/default/files/Awardees%20A-E.pdf Damon Runyon Post-doctoral Fellow
  10. 1 2 https://www.hhmi.org/scientists/roger-j-davis Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute
  11. ↑ Dérijard, Benoit; Raingeaud, Joël; Barrett, Tamera; Wu, I-Huan; Han, Jiahuai; Ulevitch, Richard J.; Davis, Roger J. (1995). "Independent Human MAP-Kinase Signal Transduction Pathways Defined by MEK and MKK Isoforms" . Science. 267 (5198): 682–685. Bibcode:1995Sci...267..682D. doi:10.1126/science.7839144. PMID   7839144.
  12. ↑ Dickens, Martin; Rogers, Jeffrey S.; Cavanagh, Julie; Raitano, Art; Xia, Zhengui; Halpern, Jocelyn R.; Greenberg, Michael E.; Sawyers, Charles L.; Davis, Roger J. (1997). "A Cytoplasmic Inhibitor of the JNK Signal Transduction Pathway" . Science. 277 (5326): 693–696. doi:10.1126/science.277.5326.693. PMID   9235893.
  13. ↑ Whitmarsh, Alan J.; Cavanagh, Julie; Tournier, Cathy; Yasuda, Jun; Davis, Roger J. (1998). "A Mammalian Scaffold Complex That Selectively Mediates MAP Kinase Activation" . Science. 281 (5383): 1671–1674. Bibcode:1998Sci...281.1671W. doi:10.1126/science.281.5383.1671. PMID   9733513.
  14. ↑ Whitmarsh, A. J.; Kuan, C. Y.; Kennedy, N. J.; Kelkar, N.; Haydar, T. F.; Mordes, J. P.; Appel, M.; Rossini, A. A.; Jones, S. N.; Flavell, R. A.; Rakic, P.; Davis, R. J. (2001). "Requirement of the JIP1 scaffold protein for stress-induced JNK activation". Genes & Development. 15 (18): 2421–2432. doi:10.1101/gad.922801. PMC   312784 . PMID   11562351.
  15. ↑ Tournier, Cathy; Hess, Patricia; Yang, Derek D.; Xu, Jie; Turner, Tod K.; Nimnual, Anjaruwee; Bar-Sagi, Dafna; Jones, Stephen N.; Flavell, Richard A.; Davis, Roger J. (2000). "Requirement of JNK for Stress- Induced Activation of the Cytochrome c-Mediated Death Pathway" . Science. 288 (5467): 870–874. Bibcode:2000Sci...288..870T. doi:10.1126/science.288.5467.870. PMID   10797012.
  16. ↑ Lei, Kui; Davis, Roger J. (2003). "JNK phosphorylation of Bim-related members of the Bcl2 family induces Bax-dependent apoptosis". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 100 (5): 2432–2437. Bibcode:2003PNAS..100.2432L. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0438011100 . PMC   151358 . PMID   12591950.
  17. ↑ Hübner, A.; Barrett, T.; Flavell, R. A.; Davis, R. J. (2008). "Multisite phosphorylation regulates Bim stability and apoptotic activity". Molecular Cell. 30 (4): 415–425. doi:10.1016/j.molcel.2008.03.025. PMC   2453504 . PMID   18498746.
  18. ↑ Das, Madhumita; Sabio, Guadalupe; Jiang, Feng; Rincón, Mercedes; Flavell, Richard A.; Davis, Roger J. (2009). "Induction of Hepatitis by JNK-Mediated Expression of TNF-α". Cell. 136 (2): 249–260. doi:10.1016/j.cell.2008.11.017. PMC   2794880 . PMID   19167327.
  19. ↑ Sabio, G.; Cavanagh-Kyros, J.; Barrett, T.; Jung, D. Y.; Ko, H. J.; Ong, H.; Morel, C.; Mora, A.; Reilly, J.; Kim, J. K.; Davis, R. J. (2010). "Role of the hypothalamic–pituitary–thyroid axis in metabolic regulation by JNK1". Genes & Development. 24 (3): 256–264. doi:10.1101/gad.1878510. PMC   2811827 . PMID   20080940.
  20. ↑ Han, Myoung Sook; Jung, Dae Young; Morel, Caroline; Lakhani, Saquib A.; Kim, Jason K.; Flavell, Richard A.; Davis, Roger J. (2013). "JNK Expression by Macrophages Promotes Obesity-Induced Insulin Resistance and Inflammation". Science. 339 (6116): 218–222. Bibcode:2013Sci...339..218H. doi:10.1126/science.1227568. PMC   3835653 . PMID   23223452.
  21. ↑ "Chancellor's Medals". 31 March 2014.
  22. ↑ "Steven C Beering Award | Faculty Affairs and Professional Development | IU School of Medicine".
  23. ↑ "Roger Davis – Royal Society". royalsociety.org. Retrieved 2025-07-01.
  24. ↑ "Find people in the EMBO Communities".
  25. ↑ "ASM Directory Search Results".
  26. ↑ "Elected Fellows | American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)".
  27. ↑ "Fellows".
  28. ↑ "Roger J. Davis – NAS". nasonline.org. Retrieved 2025-07-01.
  29. ↑ "Member Directory – American Academy of Arts and Sciences". amacad.org. Retrieved 2025-07-01.
  30. ↑ "National Academy of Medicine Elects 100 New Members". nam.edu. 9 October 2023. Retrieved 2025-07-01.
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