Paul Langridge, PhD

Assistant Professor Augusta University

Augusta GA

An acclaimed scientist specializing in morphogenesis, CRISPR, synthetic biology, signal transduction, and cell and molecular biology.

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Spotlight

Oct 21, 2020

1 min

Covering CRISPR, gene editing – and what it might mean for generations to come? Our experts can help

The two scientists who took the concept of gene editing to the forefront were recently rewarded with the Nobel Peace Prize in Chemistry. The efforts of scientists Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna and the development of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats have taken a vaguely titled idea named CRISPR into the modern conversation. Since then, this process has transcended itself into medicine, agriculture and a host of other scientific applications being used around the world today. There is a lot to know about CRISPR: How does it work, what are the risks and what are the potential rewards that have yet to be discovered? There is also a lot of concern about how gene editing could transform life and future life as we know it. If you are a journalist looking to know more about CRISPR, Augusta University has the expert you need for your questions and coverage. Dr. Paul Langridge is an acclaimed scientist specializing in morphogenesis, CRISPR, signal transduction, and cell and molecular biology. He is an expert when it comes to the topics of gene editing and has used the same technologies that the Nobel winners also used in their research. Langridge is available to speak with any reporters looking to cover this topic; simply click on his icon to arrange an interview today.

Biography

Dr. Paul Langridge is an award-winning biologist serving as an assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences.

Langridge's work has been published in several notable publications, including the "Journal of the American Society of Nephrology" and "Experimental Cell Research."

He earned his doctoral degree from the University of Cambridge and a bachelor's degree from Imperial College.

Areas of Expertise

Molecular Mechanisms of Notch Activation‎

Signal Transduction

Endocytosis

Synthetic Biology

Cellular Biology

Molecular Biology

Developmental Biology

Morphogenesis‎

Accomplishments

Student Internship Award

John Inness Institute

Roy and Diana Vagelos Precision Medicine Pilot Award

Funding award for a two-year pilot study to develop a system for devising and testing synthetic cell-communication technology for regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. The aim is to determine how synthetic receptors can be used to organize cell behavior and alter the morphology of a tissue.

Education

Imperial College

Bachelor's Degree

University of Cambridge

Doctoral Degree

Affiliations

Columbia University Precision Medicine Society
Columbia Neuroscience Society
Genetics Society of America

Articles

Epsin-Dependent Ligand Endocytosis Activates Notch by Force

Cell

DSL ligands activate Notch by inducing proteolytic cleavage of the receptor ectodomain, an event that requires ligand to be endocytosed in signal-sending cells by the adaptor protein Epsin. Two classes of explanation for this unusual requirement are (1) recycling models, in which the ligand must be endocytosed to be modified or repositioned before it binds Notch and (2) pulling models, in which the ligand must be endocytosed after it binds Notch to exert force that exposes an otherwise buried site for cleavage. We demonstrate in vivo that ligands that cannot enter the Epsin pathway nevertheless bind Notch but fail to activate the receptor because they cannot exert sufficient force. This argues against recycling models and in favor of pulling models. Our results also suggest that once ligand binds receptor, activation depends on a competition between Epsin-mediated ligand endocytosis, which induces cleavage, and transendocytosis of the ligand by the receptor, which aborts the incipient signal.

Inducible gene silencing in podocytes: a new tool for studying glomerular function

Journal of the American Society of Nephrology

Glomerular filtration is one of the primary functions of the kidney. Podocytes, a highly specialized cell type found in glomeruli, are believed to play a critical role in that function. Null mutations of genes expressed in podocytes like WT1, nephrin, and NEPH1 result in an embryo and perinatal lethal phenotype and therefore do not allow the functional analysis of these genes in the adult kidney. Here is describes the generation of a model that will allow such studies. We have engineered transgenic mice in which the disruption of targeted genes can be induced in a temporally controlled fashion in podocytes. For this, a transgene encoding the mutated estrogen receptor-Cre recombinase fusion protein was introduced into the mouse genome. Animals were crossed with Z/AP reporter mice to test for efficient and inducible recombination. We found that, after injection of inducer drug tamoxifen, Cre fusion protein translocates to the nuclei of podocytes, where it becomes active and mediates recombination of DNA carrying loxP target sequences. These animals provide for the first time a tool for silencing genes selectively in podocytes of adult animals.

Changing directions in the study of chemotaxis

Nature Reviews in Molecular Cell Biology

The guidance strategy of a cell varies with the chemotactic gradient: in steep gradients, cells produce pseudopodia directly up the gradient, but in weak gradients, pseudopodia are produced at random, with cells steering by favouring the pseudopod that is furthest up the gradient. Cells can also become polarized such that they maintain the same front end, even when forced to change direction by a changing gradient.

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