Contact Information Office hours for Fall 2018 Last updated: |
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Biological Principles: Cancer Biology (Biology 114)
Course materials for my current courses are available through HC Moodle
Click the image for information about the Holy Cross Biochemistry Concentration jointly offered by the Departments of Biology and Chemistry
My research group focuses primarily on the biochemistry of a family of transmembrane heparan sulfate proteoglycans known as syndecans. Through a multi-faceted approach including protein purification, cell culture, microscopy and molecular interaction assays, studies in my lab focus on examining the roles that syndecan proteins play in both normal cell function and in disease states. Our current efforts are focused on the exploring the functions that syndecan proteins play in focal adhesion formation and mechanotransduction, as well as in the diseases neurofibromatosis type-2 and breast cancer.
Students with an interest in biochemistry who would like to consider pursuing a research project in my laboratory are encouraged to contact me at their earliest convenience.
Stanton, M.M, A. Parrillo*, G.M. Thomas, W.G. McGimpsey, Q. Wen, R.M. Bellin, C.R. Lambert (2015) Fibroblast extracellular matrix and adhesion on micro-textured polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) scaffolds. J. Biomed. Mater. Res. Part B Appl Biomater. 103:861-869.{PubMed link}
Werfel, J., S. Krause, A.G. Bischof, R.J. Mannix, H. Tobin, Y. Bar-Yam, R.M. Bellin, and D.E. Ingber (2013) How Changes in Extracellular Matrix Mechanics and Gene Expression Variability Might Combine to Drive Cancer Progression. PLoS ONE 8:e76122. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0076122 {Open access article}
Steward, R.L, C.M. Cheng, J.D. Ye*, R.M. Bellin and P.R. LeDuc (2011) Mechanical Stretch and Shear Flow Induced Reorganization and Recruitment of Fibronectin in Fibroblasts Nature: Scientific Reports 1:147.{PubMed link}
Cheng, C.M., Y.W, Lin, R.M. Bellin, R.L. Steward, Y.R. Cheng, P.R. LeDuc, and C.C. Chen (2010) Probing Localized Neural Mechanotransduction through Surface-Modified Elastomeric Matrices and Electrophysiology Nature Protocols 5:714-724.{PubMed link}
Bellin, R.M., M.K. Bruno, M.A, Farrow (2010) Purification and Characterization of Taq Polymerase: A 9-Week Biochemistry Laboratory Project for Undergraduate Students. Biochem. Mol. Biol. Educ. 38:11-16. {PubMed link}
Bellin, R.M., J.D. Kubicek, M.J. Frigault*, A.J. Kamien*, R.L. Steward Jr., H.M. Barnes*, M.B. DiGiacomo*, L.J. Duncan*, C.K. Edgerly*, E.M. Morse*, C.Y. Park, J.J. Fredberg, C.M. Cheng, and P.R. LeDuc. (2009) Defining the Role of Syndecan-4 in Mechanotransduction using Surface-Modification Approaches. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA.106:22102-22107 {PubMed link} {Open access PDF}
Bellin, R.M. and K.V. Mills (2007) The Holy Cross Biochemistry Concentration: An Integrated Four-Year Program to Develop Undergraduate Research Scholars in Designing, Implementing, and Sustaining a Research-Supportive Undergraduate Curriculum (K.K. Karukstis and T.E. Elgren, eds.), pp. 394-396, Council on Undergraduate Research
LeDuc, P.R. and R.M. Bellin (2006) Nanoscale intracellular organization and functional architecture mediating cellular behavior. Ann. Biomed. Eng. 34:102-113 {PubMed link}
Lee, H.-S., R.M. Bellin, D.L. Walker, B. Patel, P. Powers, H. Liu, B. Garcia-Alvarez, J.M. de Pereda, R.C. Liddington, N. Volkmann, D. Hanein, D.R. Critchley and R.M. Robson (2004) Characterization of an actin-binding site within the talin FERM domain. J. Mol. Biol. 343:771-784 {PubMed link}
Robson, R.M., T.W. Huiatt, and R.M. Bellin (2004) Muscle Intermediate Filament Proteins in Methods in Cell Biology Vol. 78 (M.B. Omary and P.A. Coulombe, eds.), pp. 519-553, Elsevier Science, USA,
Bellin, R.M., I. Capila, J. Lincecum, P.W. Park, O. Reizes and M.R. Bernfield (2003) Unlocking the secrets of syndecans: transgenic organisms as a potential key. Glycoconj. J. 19: 295-304 {PubMed link}
Stromer, M.H., M.S. Mayes, R.M. Bellin (2002) Use of actin isoform-specific antibodies to probe the domain structure in three smooth muscles. Histochem. Cell Biol.118:291-299
Bellin, R.M., T.W. Huiatt, D.R. Critchley, and R.M. Robson
(2001) Synemin may function to directly link muscle cell intermediate filaments
to both myofibrillar Z-lines and costameres. J. Biol. Chem. 276: 32330-32337
Lee, H.S., R.M. Bellin, and R.M. Robson (2001) Talin in The Encyclopedia of Molecular Medicine Vol. 5, pp.
3087-3089, John Wiley & Sons, New York
Schweitzer, S., M.W. Klymkowsky, R.M. Bellin, R.M. Robson,
Y. Capetanaki, and R.M. Evans (2001) Paranemin and the organization of desmin
filament networks J. Cell Sci. 114:1079-1089
Sultana, S., S.W. Sernett, R.M. Bellin, R.M. Robson, and O.
Skalli (2000) Intermediate filament protein synemin is transiently expressed in
a subset of astrocytes during development. Glia 30:143-153
Bellin, R.M., S.W. Sernett, B. Becker, W. Ip., T.W. Huiatt,
and R.M. Robson (1999) Molecular characteristics and interactions of the
intermediate filament protein synemin: Interactions with alpha-actinin may anchor synemin-containing heterofilaments. J.
Biol. Chem. 274: 29493-29499
Bellin, R.M., S.W. Sernett, and R.M. Robson (1999) Synemin in Guidebook to the Cytoskeletal and Motor Proteins,
Second Edition (T. Kreis and R. Vale,
eds.), pp. 322-324, Oxford Univ. Press, UK
Bilak, S.R., S.W. Sernett, M.M. Bilak, R.M. Bellin, M.H. Stromer, T.W. Huiatt, and R. M. Robson (1998) Properties of the novel intermediate filament protein synemin and its identification in mammalian muscle. Arch. Biochem. Biophysics 355: 63-76 {Pubmed link}
Hemken, P.M., R.M. Bellin, S.W. Sernett, B. Becker, T.W.
Huiatt, and R.M. Robson (1997) Molecular characteristics of the novel
intermediate filament protein paranemin: sequence reveals EAP-300 and IFAPa-400
are highly homologous to paranemin. J. Biol. Chem. 272: 32489-32499
Becker, B., R.M. Bellin, S.W. Sernett, T.W. Huiatt, and
R.M. Robson (1995) Synemin contains the rod domain of intermediate filaments. Biochem.
Biophys. Res. Commun. 213: 796-802
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