CANCELED — LSI Seminar Series: Jenna Jewell, Ph.D., UT Southwestern Medical Center

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is an evolutionary conserved Ser/Thr kinase that senses multiple upstream stimuli to regulate cell growth, metabolism, and autophagy. mTOR is the catalytic component of a multi-protein complex called mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1). Elevated mTORC1 activation is common in multiple human disease including cancer, type 2 diabetes, metabolic disorders and neurodegeneration. Small molecules like rapamycin that target and inhibit mTORC1 are used in the clinic with limited success. Hence, it is imperative to unravel the intricate molecular mechanisms governing the regulation of mTORC1 to devise more effective treatments for mTORC1-associated diseases. We are particularly interested in elucidating how mTORC1 is modulated by various upstream stimuli, focusing on its regulation by amino acids and G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs).