Mark Ungrin

Stem Cell Bioengineering Laboratory, Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, 164 College Street, Room 407 Rosebrugh Building University of Toronto Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G9
(416) 978 - 1089
email me

• Publications
• Training
• Academic Honours and Awards
• Work Experience

Publications:

• Strict control of telomerase activation using Cre-mediated inversion. Ungrin MD, Harrington L. BMC Biotechnology 2006 Feb 20;6:10.Full text.
• Hypothesis: Whale and elephant cells will exhibit significant resistance to oncogenic transformation. Ungrin MD. Hypothesis 2004; 1(2):10-12.Full text
• The Bloom syndrome helicase BLM interacts with TRF2 in ALT cells and promotes telomeric DNA synthesis. Stavropoulos DJ, Bradshaw PS, Li X, Pasic I, Truong K, Ikura M, Ungrin M, Meyn MS. Human Molecular Genetics. 2002 Dec 1;11(25):3135-3144.
• Preferential maintenance of critically short telomeres in mammalian cells heterozygous for mTert. Liu Y, Kha H, Ungrin M, Robinson MO, Harrington L. P.N.A.S. 2002, March; 99(6):3597-602
• Determination of the key structural features of prostaglandin E2 and prostanoid analogs involved in binding and activation of the human EP1 prostanoid receptor. Ungrin MD, Carriere MC, Denis D, Lamontagne S, Sawyer N, Stocco R, Tremblay N, Metters KM, Abramovitz M. Molecular Pharmacology 2001, June; 59(6):1446-1456 (commentary)
• An Automated Aequorin Luminescence-Based Functional Calcium Assay for G-Protein-Coupled Receptors. Ungrin MD, Singh LM, Stocco R, Sas DE, Abramovitz M. Analytical Biochemistry 1999 Jul 15; 272(1):34-42 (the assay described in this publication has subsequently been employed in several applications)
• Characterization of a novel serotonin receptor from Caenorhabditis elegans:cloning and expression of two splice variants. Hamdan FF, Ungrin MD, Abramovitz M, Ribeiro P Journal of Neurochemistry. 1999 Apr; 72(4):1372-83.(proteins)
• Molecular cloning and characterization of the four rat prostaglandin E2 prostanoid receptor subtypes. Boie Y, Stocco R, Sawyer N, Slipetz DM, Ungrin MD, Neuschafer-Rube F, Puschel GP, Metters KM, Abramovitz M European Journal of Pharmacology. 1997 Dec 11; 340(2-3):227-41.(proteins)

Training:

• September 2005 to present: Post-doctoral work in the Stem Cell Bioengineering Laboratory at the University of Toronto
• spring 2000 to spring 2005: Doctoral work at the University of Toronto, Department of Medical Biophysics, in the laboratory of Dr. Lea Harrington
• fall 1998 to spring 2000: MSc work at the University of Toronto, Department of Medical Biophysics, in the laboratory of Dr. Lea Harrington
• 1996/97 academic year: Universite Joseph Fourier, Grenoble, France (on exchange from the University of Waterloo, taking primarily Maitrise-level courses)
• 1992 to 1997: Honours Co-op BSc in Biochemistry, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario
• 1987 to 1992: Mackenzie High School, Deep River, Ontario

Academic Honours and Awards:

Work Experience:

• May 2005 to Aug 2005: Term Contract Research Associate to Dr. James Pan, Campbell Family Institute for Breast Cancer Research, Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto, Ontario
• Investigation and development of new and existing experimental techniques for a newly established research group.
• Aug 1997 to Aug 1998: Research Associate to Dr. Mark Abramovitz, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry Department, Merck - Frosst Centre, Montreal, Quebec
• bioinformatics work relating to the automation of the aequorin luminescence assay and related data analysis, as well as experimental work involving this system, as in previous terms (see publications)
• Jan 1996 to Aug 1996: Research Assistant to Dr. Mark Abramovitz, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry Department, Merck - Frosst Centre, Montreal, Quebec
• bioinformatics work relating to the automation of the aequorin luminescence assay and related data analysis, as well as experimental work involving this system, as in previous terms (see publications)
• May 1995 to Aug 1995: Research Assistant to Dr. Mark Abramovitz, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry Department, Merck - Frosst Centre, Montreal, Quebec
• development and optimization of an aequorin - based assay for in vivo measurement of transient cytosolic calcium peaks in small quantities of mammalian cells, plus associated tissue culture and transfection work; some control system programming, experiment design (see publications)
• Sept 1994 to Dec 1994: Research Assistant to Dr. Mark Abramovitz, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry Department, Merck - Frosst Centre, Montreal, Quebec
• production of human prostanoid receptor fragments as fusions with glutathione - S - transferase in E. coli, worked with DNA sequencing, PCR, SDS - PAGE, bacterial transformation, protein harvesting, Northern and Western blotting, and human tissue culture (see work report)
• Jan 1994 - April 1994 Research Assistant to Dr. Paul Unrau, Radiation Biology and Health Physics Branch, Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. Chalk River Laboratories, Chalk River, Ontario
• developed a Sanger sequencing protocol for use with FILE based PCR (a new DNA fragment isolation technique developed at AECL), worked with DNA sequencing, PCR, and FILE
• May 1993 - Aug 1993 Research Assistant to Dr. David Lee, Environmental Research Branch, Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. Chalk River Laboratories, Chalk River, Ontario
• assisted in hydrogeological contract work and ongoing research, including experimentation, instrument development and calibration, and field work

Other

Interests:

• fiddling
• canoeing and canoe tripping
• kayaking
• SCUBA diving
• sailing
• swimming