Kimberly Hudak Slekar

Associate Professor of Biology

B.A. - Pennsylvania State University
Ph.D. - Carnegie Mellon University

E-mail - slekarkh@jmu.edu
Phone - 540-568-6647
Fax - 540-568-3333
Office - Bioscience 3016D

Office Hours

Courses:   Organisms Lab (BIO 114), Genetics and Development (BIO 224), Human Genetics (BIO 430)

Research Interests:  Anti-oxidant genes in yeast

In my laboratory, we are taking a molecular genetic approach to study how cells are protected from the damaging effects of oxygen. Although oxygen is essential for aerobic organisms, it can also be toxic because hazardous "oxygen radicals" are formed inside cells. These oxygen radicals can severely damage cellular DNA, proteins, and membranes. To protect against this type of damage, cells have naturally occurring anti-oxidant genes. In my lab, we are using baker's yeast as a model system to understand more about the function of anti-oxidant genes.

Selected Publications:

Slekar, et al. The yeast copper/zinc superoxide dismutase and the pentose phosphate pathway play overlapping roles in oxidative stress protection. J. Biol. Chem. 271: 28831-36, 1996.