BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH Ora A. Weisz, Ph.D. Professor of ...

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Provide the following information for the key personnel and other significant contributors in the order listed on Form Page 2.
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NAME
Ora A. Weisz, Ph.D.
eRA COMMONS USER NAME
OWEISZ
POSITION TITLE
Professor of Medicine
and Cell Biology and Physiology
EDUCATION/TRAINING (Begin with baccalaureate or other initial professional education, such as nursing, and include postdoctoral training.)
INSTITUTION AND LOCATION
DEGREE
(if applicable)
YEAR(s)
Yale University, New Haven, CT B.S. 1984
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore,
MD
Ph.D. 1990
FIELD OF STUDY
Mol. Biophys. and
Biochem./History
Biochemistry,
Cellular and Mol. Biol.
A. Personal Statement
I have been working in the area of polarized membrane traffic for 20 years, and have published extensively on
the signals and mechanisms that regulate protein delivery to the apical surface of kidney cells. During this time
I have mentored numerous graduate students and fellows, many of whom have transitioned to independent
academic positions. I am fully committed to assisting trainees to develop a unique skill set that will facilitate
their success as independent researchers.
B. Positions and Honors
1990-95: Postdoctoral Fellow, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
1995 to 2001: Assistant Professor, Renal-Electrolyte Division, Department of Medicine and Department of
Cell Biology and Physiology, Univ. of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
2001 to 2007: Associate Professor, Univ. of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
2004 to 2007: Assistant Director, Office of Academic Career Devt, Univ. of Pittsburgh Health Sciences
2007 to present: Vice Chair of Faculty Development, Department of Medicine, Univ. of Pittsburgh
2007 to present: Professor, Univ. of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
2000 University of Pittsburgh Senior Vice Chancellor’s Research Seminar
2001-2007 Editorial Board, American Journal of Physiology – Renal
2002-present Editorial Board, American Journal of Physiology – Cell Physiology
2002, 2004, 2006 American Society of Nephrology annual meeting abstract program committee
2002 NIH study section, General Medicine B, ad hoc
2003, 2004, 2007 NIH study section, NIDDK Special Emphasis Panel
2004 NIH study section, Cardiovascular, Respiratory, Blood, Digestive and Renal Systems
2004-07 NIH study section, Gastrointestinal, Renal, and Bone Pathophysiology
2005-2007 American Physiological Society Joint Program Committee, member at large
2007-2009 American Heart Association (Mid-Atlantic affiliate) study section
2007 NIH study section, Membrane Biology and Protein Processing, ad hoc
2007 NHLBI-DIR Board of Scientific Counselor Site Review Meeting
2007-2008 American Society of Nephrology annual meeting program committee
2007 American Journal of Physiology Star Reviewer
2008-2012 NIH study section, CMBK
2009- Editorial Board, Physiological Reviews (ASCB representative)
C. Selected Publications (from a total of 60; 28 since 2005)
Henkel, J.R., Gibson, G.A., Poland, P.A., Ellis, M.A., Hughey, R.P., and Weisz, O.A. (2000) Influenza M2
proton channel activity selectively inhibits TGN release of apical membrane and secreted proteins in polarized
MDCK cells. J. Cell Biol. 148:495-504. PMID: 10662775
Ihrke, G., Bruns, J.R., Luzio, J.P., and Weisz, O.A. (2001) A novel lysosomal delivery route via the apical
surface identified by the trafficking of endolyn in MDCK cells. EMBO J. 20:6256-6264. PMID: 11707397
Lee, E., Marcucci, M., Daniell, L., Pypaert, M., Weisz, O.A., Ochoa, G.-C., Farsad, K., Wenk, M.R., and De
Camilli, P. (2002) Amphiphysin 2 (Bin1) and T-tubule biogenesis in muscle. Science 297:1193-1196. PMID:

12183633
Potter, B.A., Ihrke, G., Bruns, J.R., Weixel, K.M., and Weisz, O.A. (2004) Specific N-glycans direct apical
delivery of transmembrane, but not soluble or GPI-anchored forms of endolyn in MDCK cells. Mol. Biol. Cell.
15:1407-1416. PMID: 14699065
Potter, B.A., Weixel, K.M., Bruns, J.R., Ihrke, G., and Weisz, O.A. (2006) N-Glycans mediate apical recycling
of the sialomucin endolyn in polarized MDCK cells. Traffic 7:146-154. PMID: 16420523
Guerriero, C.J., Weixel, K.M., Bruns, J.R., and Weisz, O.A. (2006) Phosphatidylinositol 5-kinase stimulates
apical biosynthetic delivery via an Arp2/3-dependent mechanism. J. Biol. Chem. 281:15376-15384. PMID:
16601114
Blumental-Perry, A., Haney, C.J., Weixel, K.M., Watkins, S.C., Weisz, O.A., and Aridor, M. (2006)
Phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate formation at ER exit sites regulates ER export. Dev. Cell. 11:671-682.
PMID: 16935843
Cresawn, K.O., Potter, B.A., Oztan, A., Guerriero, C.J., Ihrke, G., Goldenring, J.R., Apodaca, G, and Weisz,
O.A. (2007) Differential involvement of endocytic compartments in the biosynthetic traffic of apical proteins.
EMBO J., 26:3737-3748. PMID: 17673908
Miedel, M.T., Rbaibi, Y., Guerriero, C.J., Colletti, G., Weixel, K.M., Weisz, O.A.* and Kiselyov, K.* (2008)
Membrane traffic and turnover in TRP-ML1 deficient cells: A revised model for Mucolipidosis Type IV
pathogenesis. J. Exp. Med. 205:1477-1490. PMID: 18504305 *corresponding authors (Cover article)
Khandelwal, P., Ruiz, W.G., Elena Balestreire-Hawryluk, E. Weisz, O.A., Goldenring, J.R., and Apodaca, G.
(2008) Rab11a-dependent exocytosis of discoidal/fusiform vesicles in bladder umbrella cells. Proc. Natl.
Acad. Sci. USA, 105:15773-15778. PMID: 18843107
D. Research Support:
R01 DK064613 (Weisz) 05/01/09 - 04/30/13 Role: PI
NIH/NIDDK
Regulation of Polarized Traffic by PI-Metabolizing Enzymes
The aims of this proposal are to (1) determine whether apical and basolateral pools of PIP 2 are independently
regulated in renal epithelial cells; (2) examine how changes in PIP 2 levels mediated by agonist stimulation of G
protein coupled receptors affect polarized endocytosis; and (3) determine how murine PI5KIalpha regulates
apical endocytosis.
R01 DK54407 (Weisz) 09/01/98 – 08/31/12 Role: PI
NIH/NIDDK
Regulation of Apical Traffic in Renal Epithelial Cells
The aim of this project is to understand the mechanisms by which apical membrane traffic is regulated. Major
goals are to identify the cytoplasmic components required for apical vesicle release from the TGN and to
examine the mechanism of glycan-dependent apical sorting in polarized epithelial cells.
R01 DK57718 (Johnson) 02/01/02 – 12/31/11 Role: Co-Investigator
NIH/NIDDK
Trafficking and Regulation of the Epithelial Na + Channel
This proposal has three specific aims: 1. To characterize the molecular mechanisms involved in ENaC retrieval
from apical membrane; 2. To characterize the pathways and regulation of ENaC recycling; 3. To characterize
the cellular site and mechanism of non-coordinate regulation.
P30 DK079307 (Kleyman) 09/01/08-07/31/13 Role: Center Assoc. Dir.
NIH/NIDDK
Pittsburgh Center for Kidney Research
The objective of the Center is to reinforce and expand interactions among investigators at the University of
Pittsburgh and colleagues at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, to develop new directions of investigation using
electrophysiological, cell biological, molecular, and genetic tools, and to attract new investigators to renalrelated
research. The Center includes four cores and supports pilot and feasibility projects.
1 R01 DK084184-01 (Pastor-Soler) 09/01/09-08/30/14 Role: Co-Investigator
NIH/NIDDK

Regulation of V-ATPase by Protein Kinase A and AMP-Activated Kinase
The specific aims of this proposal are to determine the mechanisms involved in the modulation of V-ATPase
subcellular localization and activity by PKA in ICs and to determine the mechanisms involved in the modulation
of V-ATPase subcellular localization and activity by AMPK in ICs.
1 R01 HD058577-01A1 (Kiselyov) 12/01/09 - 11/30/14 Role: Co-Investigator
NIH/NICHD
The TRPML1 Role in Lysosomes
This grant is focused on how defects in the TRP channel family member TRPML1 result in the lysosomal
storage disorder Mucolipidosis type IV. The goals of the project are to determine whether TRPML1 regulates
membrane traffic or lysosomal hydrolysis and to identify the ion permeability characteristics of TRPML1 that
are critical for its function.
3R01DK054407-12S1 (Weisz) 01/01/10-12/31/10 Role: PI
NIH/NIDDK
Regulation of Apical Traffic in Renal Epithelial Cells
The central hypothesis of this ARRA supplement is to that N glycans play a structural role in apical sorting. Aim
1 will dissect the sorting requirements for secretion of an apically secreted protein and aim 2 will determine
whether the role of glycan-mediated oligomerization in apical sorting.