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Steve Smith

Lecturer

• Ph.D.: Colorado State University (2006)
• B.S.: Colorado State University (2000)

Contact information

• E-mail: steven.smith@unco.edu
• Phone: (970) 351-2210
• Fax: (970) 351-2335
• Office: Ross Hall 2526
• Office hours: by appointment

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Courses Taught

• BIO 100 (Exploring biology)
• BIO 101 (Biological perspectives)
• BIO 245 labs (Introduction to human anatomy and physiology)

Research interests and professional activities

My research interests focus on cellular signaling, and the organization of proteins within the membrane during signal transduction. I have utilized the Luteinizing hormone receptor (involved in male and female reproductive physiology), the Type I Fc Epsilon receptor (involved in the allergic response), as well as the Insulin receptor (involved in blood glucose regulation, diabetes) as model systems. The primary objective of my research is to isolate, examine and characterize membrane microdomains (such as "lipid rafts"), which appear to be essential for effective intracellular signaling. The aim of this work is to further elucidate the mechanisms underlying cellular signal transduction, with several possible implications for human and animal reproduction, allergy treatments and diabetes management.

Academic awards and professional honors

• 2006 -- Outstanding Professor Award, Delta Zeta Sorority, University of Northern Colorado
• 2002 -- Chemistry Department Teaching Award, Colorado State University
• 1999 -- Research Symposium, Award of High Distinction, Colorado State University

Peer-reviewed research publications

1. D.A. Roess and S.M.L. Smith. Self-association and raft localization of functional luteinizing hormone receptors, Biology of Reproduction 69, 765-1770 (2003).
2. Ying Lei, Guy Hagen, Steven M. L. Smith, B. George Barisas, and Deborah A. Roess. Chimeric GnRH-LH receptors and LH receptors lacking C-terminus palmitoylation sites do not localize to plasma membrane rafts, Biochemica et Biophysical Research Communications, 337, 430-434 (2005).
3. Steven M. L. Smith, Ying Lei, Jingjing Liu, Mary E. Cahill, Guy M. Hagen, B. George Barisas and Deborah A. Roess. Luteinizing hormone receptors translocate to plasma membrane microdomains following binding of human chorionic gonadotropin, Endocrinology,147, 1789-1795 (2006).
4. B. George Barisas, Steven M. L. Smith, Jingjing Liu, Jinming Song, Guy M. Hagen, Israel Pecht, Deborah A. Roess. Compartmentalization of FceRI with MAFA on 2H3 cell membranes, Biophysical Chemistry, (2006).
5. Deborah A. Roess, Jinjing Liu, Steven M. L. Smith and B. George Barisas. Compartmentalization of human luteinizing hormone receptors as assessed by single-particle tracking methods, Bioscience Reports, in press (2006).
6. Ying Lei, Guy M. Hagen, Steven M. L. Smith, Jingjing Liu, George Barisas and Deborah A. Roess. Constitutively-active human LH receptors are self-associated and located in rafts, Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology, Jan 2; 260-262: 65-72 (2007).

Recently presented papers and posters

• Smith SM, Horvat RD, Lei Y, Roess DA. The luteinizing hormone receptor exhibits translocation into lipid raft domains upon hormone-driven activation. Endocrine Society abstract (2002).
• Roess DA, Smith S, Horvat RD, Cherrington B, Lei Y, Barisas BG, Hunzicker-Dunn M. Self-association and raft translocation of functional luteinizing hormone receptors. Biology of Reproduction 66: 77, Supplement 1 (2002).
• Roess DA, Lei Y, Smith SM, Hagen GM. Constitutively-active human LH receptors are self-associated in the plasma membrane in absence of hormone. Endocrine Society abstract (2003).
• Lei Y, Smith SM, Hagen GM, Barisas BG, Roess DA. Raft localization and self-association of constitutively active human LH receptors. Biology of Reproduction, Supplement 1, abstract 318 (2004).