Contact
Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry - Physiology Dept
- clugston@ualberta.ca
Overview
Area of Study / Keywords
vitamin A physiology biochemistry nutrition liver lipids alcohol developmental biology diaphragm
About
Member, Women's and Children's Health Research Institute
Academic Editor, PLOS One
Research
Vitamin A (retinoid) homeostasis in health and disease
Vitamin A is an essential dietary micronutrient that has important functions in maintaining a healthy body. One of the active metabolites of dietary vitamin A is retinoic acid, which signals through nuclear receptors to control the expression level of more than 500 genes. number of retinoic acid-target genes confers on important roles in many cellular processes, including cell proliferation, differentiation apoptosis. The overall goal of the Clugston laboratory is to better understand the importance of altered retinoic acid signaling in human health and disease.The Clugston lab currently has three major research tracks, all centered around understanding different aspects of vitamin A’s metabolism and action. These tracks 1) basic vitamin A metabolism, 2) the role of altered vitamin A homeostasis in liver and 3) the role of altered vitamin A signaling in the development of the mammalian diaphragm and its importance in the birth defect, congenital diaphragmatic hernia.
Teaching
My teaching responsibilities include contributions to the following team-taught courses:
PHYSL 210: Human Physiology
PHYSL214: Human Physiology II
PHYSL 407: Molecular and Cellular Physiology
BIOCH 455: Biochemistry of Lipids and Lipoproteins
NUTR 302: Fundamentals of Nutritional Biochemistry and Metabolism II
Courses
PHYSL 455 - Physiology of Lipids and Lipoproteins
Advanced course focusing on specific aspects of the physiological regulation of lipid and lipoprotein metabolism. Topics include the transcriptional and post-translational mechanisms governing the synthesis and degradation of important enzymes, lipids, and lipid transport molecules; the role of lipid mediators in signaling pathways and protein modification; the assembly and dynamics of lipoproteins and biological membranes; genetic disruptions of lipid regulatory proteins such as cell surface receptors leading to human disease. Prerequisites: A minimum grade of B- in PHYSL 210 or 212/214 or consent of Department. This course is intended for students in Honors in Physiology. Students in other programs may be admitted subject to availability and with the consent of the Department. Graduate students may not register for credit (see PHYSL 555).
PHYSL 555 - Physiology of Lipids and Lipoproteins
Advanced course focusing on specific aspects of the physiological regulation of lipid and lipoprotein metabolism. Topics include the transcriptional and post-translational mechanisms governing the synthesis and degradation of important enzymes, lipids, and lipid transport molecules; the role of lipid mediators in signaling pathways and protein modification; the assembly and dynamics of lipoproteins and biological membranes; genetic disruptions of lipid regulatory proteins such as cell surface receptors leading to human disease. Prerequisites: A minimum grade of B- in PHYSL 210 or 212/214 or consent of Department. Lectures are the same as for PHYSL 455, but with additional assignments and evaluation appropriate to graduate studies. This course may not be taken for credit if credit has already been obtained in PHYSL 455.
Featured Publications
Ferdouse A., Clugston R.D.
Frontiers in Physiology. 2022 June; 13 10.3389/fphys.2022.940974
Ferdouse A., Agrawal R.R., Gao M.A., Jiang H., Blaner W.S., Clugston R.D.
PLoS One. 2022 January; 17 (1) 10.1371/journal.pone.0261675
Rocke A.W., Clarke T.G., Dalmer T.R.A., McCluskey S.A., Rivas J.F.G., Clugston R.D.
PEDIATRIC RESEARCH. 2021 March; 10.1038/s41390-021-01409-6
Trites M.J., Febbraio M., Clugston R.D.
Scientific Reports. 2020 November; 10 (1) 10.1038/s41598-020-77411-5