Hong-Yiou (David) Lin

Year Entered: 2005

Degrees Received:
B.S., Biochemistry and Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, 2005

Honors and Awards:
Honors, Years 1 and 2, Medical School

Thesis Advisor: Horace Loh, Ph.D. Pharmacology Graduate Program

Thesis Research: 

Opioid receptors are G protein coupled receptors, and they are divided into three classes: mu, delta, and kappa.  Among them, the mu opioid receptor (MOR) is responsible for the analgesic, physical dependence, and reward effects of opiates such as morphine.  After agonist stimulation, the internalization and trafficking of opioid receptors are important mechanisms to regulate its signaling.  Using mass spectrometry, the Loh lab has identified Rab40b as a binding partner of MOR.  Rab proteins are small molecular weight GTPases that are important in cellular membrane trafficking.  Rab40b contains a SOCS box, but the protein’s functions are not well known.  I am using a combination of cell and molecular biology tools to study the function of Rab40b.  We would like to know how Rab40b regulates opioid receptor signaling.