Michael Farrar, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor
612-625-0401
ferra005@umn.edu

Educational Background

• University of Wisconsin-Madison (1987), B.S (Molecular Biology)
• Washington University School of Medicine (1993), Ph.D. (Immunology)

Professional Background

• Assistant Professor, University of Minnesota, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, 2000 - present
• Postdoctoral Fellow, Merck Research Labs, Dr. Roger M. Perlmutter's Laboratory, 1997 - 2000
• Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Washington, Department of Immunology/Dr.Roger M. Perlmutter's Laboratory, 1993 - 1997

Professional Honors

• Cancer Research Institute Investigator Award, 2004 - 2008
• Pew Scholar Award, 2002 - 2006
• Rudolph M. Montgelas Cancer Research Institute Fellow, Cancer Research Institute, 1995 - 1997
• Spencer T. and Ann W. Olin Medical Scientist Fellow, Olin Medical Scientist, 1992 - 1993
• Phi Beta Kappa, 1986 - present

Professional Memberships

• American Association of Immunologists Member, 2000-present

Patents

• Patent number: 5,463,023; Citation: Composition for Inhibition of Intracellular Transcription. Patent no. 5, 463,023. Issued to Robert D. Schreiber, Andrew C. Greenlund, and Michael A. Farrar on 10/31/95.
• Patent number: 5,582,999; Citation: Methods for Inhibition of Intracellular Transcription Factor. Patent no. 5,582,999. Issued to Robert D. Schreiber, Andrew C. Greenlund, and Michael A. Farrar on 12/10/96.

Publications

• S. Woulfe, K. Rice, D.K. Didier, M.R. Harris, J. Schiffenbauer, M. Klearman, M.A. Farrar, B.D. Schwartz. Evidence for heterogeneity of the DPA and DPB alleles derived from a DRwll, DQw7, DPw4 cell line. Hum. Immunol. 26:39-45, 1989.
• P. Gray, S. Leong, E.H. Fennie, M.A. Farrar, J.T. Pingel, J. Fernandez-Luna, R.D. Schreiber. Cloning and expression of the cDNA for the murine interferon-gamma receptor. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:8497-8501, 1989.
• M.A. Farrar, J. Fernandez-Luna, and R.D. Schreiber. Identification of two regions within the cytoplasmic domain of the human interferon-gamma receptor required for function. J. Biol. Chem. 266:19626-19635, 1991.
• M.A. Farrar, J.D. Campbell, and R.D. Schreiber. Identification of a functionally important sequence in the carboxy terminus of the interferon-gamma receptor. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 89:11706-11710, 1992.
• M.A. Farrar and R.D. Schreiber. The Molecular Cell Biology of Interferon-gamma and its Receptor. Ann. Rev. Immunol. 11:559-599, 1993.
• A.S. Dighe, M.A. Farrar, and R.D. Schreiber. Inhibition of IFN-gamma responsiveness in cells induced by overexpression of inactive forms of the IFN-gamma receptor. J.Biol. Chem. 268:10645-10653, 1993.
• A.C. Greenlund, M.A. Farrar, B.L. Viviano, and R.D. Schreiber. Ligand-induced IFN-gamma receptor tyrosine phosphorylation couples the receptor to its signal transduction sytem (p91). EMBO J. 13:1591-1600, 1994. Co-first author.
• M.A. Farrar, J. Alberola-Ila, and R.M. Perlmutter. Direct activation of the Raf-1 Kinase cascade via coumermycin-induced dimerization. Nature 383, 178-181, 1996.
• B.M. Iritani, K.A. Forbush, M.A. Farrar, and R.M. Perlmutter. Control of B Cell Development by Ras-mediated Activation of Raf. EMBO J. 16: 7019-7031, 1997
• M.A. Farrar, P. Doerfler, and K. Sauer. Signal transduction pathways regulating the development of alpha, beta T cells. BBA 1377: F35-F78, 1998
• Li, D.A. Steeber, M.K.L. Tang, M.A. Farrar, R.M. Perlmutter, and T.F. Tedder. L-selectin dimerization upregulates adhesion receptor function and facilitates lymphocyte rolling. J.Exp.Med. 188: 1385-1390, 1998.
• M.A. Farrar, S.H. Olson, R.M. Perlmutter. Coumermycin-induced GyrB-containing fusion proteins. Methods in Enzymology. 327: 421-429, 2000.
• M.A.Farrar, J.Y. Tian, and R.M. Perlmutter. Membrane Localization of Raf Assists Engagement of Downstream Effectors. J. Biol. Chem. 275: 31318-31324, 2000.
• M. Prlic, B. Blazar, M. A. Farrar, A. Ma, and S. C. Jameson. In Vivo Survival and Homeostatic Proliferation of Mature NK Cells. J. Exp. Med. 197: 967-976, 2003.
• M.A. Burchill, C.A. Goetz, M. Prlic, J.J. O’Neil, I.R. Harmon, S.J. Bensinger, L.A. Turka, P. Brennan, S.C. Jameson, and Michael A. Farrar. Distinct Effects of STAT5 Activation on CD4+ and CD8+ T Cell Homeostasis: Development of CD4+CD25+ Regulatory T Cells Versus CD8+ Memory T Cells. J. Immunol. 171: 5853-5864.
• C.A. Goetz, J.J. O'Neil, and M.A. Farrar. Membrane localization, Oligomerization, and Phosphorylation are required for Optimal Raf Activation. J. Biol. Chem. 278 (51) 51184-51189.
• C.A. Goetz, I.R. Harmon, J.J. O’Neil, M.A. Burchill, and M.A. Farrar.STAT5 Activation Underlies Interleukin-7-dependent B Cell Development. J. Immunol. 172: 4770-4778.
• S.J. Bensinger, P.T. Walsh, J. Zhang, M. carroll, R. Parsons, J.C. Rathmell, C.B. Thompson, M.A. Burchill, M.A. Farrar and L.A. Turka. Distinct IL-2 Receptor Signaling Pattern in CD4+ Cd25+ Regulatory T Cells J. Immunol. 172: 5287-5296
• Restricted STAT5 Activation Dictates Appropriate Thymic B versus T cell Lineage Commitment.  Christine. A. Goetz, Ian R. Harmon, Jennifer J. O’Neil, Matthew A. Burchill, Tanner M. Johanns, and Michael A. Farrar.  J. Immunol.  174: 7753-7763, 2005.