Bruce J. Nicholson, Ph.D.

Dr. Bruce Nicholson, Professor of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, is the co-Director of the Center for Innovative Drug Discovery and recently co-founded Hera Biotech Inc., a company focused on developing diagnostics for endometriosis. A native of Australia, Dr. Nicholson did his PhD and post-doctoral training at Caltech, and prior to moving to San Antonio was a faculty at the University at Buffalo. He has spent his career defining the molecular structure and properties of gap junctions, structures that mediate direct exchanges of ions and metabolites between cells.

• Professional Background

  Education

  • 1983 - PhD - Cell Biology; Neurobiology - California Institute of Technology
  • 1976 - Honors (1st class) - Enzymology - University of Queensland
  • 1975 - BSc - Biochemistry - University of Queensland

  Training

  • 1986 - Postdoctoral Fellow - Chemistry - California Institute of Technology

  Highlights

  1988: PEW Scholar in the Biomedical Sciences

  1992 - 97: AHA Established Investigator

  1993: Max Planck Prize

  2001- 05: Editor-in Chief: Cell Communication and Adhesion

  2003 - 05: Member, Faculty of 1000

  2003 -:Member, Council for Canadian Chairs

  2016 - 17: President - Association for Medical and Graduate Departments of Biochemistry 

  2020 - :Editor in Chief, Biochemistry and Biophysics Section - Life

  Appointments

  • 3/2004 - 8/2019 - Professor and Chair - UTHSCSA, Biochemistry, San Antonio
  • 9/2005 - Cross-appointed Professor - UTHSCSA, Physiology Department
  • 8/2012 - C-Director and Founder - UTUSCSA, Center for Innovative Drug Discovery
  • 1986 - 2004 - Assistant Professor - Professor - University at Buffalo, SUNY, Dept. Biological Sciences
  • 1994 - 2004 - Co-Director Center for Advanced Molecular Biology and Immunology - University at Buffalo, SUNY

• Instruction & Training

  • 2019 - present, Discipline Coordinator, Biochemistry, Undergrad. Med. Curriculum, UTHSCSA, Long School of Medicine
  • 2015 - 2020, Bioc 0003 Scientific Writing, UTHSCSA, Dept. Biochemistry
  • 7/2012 - Present, Post-Doctoral Fellow Supervision, UTHSCSA Graduate School
  • 2005 - present, INTD 5040 Fundamentals of Neuroscience I, UTHSCSA Graduate School
  • 2004 - Present, Membership on Ph.D. Supervising Committees, UTHSCSA Graduate School
  • 2004 - 2015, PhD Mentor, UTHSCSA Graduate School
  • 2008-2016, INTD 5000 Fundamentals of Biomedical Sciences, UTHSCSA Graduate School
  • 2006-2012, BIOC 6043 Structure/Function of Membrane Proteins, UTHSCSA, Dept. Biochemistry

• Research & Grants

   

  All multicellular life forms integrate behavior through intecellular communication. The most direct, and ancient, way of achieving this is through gap junctions, arrays of pores between cells that allow exchanges of ions, nutrients, metabolites, and even peptides and microRNAs. We have been investigating the permeability characteristics of these pores, which have proven surprisingly selective depending on their protein composition, and investigating the mechanisms of their regulation. Recently, we have been examining the role of gap junctions in the invasive processes in cancer metastasis and endometriosis, including their potential as a diagnostic for the latter.

  Nicholson Lab

• Service

  Department

  2019 - pres.     Chair, Education Comittee

  2004 - 2019    Chairman, Depratment of Biochemistry and Structural Biology

  2006 - pres.      Biochemsitry Retreat Organizing Committee

  School

  2014 - pres.       Executive Committee for BMM (prviously MBB) Discipline Committee

  2015 - 2019      Recruitment Committee for IBMS Program

  2015 - 2019      Executive Committee on Graduate Education, IBMS Program

  2012 - 2019     Basic Science Chaors Council, LSOM

  Institutional

  2006 - pres.      Chair of selection committee for restructed junior faculty awards

  2015 - pres.      Leadership Committee IIMS

  2012 - pres.      Chair, Steering Committee of Center for Innovative Drug Discovery

  2013, 2016      Office of International Services Director Search Committee

  2010 - 2012     Chair of working groups on Med. Chem., miRNA, Faculty Retention, CTRC

  National Service

  2019 - pres.       Editor-in-Chief, Life - Section of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Computational Biology

  2015 - 2017      President - Association of Medical and Graduate Departments of Biochemistry (AMGDB)

  2013 - 2018       Executive Board of AMGDB

  1994 - 2020      Member of NIH Study Sections [(CDF4 (reg.), ICI, NTRC, MDCN (ad hoc)]

  Community Service

  2012 - pres.      Chair, Wildlife Education Committee, Fair Oaks Ranch

• Publications

  • NCBI Bibliography