Biography

Dr. Paul C. Sternweis received his BA.in Chemistry (summa cum laude) from the College of St. Thomas (St. Paul, MN.) and his Ph.D. in Biochemistry in 1977 with Dr. Leon Heppel at Cornell University (Ithaca, N.Y.). His graduate thesis focused on the elucidation of molecular mechanisms of the proton-translocating ATPase in Escherichia coli. As a postdoctoral fellow with Dr. Alfred Gilman, Dr. Sternweis began working on mammalian systems and contributed to the discovery, purification and characterization of the first G protein, Gs, that is responsible for hormonal regulation of adenylyl cyclase.

In 1982, Dr. Sternweis became an assistant professor of pharmacology at UT Southwestern, where he has risen to the rank of full professor and currently holds the Alfred and Mabel Gilman Chair in Molecular Pharmacology. During this time, Dr. Sternweis has continued to work on the mechanisms of hormonal signaling with a focus on G protein-dependent mechanisms including the identification of novel G proteins, regulation of phospholipases that produce lipid-derived second messengers and pathways that lead to the monomeric GTPases involved in cell architecture and movement.

Dr. Sternweis has served as Division Chair of the Molecular Pharmacology Division of ASPET and served on various grant review panels.  He chaired the Graduate Admissions committee for several years and coordinates the Signal Transduction course among other teaching responsibilities. He currently chairs the Cell Regulation graduate program.

Education

Undergraduate
University of St Thomas (1972), Chemistry
Graduate School
Cornell University (1977), Biochemistry

Research Interest

  • Fluorescent Sensors to measure in vivo activities
  • Integration of Hormone Signaling Pathways
  • Mechanisms of G protein-mediated Signaling
  • Regulation of Rho GTPases
  • Structures of Signaling Molecules

Publications

Featured Publications LegendFeatured Publications

Regions on Adenylyl Cyclase VII Required for Selective Regulation by the G13 Pathway.
Jiang LI, Wang JE, Sternweis PC Mol. Pharmacol. 2013 Mar 83 3 587-93
Modulation of a GEF switch: autoinhibition of the intrinsic guanine nucleotide exchange activity of p115-RhoGEF.
Chen Z, Guo L, Sprang SR, Sternweis PC Protein Sci. 2011 Jan 20 1 107-17
Recognition of the activated states of Galpha13 by the rgRGS domain of PDZRhoGEF.
Chen Z, Singer WD, Danesh SM, Sternweis PC, Sprang SR Structure 2008 Oct 16 10 1532-43
Regulation of cAMP responses by the G12/13 pathway converges on adenylyl cyclase VII.
Jiang LI, Collins J, Davis R, Fraser ID, Sternweis PC J. Biol. Chem. 2008 Aug 283 34 23429-39
Regulation of Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factors by G proteins.
Sternweis PC, Carter AM, Chen Z, Danesh SM, Hsiung YF, Singer WD Adv. Protein Chem. 2007 74 189-228
A global analysis of cross-talk in a mammalian cellular signalling network.
Natarajan M, Lin KM, Hsueh RC, Sternweis PC, Ranganathan R Nat. Cell Biol. 2006 Jun 8 6 571-80

Honors & Awards

  • Established Investigator
    American Heart Association (1986-1991)
  • Searle Scholar
    (1983-1986)
  • Chair
    Alfred and Mabel Gilman Chair in Molecular Pharmacology, 2000-present (0)

Professional Associations/Affiliations

  • American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
  • American Society for Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics