Molecular Evolution of Melanocortin Receptors and their Accessory Proteins

This research focuses on the co-evolution of the melanocortin peptides (i.e. ACTH, alpha-MSH, beta-MSH, gamma-MSH, δ-MSH), the melanocortin receptors (i.e. MC1R, MC2R, MC3R, MC4R, MC5R), and the accessory proteins, MRAP1 and MRAP2. Current projects include pharmacology studies on human, frog, bony fish and cartilaginous fish melanocortin receptors, as well as collaborations with faculty at the University of Calgary, University of Tokyo, Okayama University and Kitasato University in Japan.