Janet Yee
Assistant Professor (cross-appointed with Chemistry)

B.Sc., (University of Toronto) M.Sc., (Queen’s University) Ph.D., (University of British Columbia) Office: CSB E110  Lab: CSB E104 Phone: 705-748-1011 ext. 7048/7148 Fax: 705-748-1625 Email: jyee@trentu.ca Webpage: http://web.me.com/janetyee

Research interests:
Molecular Biology
Cell Biology
Biochemistry

The protozoan parasite, Giardia lamblia, is responsible for "beaver fever," the most common form of infectious diarrhea in humans, domestic animals, and wildlife.  This organism is found in freshwater lakes and streams worldwide, and ingestion of contaminated water by the host initiates the infection cycle.  Our laboratory is involved in the molecular and biochemical study of this waterborne parasite.  Our current research is to study the changes in gene expression throughout the Giardia cell cycle, and the regulation of the core histone genes.  Techniques utilized in my laboratory include gene cloning, cell transfections, luciferase assays, gel mobility shift assays, real-time PCR, microarray, and column chromatography.

 

Teaching
BIOL3350H Advanced Molecular Biology
CHEM2300H Biochemical Concepts
BIOL 4020D, CHEM 4030D, FRSC 4020D: Honour¹s Research Thesis
ENLS 5099H: Gene Expression

Opportunities for Graduate Studies:
Inquiries from students about initiating M.Sc. or Ph.D. studies with our research group are always welcomed.  No laboratory experience is necessary but student must have enthusiasm and willingness to learn.  Full financial support is offered for qualified applicants.

Professional Experience:
Postdoctoral Fellow, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, NIAID, NIH
Postdoctoral Fellow, Laboratory of Molecular Embryology, NICHD, NIH

Selected publications

J. Yee and J. Joseph. Methods for Giardia transfection and gene expression. In Giardia: A Model Organism. (H. Lujan and S. Svard Eds),
SpringerWienNewYork, New York, in press (2011).

S. Rafferty, B. Luu, R.E. March,J. Yee. Giardia lamblia encodes a
functional flavohemoglobin. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 399: 347-351 (2010).

J. Yee, A. Tang, W.L. Lau, H. Ritter, D. Delport, M. Page, R. Adam, M.
Muller and G. Wu, The core histone genes of Giardia intestinalis: genomic
organization, promoter structure, and expression. BMC Mol. Biol. 8: 26
(2007).

J. Yee, M.R. Mowatt and T.E. Nash, Transcriptional analysis of the glutamate dehydrogenase gene in the primitive eukaryote, Giardia lamblia: identification of a primordial gene promoter. J. Biol. Chem. 265:
11432-11439 (2000).

F.D. Urnov, J. Yee, T.N. Collingwood, A. Bauer, H. Beug, Y.B. Shi, and A.P. Wolffe, Targeting of N-CoR-HDAC3 by the oncoprotein v-ErbA yields a chromatin infrastructure-dependent transcriptional repression pathway. EMBO J. 19: 4074-4090 (2000).

S.M. Singer, J. Yee, and T.E. Nash, Episomal and integrated maintenance of foreign DNA in Giardia lamblia. Mol. Biochem. Parasitol. 92: 59-69 (1998)

J. Yee and T.E. Nash, Transient transfection and expression of firefly
luciferase in Giardia lamblia. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 92: 5615-5619
(1995).

M.R. Mowatt, H.D. Lujan, D.B. Cotten, D.B. Bowers,J. Yee, T.E. Nash and H.H. Stibbs, Developmentally regulated expression of a Giardia lamblia cyst wall protein gene. Mol. Microbiology 15: 955-963 (1995).

J. Yee and P.P. Dennis, Isolation and characterization of a NADP-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase gene from the primitive eucaryote, Giardia lamblia. J. Biol. Chem. 267: 7539-7544 (1992).