Robin J. Parks, PhD rparks@ohri.ca Telephone: (613) 737-8123 Fax: (613) 737-8803 General Campus (see Contact page for maps)

Senior Scientist, Regenerative Medicine, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute

Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa

Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa

Principle Investigator, Centre for Neuromuscular Disease, University of Ottawa

Biographical Sketch:

Dr. Parks completed a M.Sc. and Ph.D. in the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, University of Guelph (Guelph, Ontario), working on biochemical and genetic characterization of poxvirus replication and recombination. In 1996, Dr. Parks began a Postdoctoral Fellowship with Dr. Frank L. Graham, in the Departments of Biology and Pathology, McMaster University (Hamilton, Ontario), working on the development of novel adenoviral vectors for use as gene delivery vehicles for gene therapy applications. Dr. Parks joined the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute in January 1999.

Research Interests:

Development and characterization of adenoviral vectors deleted of all viral protein coding sequences for use in gene therapy.
Characterization of host immune responses to gene therapy vectors and foreign (therapeutic) proteins.
Investigating novel therapeutics for the treatment and correction of muscular dystrophies and cancer.
Further detail can be found here.
Laboratory personnel biographies can be found here.

Major Research Activities:

Our research interests range from characterizing various aspects of basic adenovirus (Ad) biology to exploring the efficacy of Ad-based vectors for the delivery of therapeutic genes in animal models of genetic or acquired disease. Part of our research is dedicated to improving Ad technology, such as exploring novel methods of producing Ad vectors deleted of all viral protein coding sequences (termed helper-dependent Ad vectors), and investigating methods to achieve cell-type specific infection with Ad.

Affiliations:

Current Funding Sources:

2009-2014 CIHR, "Structure/function studies of adenovirus in the infected cell"
2008-2010 Cancer Research Society, "Characterization of oncolytic adenovirus vectors designed to specifically infect cancer cells"
2006-2008 CIHR, "Innate immune responses to adenovirus"
2004-2007 CIHR/Muscular Dystrophy Canada/ Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Society of Canada Neuromuscular Research Partnership Grant, "Adenovirus vectors for gene therapy of muscle" (with Dr. Jonathan L. Bramson, McMaster University)

Current Publications:

Li, L., S. Wang, A. Jezierski, L. Moalim-Nour, K. Mohib, R.J. Parks, S.F. Retta, L. Wang (2010) A unique interplay between Rap1 and E-cadherin in the endocytic pathway regulates cell fate decisions of human embryonic stem cells. Stem Cells (in press).

Boucher, J.G., K.A. Parato, F. Frappier, W. Ma, N. Gajanayaka, R.J. Parks, A. Kumar, J.B Angel (2010) Disparate regulation of LPS-induced MAPK signalling and IL-12p40 expression between different myeloid cell types with and without HIV infection. Viral Immunology (in press).

Venderova, K., G. Kabbach, E. Abdel-Messih, Y. Zhang, R.J. Parks, Y. Imai, S. Gehrke, J. Ngsee, M.J. LaVoie, R. Slack, Y. Rao, Z. Zhang, B. Lu, M.E. Haque, and D.S. Park (2009) Leucine-rich repeat kinase interacts with Parkin, DJ-1 and PINK-1 in a Drosophila melanogaster model of Parkinson's disease. Human Molecular Genetics 18:4390-404.

Finn, J.D., J. Bassett, J.B. Millar, N. Grinshtein, T.C. Yang, R. Parsons, C. Evelegh, Y. Wan, R.J. Parks, and J.L. Bramson (2009) Persistence of transgene expression influences CD8+ T cell expansion and maintenance following immunization with recombinant adenovirus. J. Virol 83:12027-36.

Kennedy, M.A. and R.J. Parks (2009) Adenovirus virion stability and the viral genome: size matters. Molecular Therapy 17:1664-1666.

Ross P.J., M.A. Kennedy and R.J. Parks (2009) Host cell detection of non-coding stuffer DNA contained in helper-dependent adenovirus vectors leads to epigenetic repression of transgene expression. J. Virol. 83:8409-172009.

Storbeck, C.J., S. Wagner, M. McKay, P. O'Reilly, K. Hume, R. Parks, H. Westphal and L.A. Sabourin (2009) The Ldb1 and Ldb2 transcriptional co-factors interact with the Ste20-like kinase SLK and regulate cell migration. Molecular Biology of the Cell 20:4174-4182.

Sundaram, M, S. Zhong, M.-B. Khalil, P.H. Links, Y. Zhao, J. Iqbal, M. Hussain, R.J. Parks, Y. Wang, and Z. Yao (2010) Expression of apolipoprotein C-III in McA-RH7777 cells enhances VLDL assembly and secretion under lipid rich conditions. J. Lipid Res. 51:150-161.

Abramovici, H., P. Mojtabaie, R.J. Parks, X.-P. Zhong, G.A. Koretzky, M.K. Topham and S.H. Gee (2009) Diacylglycerol kinase zeta regulates actin cytoskeleton reorganization through dissociation of Rac1 from RhoGDI. Molecular Biology of the Cell 20:2049-59.

Smith A.C., K.L. Poulin, and R.J. Parks (2009) DNA genome size affects the stability of the adenovirus virion. J Virol. 83:2025-2028 .

Muruve, D.A., V.Petrilli, A.K. Zaiss, L.R. White, S.A. Clark, P.J. Ross, R.J. Parks, and J. Tschopp, (2008) Recognition of cytosolic microbial and host DNA by the inflammasome triggers an innate immune response. Nature 452:103-107.

Deschenes-Furry, J.L., G. Belanger, J. Mwanjewe, J.A. Lunde, R.J. Parks, N. Perrone-Bizzozero, and B.J. Jasmin (2005) The RNA-binding protein HuR binds to acetylcholinesterase transcripts and regulates their expression in differentiating skeletal muscle cells. Journal of Biological Chemistry 280:25361-25368..

Yakubchyk, Y., H. Abramovici, C. Obagi, R.J. Parks, M.K. Topham, and S.H. Gee (2005) Regulation of neurite outgrowth in N1E-115 cells through spatial control of diacylglycerol kinase-zeta and Rac1 by syntrophins. Molecular and Cellular Biology 25:7181-7192..

Chakkalakal, J.V., J. Thompson, R.J. Parks, and B.J. Jasmin (2005) Molecular, cellular and pharmacological therapies for Duchenne/Becker muscular dystrophies. FASEB J. 19:880-891.

Maelandsmo, G.M., P.J. Ross, M. Pavliv, R.A. Meulenbroek, C. Evelegh, D.A. Muruve, F.L. Graham, and R.J. Parks (2005) Use of a murine secreted alkaline phosphatase as a non-immunogenic reporter gene in mice. J Gene Medicine. 7:307-315.

Parks, R.J. (2005) Adenovirus protein IX: a new look at an old protein. Molecular Therapy 11:19-25.

Huh, M.S., M.H. Parker, A. Scime, A. Berns, R.J. Parks, and M.A. Rudnicki, (2004) Rb is required for progression through myogenic differentiation but not maintenance of terminal differentiation. J. Cell. Biol. 166:865-876.

Brown, R.J., A. Gauthier, R.J. Parks, R. McPherson, D.L. Sparks, J.R. Schultz, and Z. Yao, (2004) Severe hypoalphalipoproteinuria in mice expressing human hepatic lipase deficient in binding to heparin sulfate proteoglycan. J. Biol. Chem. 279:42403-42409.

Chambers, K.A., R.J. Parks, and J.B. Angel (2004) Disruption of map kinase activation and nuclear factor binding to the IL-12 p40 promoter in HIV-infected myeloid cells. Clinical and Experimental Immunology 137:329-340.

Meulenbroek, R.A., K.L. Sargent, J. Lunde, B.J. Jasmin, and R.J. Parks (2004) Use of Adenovirus protein IX to display large polypeptides on the virion - generation of fluorescent virus through the incorporation of pIX-GFP. Molecular Therapy 9:617-624.

Sargent, K.L., R.A. Meulenbroek, and R.J. Parks (2004) Activation of adenoviral gene expression by protein IX is not required for efficient virus replication. J. Virology 78:5032-5037.

Bramson, J.L., N. Grinshtein, R.A. Meulenbroek, J. Lunde, D. Kottachchi, I.A. Lorimer, B.J. Jasmin, and R.J. Parks (2004) Helper-dependent adenoviral vectors containing modified fibre for improved transduction of developing and mature muscle cells. Human Gene Therapy 15:179-188.

Muruve, D.A., M.J. Cotter, A.K. Zaiss, L.R. White, Q. Liu, T. Chan, S.A. Clark, P.J. Ross, R.A. Meulenbroek, G.M. Maelandsmo, and R.J. Parks (2004) Helper-dependent adenovirus vectors elicit intact innate but attenuated adaptive host immune responses. J. Virology 78:5966-5972.

Sargent, K.L., C. Evelegh, F.L. Graham, and RJ Parks (2004) Development of a size restricted pIX helper virus for amplification of helper dependent adenovirus vectors. Gene Therapy 11:504-511