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Richard Tuft, Ph.D.

Academic Role: Research Associate Professor

Faculty Appointment(s) In:
   Physiology

Development of New Optical/Electronic Microscopes

My current research interest is the development of new optical/electronic microscopes, and their application to the problems of imaging rapid changes in the concentration of intracellular ions and molecules. A microscope incorporating fast piezoelectric focusing (at 1 micrometer per millisecond), a low-noise high-quantum-efficiency solid state CCD camera, and ultraviolet and visible laser illumination is currently being used to study intracellular [Ca²⁺] near the plasma membrane of smooth muscle cells, the role of Ca²⁺ and other second messengers in the chemotaxis of white blood cells, and [Ca²⁺] dynamics in secretory cells.

Recent Publications

Rizzuto, R., Pinton, P., Carrington, W., Fay, F.S., Fogarty, K.E., Lifshitz, L.M., Tuft, R.A., and Pozzan, T.  Close contacts with the endoplasmic reticulum as determinants of mitochondrial Ca²⁺ responses.  Science 280(5370):1763-6, 1998.

Takizawa, N., Schmidt, D.J., Mabuchi, K., Villa-Moruzzi, E., Tuft, R.A., and Ikebe, M.  M20, the small subunit of PP1M, binds to microtubules.  Am. J. Physiol. Cell Physiol. 284(2):C250-C262, 2003.

Lawe, D.C., Sitouah, N., Hayes, S., Chawla, A., Virbasius, J.V., Tuft, R., Fogarty, K., Lifshitz, L., Lambright, D., and Corvera, S.  Essential Role of Ca²⁺/calmodulin in Early Endosome Antigen-1 Localization.  Mol. Biol. Cell   14(7):2935-2945, 2003.

O'Reilly, C.M., Fogarty, K.E., Drummond, R.M., Tuft, R.A., and Walsh, J.V. Jr.  Quantitative analysis of spontaneous mitochondrial depolarizations.   Biophys. J. 85(5): 3350-7, 2003.

Hayakawa, A., Hayes, S.J., Lawe, D.C., Sudharshan, E., Tuft, R., Fogarty, K., Lambright, D., and Corvera, S.  Structural basis for endosomal targeting by FYVE domains.  J. Biol. Chem. 279(7):5958-66, 2003.

Politz, J.C., Tuft, R.A., and Pederson, T.  Diffusion-based transport of nascent ribosomes in the nucleus.  Mol. Biol. Cell 14(12): 4805-12, 2003.

O'Reilly, C.M., Fogarty, K.E., Drummond, R.M., Tuft, R.A., and Walsh, Jr., J.V.  Spontaneous mitochondrial depolarizations are independent of SR Ca²⁺ release.  Am. J. Physiol. Cell Physiol. 286(5):C1139-51, 2004.

DeCrescenzo, V., ZhuGe, R., Velazquez-Marrero, C., Lifshitz, L.M., Custer, E., Carmichael, J., Lai, F.A., Tuft, R.A., Fogarty, K.E., Lemos, J.R., and Walsh, J.V. Jr.  Ca²⁺ syntillas, miniature Ca²⁺ release events in terminals of hypothalamic neurons, are increased in frequency by depolarization in the absence of Ca²⁺ influx.   J. Neurosci. 24(5):1226-35, 2004.

Zou, H., Lifshitz, L.M., Tuft, R.A., Fogarty, K.E., and Singer, J.J.  Imaging calcium entering the cytosol through a single opening of plasma membrane ion channels: SCCaFTs--fundamental calcium events. Cell Calcium. 35 (6):523-33, 2004.

ZhuGe, R., Fogarty, K.E., Baker, S.P., McCarron, J.G., Tuft, R.A., Lifshitz, L.M., and Walsh, J.V. Jr.  Ca²⁺ spark sites in smooth muscle cells are numerous and differ in number of ryanodine receptors, BK channels and coupling ratio between them. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol.  287(6):C1577-88, 2004

Zou, H., Lifshitz, L.M., Tuft, R.A., Fogarty, K.E., and Singer, J.J.  Using total fluorescence increase (signal mass) to determine the Ca²⁺ current underlying localized Ca²⁺ events.  J Gen Physiol. 124(3):259-72 2004.

Huang, S., Lifshitz, L., Patki-Kamath, V., Tuft, R., Fogarty, K., and Czech, M.P.  Phosphatidylinositol-4, 5-biphosphate-rich plasma membrane patches organize active zones of endocytosis and ruffling in cultured adipocytes.  Mol Cell Biol. 24(20):9102-23, 2004.

Academic Background

1963, B.S., Pennsylvania State University
1966, M.S.E.E., Massachusetts Institute of Technology
1972, Ph.D., Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Office: Biotech II, Suite 114
Phone: 508 856 2383
E-mail: Richard.Tuft@umassmed.edu
Keywords: Biophysics, Electrophysiology, Imaging and Microscopy

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