Associate Professor
Year Started at JMU: 1999
rifetk@jmu.edu
Contact Info
Research Description
Neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease are characterized by misfolded proteins. Many of these proteins when not misfolded have nuclear functions--binding to DNA, regulating transcription, and protecting the DNA against double strand breaks. My research lab uses a variety of molecular techniques to further our understanding of the nuclear role of these proteins in non-diseased tissue and the consequences of protein misfolding in diseased neurons.
Courses
- Cell and Molecular Biology (214)
- Allied Health Microbiology (BIO 280)
- Advanced Molecular Biology (BIO 480)
Education
- PhD in Biochemistry, 1998, Ohio State University
- MS in Biochemistry, 1992, Michigan State University
Select Publications
- T. Rife, B. Rasoul*; N. Pullen*; D. Mitchell*; K. Grathwol*; and J. Kurth;, “The Effect of a Promoter Polymorphism on the Transcription of Nitric Oxide Synthase I and its Relevance to Parkinson’s Disease,” Journal of Neurological Science, (2009)
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T. K. Rife, J. Xie, C. Redman* and A. P. Young, "NGF-mediated Induction of Nitric Oxide Synthase 1 Luciferase Fusion Genes Stably Transformed into PC12 Cells," Brain Research. Molecular Brain Research, vol. 75 pp.225-236, (2000)*indicates student co-author
Biology Department
