Ophthalmology

Tiffany Cook, PhD

Appointment

Assistant Professor

Email

tiffany.cook@cchmc.org

Phone

513-636-6991

Credentials

Ph.D.: Biomedical Sciences - Molecular Biology, Mayo Graduate School, Rochester MN, 1991-1997. Topic: Identification and Characterization of a Family of Dynamin-Encoding Endocytic GTPases in Mammalian Cells. Revealed that dynamin is not neural-specific, but instead is a ubiquitously expressed protein important in all cells.

Postdoctoral research fellow: Gastroenterology Research Unit, Mayo Clinic - Foundation, Rochester MN, 1997-1999. Topic: Role of Transcription Factors in Exocrine Pancreatic Cell Growth.
Identified of a new subfamily of KLF/Sp1-like transcription factors involved in TGFÿ-mediated cell growth.

Postdoctoral research fellow: Department of Biology, New York University, New York NY, 1999-2004. Topic: Regulation of Rhodopsin Gene Expression in Drosophila melanogaster Uncovered a role for the tumor suppressor Pros in neural subtype specification.

Awards and Honors

Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Research Center Summer Research Award, 1990
"Formation and Repair of Cytosine Photoproducts in Human Cells"
West Virginia Arts and Sciences Scholarship, 1990-91
American Liver Foundation Research Fellowship, 1994
"Identification and Characterization of Dynamin Isoforms in Rat Liver"
American Society of Cell Biology Annual Meeting Travel Award, 1995
American Society of Cell Biology Annual Meeting Travel Award, 1996
NIH Institutional Postdoctoral NRSA, 1997-99
"Role of the Zinc Finger Transcription Factors TIEG1 and TIEG2 in Exocrine Pancreatic Cell Growth"
NIH Individual Postdoctoral NRSA, 2000-2003
"Regulation of Rhodopsin Gene Expression in Drosophila melanogaster"

Research

Cell Type Specification During Eye Development

Our lab is interested in understanding the molecular basis of eye development, and how these processes are disrupted in disease states. Using the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster as a model, we combine cellular, molecular, biochemical, and genetic approaches to dissect the events underlying the development of the retina. These studies have led to the finding that many of the same factors involved in retinogenesis in the fly are also necessary for vertebrate eye development. For instance, Crx/Otd is a transcription factor necessary for photoreceptor differentiation in flies, mice, and humans, and mutations in this gene are responsible for retinal dystrophic diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa (RP), Leber amaurosis, and cone-rod dystrophy. Thus, our studies will not only help to understand basic developmental questions related to how different cell types arise and the conservation of retinal cell type differentiation across species, but should also aid us in developing tools for fighting otherwise blinding human diseases.

Areas of research include:

Differentiation of color photoreceptor subtypes in the Drosophila retina
Cell-specific regulation of opsin gene expression
Mechanisms of cell-specific transcriptional activation and repression

Visit the Cook Lab web site.

Publications, Most Recent

Cao S, Fernandez-Zapico ME, Jin D, Puri V, Cook TA, Lerman LO, Zhu XY, Urrutia R, Shah V. KLF11-mediated repression antagonizes Sp1/sterol-responsive element-binding protein-induced transcriptional activation of caveolin-1 in response to cholesterol signaling.J Biol Chem 280:1901-10, 2005.

Neve C, Fernandez-Zapico ME, Ashkenazi-Katalan V, Dina C, Hamid YH, Joly E, Vaillant E, Benmezrona Y, Durand E, Bakaher N, Delannoy V, Vaxillnire M, Cook T, Dallina-Thie GM, Jansen H, Charles MA, Clement K, Galan P, Hercberg S, Helgecque N, Charpentier G, Prentki M, Hansen T, Perdersen O, Urrutia R, Melloul D. Role of transcription factor KLF11 and its diabetes-associated gene variants in pancreatic b-cell function.PNAS 102:4807-12, 2005.

Xie B, McDonald EC, Gebelein B, Cook TA. Senseless functions as a molecular switch for color photoreceptor differentiation in Drosophila.Development 134:4243-4253, 2007.

Jackowska M, Bao R, Liu Z, McDonald EC, Cook TA, and Friedrich M. Replacement and loss of blue sensitive photoreceptors through expansion of green and UV-green double sensitive photoreceptors in the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneu.BMC Frontiers in Zoology 4:24, 2007.

Research Papers

Tahayato A, Sonneville R, Pichaud F, Papatsenko D, Beaufils P, Wernet M, Cook T, Desplan C. Otd/Crx, a dual regulator for the mosaic expression of Drosophila rhodopsins.Dev Cell 5:391-402, 2003.

Cook T, Pichaud F, Sonneville R, Papatsenko D, and Desplan C. Distinction between color photoreceptor cell fates is controlled by Prospero in Drosophila.Dev Cell 4:853-64, 2003

Cook T*, Gebelein B*, Belal M, Mesa K, and Urrutia R. Three structurally and functionally conserved transcriptional repressor domains are a defining feature of the TIEG subfamily of Sp1-like zinc finger proteins.J Biol Chem 274(41):29500-4, 1999 (*denotes equal contribution).

Cook T, Gebelein B, Mesa K, Mladek A, and Urrutia R. Molecular cloning and characterization of TIEG2 reveals a new subfamily of TGFß-inducible Sp1-like zinc finger-encoding genes involved in the regulation of cell growth.J Biol Chem 273:25929-25936, 1998.

Professional Organization Memberships

Society for Developmental Biology Genetics Society of America

Contact Us

The Cook laboratory is part of the Division of Developmental Biology and the Department of Ophthalmology at Cincinnati Children's Research Foundation and the University of Cincinnati School of Medicine. Our lab is located in Location A (Research Foundation Building), Room 3007.

Postdoctoral and graduate students are welcome and encouraged to apply. For more information, please contact Tiffany Cook at 513-636-6991.