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Ronald D. Balczon, Ph.D.

Ronald D. Balczon, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Phone: (251) 460-6776
Fax: (251) 460-6771
rbalczon@usouthal.edu

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
1994-Present Associate Professor, Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience,
University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL.
   
1989-1994 Assistant Professor, Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience,
University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL.
   
1988-1989 Research Assistant Professor, Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy,
University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL.
   
1985-1988 Postdoctoral Fellow, Dr. B.R. Brinkley, Sponsor,
University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
   
1984-1985 Postdoctoral Fellow, Dr. B.R. Brinkley, Sponsor,
Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX.
   
1984 Ph.D. in Biological Sciences, Dr. Gerald P. Schatten, Major Professor,
Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL.
   
1979 B.S. in Biological Sciences,
Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL

GRANT FUNDING
11/1/97-6/30/99 American Heart Association - “Insulin Secretion in Cardiovascular Disease”, PI.
 
1/1/95-12/31/97 American Cancer Society - “Molecular Studies of the Mammalian
Centrosome”, PI.
   
8/1/91-7/31/95 NIH - “Cloning of the cDNA Encoding a Centrosome Autoantigen”, PI.
 
9/1/92-8/31/94 Juvenile Diabetes Foundation - “The Role of the Microtubule ATPase Kinesin
in Insulin Secretion”, PI.
   
7/1/90-6/30/92 American Diabetes Association - “The Role of the Beta Cell Microtubule
Cytoskeleton in Insulin Release”, PI.
   
6/1/90-5/31/92 American Heart Association - “The Role of the Cardiac Muscle Cell
Microtubule Cytoskeleton in ANF Secretion”, PI.

FELLOWSHIPS AND AWARDS

1995

USA Summer BEAR Teaching Award

1994

USA Summer BEAR Teaching Award

1989

UAB Junior Faculty Development Award

1985-1988

NIH Postdoctoral Fellowship

1983

Sigma Xi Grant-In-Aid

1978-1979

McMannus Educational Trust Fund Grant

PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
2002 American Cancer Society, CCCB Study Section Member
2002 Louisiana Lung and Leukemia Consortium Grant Reviewer
2001 Florida Department of Health Grant Reviewer
1997-2000 American Cancer Society, CCCB Study Section Member
1995-Present Frontiers in Bioscience, Editorial Board

TEACHING RESPONSIBILITIES (Past Two Years)

2002, Spring

GMS 615, Molecular and Cellular Development, Course Director

2002, Spring

GMS 507, Cell Biology, Course Director

2001, Fall

GMS 614, Gene Expression

2001, Fall

GMS 510, Medical Histology
2001, Summer
BEAR Program

2001, Spring

GMS 507, Cell Biology

2000, Fall

GMS 510, Medical Histology, Co-Course Director
2000, Summer
BEAR Program

2000, Spring

GMS 615, Molecular and Cellular Development, Course Director

COMMITTEE RESPONSIBILITIES
2001-Present College of Medicine SPEC Committee
2001-Present Departmental Graduate Committee, (Chair)
2001-Present Graduate Program Admissions Committee
2000-2001 Interdisciplinary Graduate Program Curriculum Committee
1999-Present Cancer Biology Curriculum Committee
1998-2000 BMS Curriculum Committee, (Chair)
1997-Present Committee on Standards in the Conduct of Research
1996-1999 BEAR Committee
1996-1998 Graduate Executive Committee
1994-1996 Departmental Graduate Committee, (Chair, 1995)
1994-Present College of Medicine Scholarships and Awards Committee
1994-1996 Institutional Radiation Safety Committee
1993-2000 Research Grants Reviewer - USA Sickle Cell Center
1992-1994 Institutional Graduate Executive Committee
1991-1992 Institutional Cell and Molecular Biology Interdisciplinary Committee
1991-1994 Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee
1990-1991 Institutional Distinguished Scientists Seminar Committee
1990-1992 Departmental Graduate Committee, (Chair, 1991)

THESIS COMMITTEES

Major Professor: Yuan Meng, 1995 and Liming Bao, 1996
Has served as a committee member on nine other thesis committees, and presently is serving on five thesis committees.
PUBLICATIONS
  1. Balczon, R., Wilson, M., and Bhatnagar, Y.M. 2002. Analysis of detached human kinetochores. Chromosoma (submitted).
  2. Simerly, C., Hewitson, L., Balczon, R., and Schatten, G. 2002. Failed embryogenesis in Rhesus zygotes with defective centrosomes and microtubule motors. Science (under revision).
  3. Balczon, R. 2002. HeLa cells get MUGged: Implications for studies of the human kinetochore and centromere. Cell Motil. Cytoskel. (under revision).
  4. Balczon, R., Simerly, C., Takahashi, D., and Schatten, G. 2002. Arrest of cell cycle progressin during first interphase in murine zygotes microinjected with anti-PCM-1 antibodies. Cell Motil. Cytoskel. 52:183-192.
  5. Balczon, R. 2001. Overexpression of cyclin A in human HeLa cells induces detachment of kinetochores and spindle pole/centrosome overproduction. Chromosoma 110:381-392.
  6. Balczon, R. 2001. Methods for the study of centrosome reproduction in mammalian cells. Meth. Cell Biol. 67:263-274.
  7. Li, Q., Hansen, D., Nisbet, A., Joshi, H.C., and Balczon, R. 2000. Pericentrin B, a centrosome protein with homology to pericentrin that forms a complex with PCM-1. J. Cell Sci. 114:797-809.
  8. Killilea, D.W., Hester, R., Balczon, R., Babal, P., and Gillespie, M.N. 2000. A simple apparatus for hypoxic perfusion and fluorescence microscopic detection of reactive species production in cultured pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells. Am. J. Physiol. 279:L408-413.
  9. Schnackenberg, B.J., Balczon, R., Hull, D.R., and Palazzo, R.E. 2000. Reconstitution of microtubule nucleation potential in salt-extracted centrosomes of Spisula solidissima oocytes. J. Cell Sci. 113:943-954.
  10. Balczon, R. 2000. The centrosome cycle in somatic cells: The importance of G1 phase. Curr. Top. Dev. Biol. 49:251-266.
  11. Schatten, H., Ripple, M., Balczon, R., Wilding, G., Weindruch, G., and Taylor, M. 2000. Androgen and taxol cause cell type specific alterations of centrosome and DNA organization in hormone-responsive LNCaP prostate cancer cells and androgen-independent DU 145 prostate cancer cells. J. Cell. Biochem. 76:463-477.
  12. Balczon, R., Varden, C., and Schroer, T.A. 1999. A role for microtubules in centrosome replication in Chinese hamster ovary cells. Cell Motil. Cytoskel. 42:60-72.
  13. Cheng, A., Balczon, R., Zuo, Z., Koons, J.S., Walsh, A.H., and Honkanen, R.E. 1998. Fostriecin, an antitumor antibiotic with inhibitory activity against serine/threonine protein phosphatases, produced abnormal centrosome replication leading to abnormal G2/M-phase growth arrest and apoptotic cell death in CHO cells. Cancer Research 58:3611-3619.
  14. Mack, G.J., Rees, J., Sandblom, O., Balczon, R., Fritzler, M.J., and Rattner, J.B. 1998. Human autoimmune sera reactive with the centrosome contain autoantibodies to a group of centrosomal proteins. Arthr. Rheum. 41:551-558.
  15. Bao, L., Varden, C., Zimmer, W.E., and Balczon, R. 1998. Localization of autoepitopes on the PCM-1 autoantigen using scleroderma sera with autoantibodies against the centrosome. Mol. Biol. Reps. 25:111-119.
  16. Balczon, R. 1998. One of five authors of the textbook “Medical Cell Biology”, S.R. Goodman (Ed.), 2nd Edition, Lippincott Publishing, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.
  17. Meng, Y.X., Wilson, G., Avery, M.C., and Balczon, R. 1997. Suppression of the expression of a pancreatic beta cell form of the kinesin heavy chain by antisense oligonucleotides inhibits insulin secretion from primary cultured mouse beta cells. Endocrinology 138:1979-1987.
  18. Balczon, R. 1996. The centrosome and its functional homologs in plant and yeast cells. Int. Rev. Cytol. 169:25-82.
  19. Bao, L., Zimmer, W.E., and Balczon, R. 1995. Autoepitope mapping of the centrosome autoantigen PCM-1 using sera containing anticentrosome autoantibodies. Autoimmunity 22:219-228.
  20. Balczon, R., Bao, L, Zimmer, W.E., Brown, K., Zinkowski, R.P., and Brinkley, B.R. 1995. Dissociation of centrosome replication events from cycles of DNA synthesis and mitotic division in hydroxyurea-arrested Chinese hamster ovary cells. J. Cell Biol. 130:105-115.
  21. Balczon, R., Bao, L., and Zimmer, W.E. 1994. The molecular cloning of the cDNA encoding PCM-1, a 228 kD centrosome autoantigen with a distinct cell cycle distribution. J. Cell Biol. 124:783-793.
  22. Balczon, R., Bao, L., and Zimmer, W.E. 1994. Microscopic and northern blot analyses of centrosome replication events. In: “The Cell Cycle: Regulators, Targets and Clinical Applications”, V. Hu (Ed)., Plenum Press, Inc., pp. 229-235.
  23. Balczon, R. 1993. Autoantibodies as probes in cell and molecular biology. Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med. 204:138-154.
  24. Schatten H., Paweletz, N., and Balczon, R. 1993. Sulfhydryl bond formation is a prerequisite for proper cycling of centrosomes and chromosomes in mammalian tissue culture cells. In: “Proceedings of the 51st Annual Meeting of the Microscopy Society of America”, G.W. Bailey and C.L. Reider (Eds.), San Francisco Press, Inc., pp. 342-343.
  25. Balczon, R., Overstreet, K.A., Zinkowski, R.P., Haynes, A., and Appel, M. 1992. The identification, purification, and preliminary characterization of beta cell form of the microtubule ATPase kinesin. Endocrinology 131:331-336.
  26. LaFountain, J.R., Janicke, M.A., Balczon, R., and Richards, G.K. 1992. Cytochalasin induces abnormal anaphase in crane-fly spermatocytes: Effects on actin and kinetochores. Chromosoma 101:425-441.
  27. Balczon, R., and West, K. 1991. The identification of mammalian centrosomal autoantigens using human autoimmune anticentrosome antisera. Cell Motil. Cytoskel. 20:121-135.
  28. Balczon, R., Accavitti, M.A., and Brinkley, B.R. 1990. Identification of a 40 kD kinetochore-associated protein in cultured mammalian cells. J. Cell Sci. 97:705-713.
  29. Mole-Bajer, J., Bajer, A.S., Zinkowski, R.P., Balczon, R.D., and Brinkley, B.R. 1990. Autoantibodies from a patient with scleroderma CREST recognize kinetochores of the higher plant Haemanthus. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 87:3599-3603.
  30. Simerly, C., Balczon, R., Brinkley, B.R., and Schatten, G. 1990. Microinjected kinetochore antibodies interfere with chromosome movement in meiotic and mitotic mouse oocytes. J. Cell Biol. 111:1491-1504.
  31. Zinkowski, R.P., McCune, S.L., Balczon, R.D., Rao, P.N., and Brinkley, B.R. 1990. The centromere and aneuploidy: II. Drug-induced detachment and fragmentation of kinetochores of mammalian chromosomes. In: “Mutagens and the Environment”, M.L. Mendelsohn (Ed)., Alan R. Liss, Inc., New York, Vol. B, pp. 223-236.
  32. Miller, J.M., Wang, W., Balczon, R., and Dentler, W.L. 1990. CREST antisera bind to microtubule capping structures in Tetrahymena cilia. J. Cell Biol. 110:703-714.
  33. Balczon, R.D., and Brinkley. B.R. 1989. The synthesis of azido-tubulin: A photoaffinity label for tubulin-binding proteins. Biochemistry 28:8490-8495.
  34. Zinkowski, R.P., McCune, S.L., Balczon, R.D., Rao, P.N., and Brinkley, B.R. 1989. The centromere and aneuploidy: I. Caffeine-induced detachment and fragmentation of kinetochores of mammalian chromosomes. In: Aneuploidy: Mechanisms of Origin, M. Resnick and B. Vig (Eds.), Alan R. Liss, Inc., New York, pp. 43-60.
  35. Balczon, R.D., and Brinkley, B.R. 1989. Proteins of the kinetochore and chromosome movement. In: Chromosomes: Eukaryotic, Prokaryotic, and Viral. K.W. Adolph (Ed.), CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, FL, pp. 167-190.
  36. Brinkley, B.R., Valdivia, M.M., Tousson, A., and Balczon, R. 1989. The kinetochore ultrastructure and molecular organization. In: Mitosis. B.R. Brinkley and J. Hyams, (Eds.), Academic Press, New York, pp. 77-118.
  37. Cherry, L.M., Faulkner, A.J., Grossbert, L.A., and Balczon, R. 1988. Kinetochore size variation in mammalian chromosomes: An image analysis study with evolutionary implications. J. Cell Sci. 92: 281-289.
  38. Valdivia, M.M., Tousson, A., Balczon, R.D., Hall, J.M., Brenner, S.L., and Brinkley, B.R. 1987. Studies of the centromere region with human antikinetochore serum. In: The Cytoskeleton in Cell Differentiation and Development. R.B. Maccioni and J. Arechaga (Eds.), IRL Press, Washington, pp. 305-314.
  39. Balczon, R.D., and Brinkley, B.R. 1987. Tubulin interaction with kinetochore proteins: Analysis by in vitro assembly and chemical crosslinking. J. Cell Biol. 105:855-862.
  40. Schatten, H., Cheney, R., Balczon, R., Willard, M., Cline, C., Simerly, C., and Schatten, G. 1986. Localization of fodrin during fertilization and early development of sea urchins and mice. Dev. Biol. 118:457-466.
  41. Brinkley, B.R., Brenner, S.L., Hall, J.M., Tousson, A, Balczon, R.D., and Valdivia, M.M. 1986. Arrangements of kinetochores in mouse cells during meiosis and spermiogenesis. Chromosoma 94:309-317.
  42. Schatten, H., Schatten, G., Mazia, D., Balczon, R., and Simerly, C. 1986. Behavior of centrosomes during fertilization and cell division in mouse oocytes and in sea urchin eggs. Proceedings of the Nat. Acad. Sci. 83:105-109.
  43. Schatten, G., Bestor, T., Balczon, R., Henson, J., and Schatten H. 1986. Intracellular pH shift initiates microtubule-mediated motility during sea urchin fertilization. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 466:940-944.
  44. Schatten, G., Maul, G.G., Schatten, H., Chaly, N., Simerly, C., Balczon, R., and Brown, D.L. 1985. Nuclear lamins and peripheral nuclear antigens during fertilization and early embryogenesis in mice and sea urchins. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 82:4727-4731.
  45. Schatten, G., Bestor, T., Balczon, R., Henson, J., and Schatten, H. 1985. Intracellular pH shift leads to microtubule assembly and microtubule-mediated motility during sea urchin fertilization: Correlations between elevated intracellular pH and microtubule activity and depressed intracellular pH and microtubule disassembly. Eur. J. Cell Biol. 36:116-127.
  46. Nishioka, D., Balczon, R., and Schatten, G. 1984. Relationships between cycles of DNA synthesis and of microtubule assembly events in fertilized sea urchin eggs: Aphidicolin inhibits DNA synthesis and microtubule assembly events in fertilized sea urchin eggs at mitosis and the proliferation of microtubule organizing centers, but not cycles of microtubule assembly. Cell Biol. Int. Reps. 8:337-342.
  47. Balczon, R., and Schatten, G. 1984. Microtubule-containing detergent-extracted cytoskeletons in sea urchin eggs from fertilization through cell division: Anti-tubulin immunofluorescence microscopy. Cell Motility Videodisc Supplement 1. This videodisc was a teaching supplement demonstrating the role of microtubules in fertilization and cell division.
  48. Cline, C., Schatten, H., Balczon, R., and Schatten, G. 1983. Actin-mediated surface motility during sea urchin fertilization. Cell Motility 3:513-524.
  49. Balczon, R., and Schatten, G. 1983. Microtubule-containing detergent-extracted cytoskeletons in sea urchin eggs from fertilization through cell division: Anti-tubulin immunofluorescence microscopy. Cell Motility 3:213-226.
  50. Schatten, G., Schatten, H., Bestor, T., and Balczon, R. 1982. Taxol inhibits the nuclear movements during fertilization and induces asters in unfertilized sea urchin eggs. J. Cell Biol. 4:455-465.

PRESENTATIONS AND INVITED SEMINARS
  1. Balczon, R. 2001. A role for the centrosome in regulation of cell cycle progression. Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA.
  2. Balczon, R. 2001. Centrosomes and kinetochores: An update. University of South Alabama, Department of Medical Genetics, Mobile, AL.
  3. Balczon, R. 2000. Analysis of centrosome function. Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA.
  4. Balczon, R. 1999. Characterization of centrosome activity. Oregon Regional Primate Center, University of Oregon Health Sciences Center, Portland OR.
  5. Balczon, R., Simerly, C., Manandhar, G., Takahashi, D., and Schatten, G. 1998. Annual Meeting, American Society of Cell Biologists.
  6. Balczon, R. 1997. Annual Meeting, American Society of Cell Biologists.
  7. Balczon, R., Bao, L., and Zimmer, W.E. 1995. Analysis of centrosome replication events in cultured CHO cells. Keystone symposium entitled “Junctions of the Cytoskeleton in Cell Growth, Organization and Differentiation”.
  8. Balczon, R., Bao, L., Zimmer, W., Brown, K., Zinkowski, R., and Brinkley, B.R. 1993. Microscopic and northern blot studies of centrosome replication in CHO cells. Thirteenth Annual Spring Symposium, George Washington University, “The Cell Cycle: Molecules, Targets, and Clinical Applications”.
  9. Balczon, R., Overstreet, K.A., Zinkowski, R.P., Haynes, A., and Appel, M. 1992. The identification, purification, and characterization of a beta cell form of the microtubule ATPase kinesin. Annual Meeting of the American Diabetes Association.
  10. Balczon, R. 1992. Molecular analyses of centrosomal proteins. Thirty-fourth Annual Southeast Devel. Biol. Conference.
  11. Balczon, R., and Zimmer, W.E. 1991. The Molecular cloning and sequencing of the cDNA encoding a mammalian centrosome autoantigen. Second International Workshop on the Molecular and Cell Biology of Autoantibodies and Autoimmunity.
  12. Balczon, R., and Zimmer, W.E. 1991. The cellular distribution of a 250 kD centrosome-associated autoantigen varies during the cell cycle. Annual Meeting of the American Society of Cell Biologists.
  13. Balczon, R., and Zimmer, W.E. 1990. The molecular cloning of a cDNA encoding a mammalian centrosome autoantigen. Annual Meeting of the American Society of Cell Biologists.
  14. Balczon, R., and Brinkley, B.R. 1989. The monoclonal antibody against a 40 kD protein recognizes both microtubules and kinetochores in cultured mammalian cells. Annual Meeting of the American Society of Cell Biologists.
  15. Balczon, R., and Brinkley, B.R. 1988. Tubulin: kinetochore interactions: Analysis using a bifunctional chemical crosslinker. Woods Hole-Robert Day Allen Symposium.
  16. Balczon, R.D. 1987. Tubulin-binding proteins of the mammalian kinetochore. Symposium of the Eukaryotic Centromere/Kinetochore, Birmingham, AL.
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