Ron D. Poretz

Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology
76 Lipman Drive - Room 123
New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8525
(732) 932-9763 x123

Fax: (732) 932-8965
poretz@rci.rutgers.edu

Professor of Biochemistry
B.A. (Chemistry), Hartwick College, 1961
M.S. (Chemistry), Long Island University, 1963
Ph.D. (Biochemistry), SUNY Buffalo, 1968

Role of molecular recognition processes in cell-cell interactions, drug
targeting and inherited susceptibility to neurodegenerative diseases

Biochemistry and genetics of susceptibility to neurodegenerative diseases, drug targeting strategies,
molecular basis of surface glycans in cell recognition

My research is concerned with recognition factors determining specificities of molecular interactions
in biological systems. Specific areas of research pursued in the laboratory include:

1. Defining molecular and cellular mechanisms associated with inherited susceptibility to toxicant-induced
neurobehavioral deficits in humans; 2. The development of drug targeting systems for cancer
therapy; 3. The structure-function relationship of the carbohydrate moieties of glycoconjugates.

Selected publications

Deng, W. and Poretz, R. D. (2003) Oligodendroglia in developmental neurotoxicity. NeuroToxicology 24:161-178.

Deng W. B. and Poretz, R. D. (2002) Protein kinase C activation is required for the lead-induced inhibition of proliferation & differentiation of cultured oligodendroglial progenitor cells. Brain Res. 929:87-95.

Deng, W. B. and Poretz, R. D. (2001). Lead alters the developmental profile of the galactolipid
metabolic enzymes in cultured oligodendrocyte lineage cells. Neurotoxicology 22:429-437.

Deng, W. B., McKinnon, R. D. and Poretz, R. D. (2001) Lead exposure delays the differentiation
of oligodendroglial progenitors in vitro. Toxicol. Appl. Pharm. 174:235-244.

Chen, X. G. and Poretz, R. D. (2001) Lead causes human fibroblasts to mis-sort arylsulfatase
A. Toxicology 163:107-114.

Deng, W. B. and Poretz, R. D. (2001) Lead exposure affects levels of galactolipid metabolic
enzymes in the developing rat brain. Toxicol. Appl. Pharm. 172:98-107.

Poretz, R. D., Yang, A., Deng, W. B. and Manowitz, P. (2000) The interaction of lead exposure
and arylsulfatase A genotype affects sulfatide catabolism in human fibroblasts. Neurotoxicology 21:379-387.

Kessel, D. and Poretz, R. D. (2000). Sites of photodamage induced by photodynamic therapy
with a chlorin e6 triaacetoxymethyl ester (CAME). Photochem. Photobiol. 74:94-96.