Guest Editors

Dr J Silvio Gutkind

Dr J Silvio Gutkind obtained his PhD in 1985 from the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina in Pharmacy and Biochemistry. He carried out his postdoctoral training at the National Institute of Mental Health (1986–1987) and National Cancer Institute (1987–1988), NIH, Bethesda, USA. He joined the National Institute of Dental Research, NIH, Bethesda, USA in 1989 as a Visiting Associate. After serving as the Head of the Molecular Signaling Group (1992–1993) and the Chief of Molecular Signaling Unit (1993–1997), he is currently the Chief of the Cell Growth Regulation Section and the Molecular Carcinogenesis Unit, as well as the Chief of Oral and Pharyngeal Cancer Branch of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. Dr Gutkind has made pioneering contributions in defining the role of G protein coupled receptors, G proteins, small GTPases, and kinase signaling modules in cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. His major contributions include the studies defining the transforming ability of Gαq, Gα12, and Gα13 subunits, the role of βγ-subunits in the activation of kinase signaling modules, and the role of the Rho-family of GTPases in the activation of nuclear events through JNK/SAPK modules.

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 Dr J Silvio Gutkind

Dr N Dhanasekaran

Dr Danny Dhanasekaran obtained his PhD in 1985 from the Indian Institute of Science, India in Biochemistry and carried out his postdoctoral training at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA (1985–1988). Following additional training at the National Jewish Center for Immunology and Respiratory Medicine, Denver, Colorado, USA, he joined the Fels Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Biology, Philadelphia, in 1992 as a faculty member, where he is currently an Associated Professor. Dr Dhanasekaran has made major contributions in defining the role of Gα12 and Gα13 in the regulation of cell proliferation and transformation. His contributions include the studies defining the role of JNK/SAPK signaling pathways in Gα12/13-mediated cell proliferation, and the role of Ras and Rho family GTPases in the regulation of Gα12/13-mediated NHE activation, cell proliferation and cytoskeletal changes.

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Dr N Dhanasekaran