Faculty Appointments
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Assistant Professor of BiochemistryAssistant Professor of BiochemistryAssistant Professor of PharmacologyAssistant Professor of Pharmacology
Education
Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences/Molecular Pharmacology, New York University, New York, New YorkB.S., Molecular Genetics, State University of New York, Fredonia, New York
Office Address
8405 Medical Research Building IV (MRB4)
Research Description
Genome Regulation by 2nd Messengers
Research Keywords
We use genomics, structural biology and chemical genetics to discover new ways gene expression is regulated. We use this mechanistic information to develop new and unique drug screening platforms, focused on cancer, diabetes & liver diseases. I have joint appointments in both the Pharmacology and Biochemistry Departments, I lead a section of the FOCUS class for 1st year PhD students, and I am an active member of many Vanderbilt Institutes and Centers throughout the University & Medical Center communities.
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Keywords: transcription, lipids, inositol phosphates, phospholipids, nuclear signaling, crystallography, integrated structural biology, SAXS, HDACs and epigenetics, biophysics, chromatin marks, histone acetylation, mechanistic biochemistry, enzymology, chemical biology, IRACDA, teaching. .............................................................................................
Publications
Bryant JM, Malabanan MM, Vanderloop BH, Nichols CM, Haratipour Z, Poon KT, Sherrod SD, McLean JA, Blind RD. The acyl chains of phosphoinositide PIP3 alter the structure and function of nuclear receptor steroidogenic factor-1. J Lipid Res [print-electronic]. 2021; 62: 100081. PMID: 33933440, PMCID: PMC8178125, PII: S0022-2275(21)00063-8, DOI: 10.1016/j.jlr.2021.100081, ISSN: 1539-7262.
Seacrist CD, Kuenze G, Hoffmann RM, Moeller BE, Burke JE, Meiler J, Blind RD. Integrated Structural Modeling of Full-Length LRH-1 Reveals Inter-domain Interactions Contribute to Receptor Structure and Function. Structure [print-electronic]. 2020 Jul 7/7/2020; 28(7): 830-846.e9. PMID: 32433991, PMCID: PMC7347456, PII: S0969-2126(20)30166-0, DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2020.04.020, ISSN: 1878-4186.
Blind RD. Structural analyses of inositol phosphate second messengers bound to signaling effector proteins. Adv Biol Regul [print-electronic]. 2020 Jan; 75: 100667. PMID: 31648945, PMCID: PMC7056587, PII: S2212-4926(19)30088-0, DOI: 10.1016/j.jbior.2019.100667, ISSN: 2212-4934.
Bryant JM, Blind RD. Signaling through non-membrane nuclear phosphoinositide binding proteins in human health and disease. J. Lipid Res [print-electronic]. 2019 Feb; 60(2): 299-311. PMID: 30201631, PMCID: PMC6358298, PII: jlr.R088518, DOI: 10.1194/jlr.R088518, ISSN: 1539-7262.
Haliyur R, Tong X, Sanyoura M, Shrestha S, Lindner J, Saunders DC, Aramandla R, Poffenberger G, Redick SD, Bottino R, Prasad N, Levy SE, Blind RD, Harlan DM, Philipson LH, Stein RW, Brissova M, Powers AC. Human islets expressing HNF1A variant have defective ß cell transcriptional regulatory networks. J. Clin. Invest [print-electronic]. 2019 Jan 1/2/2019; 129(1): 246-51. PMID: 30507613, PMCID: PMC6307934, PII: 121994, DOI: 10.1172/JCI121994, ISSN: 1558-8238.
Seacrist CD, Blind RD. Crystallographic and kinetic analyses of human IPMK reveal disordered domains modulate ATP binding and kinase activity. Sci Rep. 2018 Nov 11/12/2018; 8(1): 16672. PMID: 30420721, PMCID: PMC6232094, PII: 10.1038/s41598-018-34941-3, DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-34941-3, ISSN: 2045-2322.
Hamann BL, Blind RD. Nuclear phosphoinositide regulation of chromatin. J. Cell. Physiol [print-electronic]. 2018 Jan; 233(1): 107-23. PMID: 28256711, DOI: 10.1002/jcp.25886, ISSN: 1097-4652.
Crowder MK, Seacrist CD, Blind RD. Phospholipid regulation of the nuclear receptor superfamily. Adv Biol Regul [print-electronic]. 2016 Oct 10/29/2016; PMID: 27838257, PII: S2212-4926(16)30046-X, DOI: 10.1016/j.jbior.2016.10.006, ISSN: 2212-4934.
Malabanan MM, Blind RD. Inositol polyphosphate multikinase (IPMK) in transcriptional regulation and nuclear inositide metabolism. Biochem. Soc. Trans. 2016 Feb; 44(1): 279-85. PMID: 26862216, PII: BST20150225, DOI: 10.1042/BST20150225, ISSN: 1470-8752.
Sablin EP, Blind RD, Uthayaruban R, Chiu HJ, Deacon AM, Das D, Ingraham HA, Fletterick RJ. Structure of Liver Receptor Homolog-1 (NR5A2) with PIP3 hormone bound in the ligand binding pocket. J. Struct. Biol [print-electronic]. 2015 Dec; 192(3): 342-8. PMID: 26416531, PMCID: PMC4651778, PII: S1047-8477(15)30067-8, DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2015.09.012, ISSN: 1095-8657.
Blind RD, Sablin EP, Kuchenbecker KM, Chiu HJ, Deacon AM, Das D, Fletterick RJ, Ingraham HA. The signaling phospholipid PIP3 creates a new interaction surface on the nuclear receptor SF-1. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A [print-electronic]. 2014 Oct 10/21/2014; 111(42): 15054-9. PMID: 25288771, PMCID: PMC4210282, PII: 1416740111, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1416740111, ISSN: 1091-6490.
Blind RD. Disentangling biological signaling networks by dynamic coupling of signaling lipids to modifying enzymes. Adv Biol Regul [print-electronic]. 2014 Jan; 54: 25-38. PMID: 24176936, PMCID: PMC3946453, PII: S2212-4926(13)00089-4, DOI: 10.1016/j.jbior.2013.09.015, ISSN: 2212-4934.
Blind RD, Suzawa M, Ingraham HA. Direct modification and activation of a nuclear receptor-PIP2 complex by the inositol lipid kinase IPMK. Sci Signal. 2012 Jun 6/19/2012; 5(229): ra44. PMID: 22715467, PMCID: PMC3395721, PII: 5/229/ra44, DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.2003111, ISSN: 1937-9145.
Blind RD, Pineda-Torra I, Xu Y, Xu HE, Garabedian MJ. Ligand structural motifs can decouple glucocorticoid receptor transcriptional activation from target promoter occupancy. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun [print-electronic]. 2012 Apr 4/20/2012; 420(4): 839-44. PMID: 22465009, PMCID: PMC3340612, PII: S0006-291X(12)00544-X, DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2012.03.084, ISSN: 1090-2104.
Whitby RJ, Stec J, Blind RD, Dixon S, Leesnitzer LM, Orband-Miller LA, Williams SP, Willson TM, Xu R, Zuercher WJ, Cai F, Ingraham HA. Small molecule agonists of the orphan nuclear receptors steroidogenic factor-1 (SF-1, NR5A1) and liver receptor homologue-1 (LRH-1, NR5A2). J. Med. Chem [print-electronic]. 2011 Apr 4/14/2011; 54(7): 2266-81. PMID: 21391689, PMCID: PMC4151520, DOI: 10.1021/jm1014296, ISSN: 1520-4804.
Mullaney BC, Blind RD, Lemieux GA, Perez CL, Elle IC, Faergeman NJ, Van Gilst MR, Ingraham HA, Ashrafi K. Regulation of C. elegans fat uptake and storage by acyl-CoA synthase-3 is dependent on NR5A family nuclear hormone receptor nhr-25. Cell Metab. 2010 Oct 10/6/2010; 12(4): 398-410. PMID: 20889131, PMCID: PMC2992884, PII: S1550-4131(10)00299-8, DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2010.08.013, ISSN: 1932-7420.
Lin BC, Suzawa M, Blind RD, Tobias SC, Bulun SE, Scanlan TS, Ingraham HA. Stimulating the GPR30 estrogen receptor with a novel tamoxifen analogue activates SF-1 and promotes endometrial cell proliferation. Cancer Res [print-electronic]. 2009 Jul 7/1/2009; 69(13): 5415-23. PMID: 19549922, PMCID: PMC2756996, PII: 0008-5472.CAN-08-1622, DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-08-1622, ISSN: 1538-7445.
Sablin EP, Blind RD, Krylova IN, Ingraham JG, Cai F, Williams JD, Fletterick RJ, Ingraham HA. Structure of SF-1 bound by different phospholipids: evidence for regulatory ligands. Mol. Endocrinol [print-electronic]. 2009 Jan; 23(1): 25-34. PMID: 18988706, PMCID: PMC2646595, PII: me.2007-0508, DOI: 10.1210/me.2007-0508, ISSN: 0888-8809.
Omer S, Hickson G, Taché S, Blind R, Masters S, Loeser H, Souza K, Mkony C, Debas H, O'Sullivan P. Applying innovative educational principles when classes grow and resources are limited: Biochemistry experiences at Muhimbili University of Allied Health Sciences. Biochem Mol Biol Educ. 2008 Nov; 36(6): 387-94. PMID: 21591227, DOI: 10.1002/bmb.20210, ISSN: 1470-8175.
Chen W, Dang T, Blind RD, Wang Z, Cavasotto CN, Hittelman AB, Rogatsky I, Logan SK, Garabedian MJ. Glucocorticoid receptor phosphorylation differentially affects target gene expression. Mol. Endocrinol [print-electronic]. 2008 Aug; 22(8): 1754-66. PMID: 18483179, PMCID: PMC2725771, PII: me.2007-0219, DOI: 10.1210/me.2007-0219, ISSN: 0888-8809.
Blind RD, Garabedian MJ. Differential recruitment of glucocorticoid receptor phospho-isoforms to glucocorticoid-induced genes. J. Steroid Biochem. Mol. Biol [print-electronic]. 2008 Mar; 109(1-2): 150-7. PMID: 18304804, PMCID: PMC2699583, PII: S0960-0760(08)00021-6, DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2008.01.002, ISSN: 0960-0760.
Ismaili N, Blind R, Garabedian MJ. Stabilization of the unliganded glucocorticoid receptor by TSG101. J. Biol. Chem [print-electronic]. 2005 Mar 3/25/2005; 280(12): 11120-6. PMID: 15657031, PII: M500059200, DOI: 10.1074/jbc.M500059200, ISSN: 0021-9258.
Seacrist CD, Kuenze G, Hoffmann RM, Moeller BE, Burke JE, Meiler J, Blind RD. Integrated Structural Modeling of Full-Length LRH-1 Reveals Inter-domain Interactions Contribute to Receptor Structure and Function. Structure [print-electronic]. 2020 Jul 7/7/2020; 28(7): 830-846.e9. PMID: 32433991, PMCID: PMC7347456, PII: S0969-2126(20)30166-0, DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2020.04.020, ISSN: 1878-4186.
Blind RD. Structural analyses of inositol phosphate second messengers bound to signaling effector proteins. Adv Biol Regul [print-electronic]. 2020 Jan; 75: 100667. PMID: 31648945, PMCID: PMC7056587, PII: S2212-4926(19)30088-0, DOI: 10.1016/j.jbior.2019.100667, ISSN: 2212-4934.
Bryant JM, Blind RD. Signaling through non-membrane nuclear phosphoinositide binding proteins in human health and disease. J. Lipid Res [print-electronic]. 2019 Feb; 60(2): 299-311. PMID: 30201631, PMCID: PMC6358298, PII: jlr.R088518, DOI: 10.1194/jlr.R088518, ISSN: 1539-7262.
Haliyur R, Tong X, Sanyoura M, Shrestha S, Lindner J, Saunders DC, Aramandla R, Poffenberger G, Redick SD, Bottino R, Prasad N, Levy SE, Blind RD, Harlan DM, Philipson LH, Stein RW, Brissova M, Powers AC. Human islets expressing HNF1A variant have defective ß cell transcriptional regulatory networks. J. Clin. Invest [print-electronic]. 2019 Jan 1/2/2019; 129(1): 246-51. PMID: 30507613, PMCID: PMC6307934, PII: 121994, DOI: 10.1172/JCI121994, ISSN: 1558-8238.
Seacrist CD, Blind RD. Crystallographic and kinetic analyses of human IPMK reveal disordered domains modulate ATP binding and kinase activity. Sci Rep. 2018 Nov 11/12/2018; 8(1): 16672. PMID: 30420721, PMCID: PMC6232094, PII: 10.1038/s41598-018-34941-3, DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-34941-3, ISSN: 2045-2322.
Hamann BL, Blind RD. Nuclear phosphoinositide regulation of chromatin. J. Cell. Physiol [print-electronic]. 2018 Jan; 233(1): 107-23. PMID: 28256711, DOI: 10.1002/jcp.25886, ISSN: 1097-4652.
Crowder MK, Seacrist CD, Blind RD. Phospholipid regulation of the nuclear receptor superfamily. Adv Biol Regul [print-electronic]. 2016 Oct 10/29/2016; PMID: 27838257, PII: S2212-4926(16)30046-X, DOI: 10.1016/j.jbior.2016.10.006, ISSN: 2212-4934.
Malabanan MM, Blind RD. Inositol polyphosphate multikinase (IPMK) in transcriptional regulation and nuclear inositide metabolism. Biochem. Soc. Trans. 2016 Feb; 44(1): 279-85. PMID: 26862216, PII: BST20150225, DOI: 10.1042/BST20150225, ISSN: 1470-8752.
Sablin EP, Blind RD, Uthayaruban R, Chiu HJ, Deacon AM, Das D, Ingraham HA, Fletterick RJ. Structure of Liver Receptor Homolog-1 (NR5A2) with PIP3 hormone bound in the ligand binding pocket. J. Struct. Biol [print-electronic]. 2015 Dec; 192(3): 342-8. PMID: 26416531, PMCID: PMC4651778, PII: S1047-8477(15)30067-8, DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2015.09.012, ISSN: 1095-8657.
Blind RD, Sablin EP, Kuchenbecker KM, Chiu HJ, Deacon AM, Das D, Fletterick RJ, Ingraham HA. The signaling phospholipid PIP3 creates a new interaction surface on the nuclear receptor SF-1. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A [print-electronic]. 2014 Oct 10/21/2014; 111(42): 15054-9. PMID: 25288771, PMCID: PMC4210282, PII: 1416740111, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1416740111, ISSN: 1091-6490.
Blind RD. Disentangling biological signaling networks by dynamic coupling of signaling lipids to modifying enzymes. Adv Biol Regul [print-electronic]. 2014 Jan; 54: 25-38. PMID: 24176936, PMCID: PMC3946453, PII: S2212-4926(13)00089-4, DOI: 10.1016/j.jbior.2013.09.015, ISSN: 2212-4934.
Blind RD, Suzawa M, Ingraham HA. Direct modification and activation of a nuclear receptor-PIP2 complex by the inositol lipid kinase IPMK. Sci Signal. 2012 Jun 6/19/2012; 5(229): ra44. PMID: 22715467, PMCID: PMC3395721, PII: 5/229/ra44, DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.2003111, ISSN: 1937-9145.
Blind RD, Pineda-Torra I, Xu Y, Xu HE, Garabedian MJ. Ligand structural motifs can decouple glucocorticoid receptor transcriptional activation from target promoter occupancy. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun [print-electronic]. 2012 Apr 4/20/2012; 420(4): 839-44. PMID: 22465009, PMCID: PMC3340612, PII: S0006-291X(12)00544-X, DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2012.03.084, ISSN: 1090-2104.
Whitby RJ, Stec J, Blind RD, Dixon S, Leesnitzer LM, Orband-Miller LA, Williams SP, Willson TM, Xu R, Zuercher WJ, Cai F, Ingraham HA. Small molecule agonists of the orphan nuclear receptors steroidogenic factor-1 (SF-1, NR5A1) and liver receptor homologue-1 (LRH-1, NR5A2). J. Med. Chem [print-electronic]. 2011 Apr 4/14/2011; 54(7): 2266-81. PMID: 21391689, PMCID: PMC4151520, DOI: 10.1021/jm1014296, ISSN: 1520-4804.
Mullaney BC, Blind RD, Lemieux GA, Perez CL, Elle IC, Faergeman NJ, Van Gilst MR, Ingraham HA, Ashrafi K. Regulation of C. elegans fat uptake and storage by acyl-CoA synthase-3 is dependent on NR5A family nuclear hormone receptor nhr-25. Cell Metab. 2010 Oct 10/6/2010; 12(4): 398-410. PMID: 20889131, PMCID: PMC2992884, PII: S1550-4131(10)00299-8, DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2010.08.013, ISSN: 1932-7420.
Lin BC, Suzawa M, Blind RD, Tobias SC, Bulun SE, Scanlan TS, Ingraham HA. Stimulating the GPR30 estrogen receptor with a novel tamoxifen analogue activates SF-1 and promotes endometrial cell proliferation. Cancer Res [print-electronic]. 2009 Jul 7/1/2009; 69(13): 5415-23. PMID: 19549922, PMCID: PMC2756996, PII: 0008-5472.CAN-08-1622, DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-08-1622, ISSN: 1538-7445.
Sablin EP, Blind RD, Krylova IN, Ingraham JG, Cai F, Williams JD, Fletterick RJ, Ingraham HA. Structure of SF-1 bound by different phospholipids: evidence for regulatory ligands. Mol. Endocrinol [print-electronic]. 2009 Jan; 23(1): 25-34. PMID: 18988706, PMCID: PMC2646595, PII: me.2007-0508, DOI: 10.1210/me.2007-0508, ISSN: 0888-8809.
Omer S, Hickson G, Taché S, Blind R, Masters S, Loeser H, Souza K, Mkony C, Debas H, O'Sullivan P. Applying innovative educational principles when classes grow and resources are limited: Biochemistry experiences at Muhimbili University of Allied Health Sciences. Biochem Mol Biol Educ. 2008 Nov; 36(6): 387-94. PMID: 21591227, DOI: 10.1002/bmb.20210, ISSN: 1470-8175.
Chen W, Dang T, Blind RD, Wang Z, Cavasotto CN, Hittelman AB, Rogatsky I, Logan SK, Garabedian MJ. Glucocorticoid receptor phosphorylation differentially affects target gene expression. Mol. Endocrinol [print-electronic]. 2008 Aug; 22(8): 1754-66. PMID: 18483179, PMCID: PMC2725771, PII: me.2007-0219, DOI: 10.1210/me.2007-0219, ISSN: 0888-8809.
Blind RD, Garabedian MJ. Differential recruitment of glucocorticoid receptor phospho-isoforms to glucocorticoid-induced genes. J. Steroid Biochem. Mol. Biol [print-electronic]. 2008 Mar; 109(1-2): 150-7. PMID: 18304804, PMCID: PMC2699583, PII: S0960-0760(08)00021-6, DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2008.01.002, ISSN: 0960-0760.
Ismaili N, Blind R, Garabedian MJ. Stabilization of the unliganded glucocorticoid receptor by TSG101. J. Biol. Chem [print-electronic]. 2005 Mar 3/25/2005; 280(12): 11120-6. PMID: 15657031, PII: M500059200, DOI: 10.1074/jbc.M500059200, ISSN: 0021-9258.
Available Postdoctoral Position Details
Posted: 8/5/2021
Greetings! My Lab has an open postdoc position to study how signaling molecules generated in chromatin alter histone acetylation and gene expression.
We recently discovered a new gene regulatory mechanism in human cell lines. This new mechanism revolves around a kinase our lab studies, which generates inositide signaling molecules. We discovered this kinase is recruited to thousands of transcriptional start sites, regulating gene expression in a kinase-dependent manner and altering histone acetylation and methylation. You will be finishing up these studies and building further on them.
The ideal candidate will need to have an interest in helping others in the lab and have skills in mammalian cellular biochemistry, gene expression analysis and/or genomics. Experience with or eagerness to learn ChIP, RNA-seq, ATAC-seq, qPCR or other gene expression analyses is ideal.
If you're doubting your fit, I encourage you to email and ask! I have many other projects in structural biology, genomics and drug design/screening you might be a great fit for... If you don't ask, you don't get!
Please email a cover letter with your CV to ray.blind@vanderbilt.edu and we can take it from there! Thank you!
Ray