Department of Medicine

Life Sciences North 358
P.O. Box 245037
Tucson AZ 85724-5037

Phone: (520)626-4144 or (520)626-2000
E-mail: emorkin@email.arizona.edu

EDUCATION:

University of Oklahoma School of Medicine, 1959 (M.D.)

HONORS/AWARDS:

Recipient, Career Development Award, National Heart Institute, 1969-1974
Associate Editor, American Journal of Physiology: Heart and Circulatory Physiology, 1987-1989
Editorial Board, Circulation Research, 1977-1979, 1986-present

Flinn-Foundation American Heart Association, Senior Investigator Award

MAJOR AREAS OF RESEARCH INTEREST:

1. Regulation of cardiac myosin isoenzyme expression. The type of myosin in ventricular muscle can be altered by administration of thyroid hormone and in response to certain types of hemodynamic stress. The objective of this study is to define the biochemical mechanism(s) in more detail. The work will be carried out in animals and cultured heart cells.

2. Biology of the nuclear thyroid hormone receptor. The sections of thyroid hormone are thought to be mediated through binding to high-affinity nuclear receptors. These receptors have been identified as the products of two c-erbA protooncogenes. The purpose of this study is to characterize the receptor protein and associated DNA. Studies will involve expression and purification of receptor proteins in bacterial and eukaryotic cells and recombinant DNA techniques.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS:

Gaballa MA, Sunkomat JN, Thai H, Morkin E, Ewy G, Goldman S. Grafting an acellular 3-dimensional collagen scaffold onto a non-transmural infarcted myocardium induces neo-angiogenesis and reduces cardiac remodeling. J Heart Lung Transplant. 25(8):946-54, 2006.

Guan Z, Lui CY, Morkin E, Bahl JJ. Oxidative stress and apoptosis in cardiomyocyte induced by high-dose alcohol. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol. 44(6):696-702, 2004.

Morkin E, Ladenson P, Goldman S, Adamson C. Thyroid hormone analogs for treatment of hypercholesterolemia and heart failure: past, present and future prospects. J Mol Cell Cardiol. 37(6):1137-46, 2004.

Adamson C, Maitra N, Bahl J, Greer K, Klewer S, Hoying J, Morkin E. Regulation of gene expression in cardiomyocytes by thyroid hormone and thyroid hormone analogs 3,5-diiodothyropropionic acid and CGS 23425 [N-[3,5-dimethyl-4-(4'-hydroxy-3'-isopropylphenoxy)-phenyl]-oxamic acid]. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 311(1):164-71, 2004.

Morkin E, Pennock GD, Spooner PH, Bahl JJ, Goldman S. Clinical and experimental studies on the use of 3,5-diiodothyropropionic acid, a thyroid hormone analogue, in heart failure. Thyroid. 12(6):527-33, 2002.

Morkin E, Pennock G, Spooner PH, Bahl JJ, Underhill Fox K, Goldman S. Pilot studies on the use of 3,5-diiodothyropropionic acid, a thyroid hormone analog, in the treatment of congestive heart failure. Cardiology. 97(4):218-25, 2002.

STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH RESEARCH:

Cell culture, recombinant DNA methodology, DNA sequencing

SPONSORED RESEARCH THROUGH MSRP:

Ansermo Arthur (MSRP 1984): "The effects of contractile proteins myosin and actin on cardiac function in euthyroid and thyroidectomized rats."
Dwayne St. Jacques (MSRP 1991): "Regulation of the beta myosin heavy chain gene by thyroid hormone."

Farshad Shirazi (AHA FELLOWSHIP, 1990-1991): "Novel methods for delivery of genetically engineered genes and peptides."

Last update: 3/21/2007