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Sandor Lovas, PhD

Professor

Biomedical Sciences

Sandor Lovas

Contact

SandorLovas@creighton.edu
School of Medicine
Biomedical Sciences
Graduate School
Biomedical Sciences (Master of Science)
Biomedical Sciences (Doctorate)
Translational Hearing
CRISS II - Criss 2

Sandor Lovas, PhD

Professor

Biomedical Sciences

Cancer Research Focus

My lab studies the conformation-biological activity relationships in peptides/proteins that inhibit cancer growth, such as cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma and glioblastoma. We also examine the description of solution structure of polypeptides by Molecular Dynamics simulations and vibrational and/or electronic circular dichroism spectropolarimetry and the effects of weakly polar interactions on peptide/protein structures.

Cancer Research Area(s)
  • Brain Cancer
  • Drug Discovery and Development
  • Skin Cancer

Teaching Interests

  • Biophysical Chemistry

Research Focus

Conformation-biological activity relationships in peptides/proteins including GnRH, gastrin, antibacterial peptides, amyloidogenic peptides and chlorotoxins. Structural characterization of prestin. Inhibtion of biological activity of 14-3-3e protein.  Description of solution structure of polypeptides by Molecular Dynamics simulations and ab initio quantum chemical calculations. Effects of weakly polar interactions on peptide/protein structures using the above theoretical methods and vibrational  and/or electronic circular dichroism spectroscopy.
 

Department

Biomedical Sciences

Position

Professor

Articles

  • Carcinogenesis
    Holmes, T.R.; Al-Matouq, J.; Holmes, M.; Sioda, N.; Rudd, J.; Bloom, C.; Nicola, L.; Palermo, N.Y.; Madson, J.G.; Lovas, S. and Hansen, L.A. Targeting 14-3-3ε activates apoptotic signaling to prevent cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. doi:10.1093/carcin/bgaa091, PMID: 32816038
    42(2), p. 232-242 2021
  • PLoS Pathogens
    Boyle, W.K.; Crystal L. Richards, C.L.; Dulebohn, D.P.; Zalud, A.K.; Shaw, J.A.; Lovas, S.; Gherardini, F.C.; Bourret, T.J. DksA-dependent regulation of RpoS contributes to Borrelia burgdorferi tick-borne transmission and mammalian infectivity. PloS Pathogens, 2021, 17(2): e1009072, doi:10.1371/journal.ppat.1009072. 2021
  • Oncotarget
    Holmes, T.R.; Al-Matouq, J.; Holmes, M.; Nicola, L.; Lovas, S. and Hansen, L.A. Targeting 14-3-3 ε- CDC25A interactions to trigger apoptotic death in skin cancer. Oncotarget 2020, 11, 3267-3278, doi:10.18632/oncotarget.27700
    11, p. 3267-3278 2020
  • Int. J. Mol. Sci.
    Voit-Ostricki, L.; Lovas, S. and Watts, C.R. Conformation and Domain Movement Analysis of Human Matrix Metalloproteinase-2: role of associated Zn2+ and Ca2+ cations.
    20(17), p. 4194; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms20174194 2019
  • Int. J. Mol. Sci.
    Gregory, A.J.; Voit-Ostricki, L.; Lovas, S. and Watts, C.R. Effects of Selective Substitutions of Cysteine Residues on the Conformational Properties of Chlorotoxin Explored by Molecular Dynamics Simulations.
    20(6), p. 1261; doi:10.3390/ijms20061261 2019
  • Proceedings of the 35th European Peptide Symposium
    Voit-Ostricki, L.;  Lovas, S.;  Watts, C. Conformation and domain movement analysis of Human Matrix Metalloprotease-2: The role of associated Zn2+ and Ca2+ ions
    https://doi.org/10.17952/35EPS.2018.202, p. 202-203 2018
  • Proteins: Structure function and Bioinformatics
    Watts, C.R.; Gregory, A.J.; Frisbie, C.P. and Lovas, S. Effects of Force Fields on the Conformational and Dynamic Properties of Amyloid β(1-40) Dimer Explored by Replica Exchange Molecular Dynamics Simulations.
    86(3), p. 279-300, doi: 10.1002/prot.25439 2017
  • bioRxiv
    Charles R. Watts, Andrew Gregory, Cole Frisbie, Sándor Lovas. Effects of Force Fields on the Conformational and Dynamic Properties of Amyloid β(1-40) Dimer Explored by Replica Exchange Molecular Dynamics Simulations
    210286; doi: 10.1101/210286 2017
  • Proteins: Structure, Function and Genetics
    Charles R. Watts, Andrew J. Gregory, Cole P. Frisbie, and Sándor Lovas.  Structural Properties of Amyloid b(1-40) Dimer Explored by Replica Exchange Molecular Dynamics Simulations. doi:10.1002/prot.25270, PMID: 28241387
    85(6), p. 1024-1044, doi:10.1002/prot.25270, 2017
  • Protein and Peptide Letters
    Knappe, D.; Goldbach, T.; Hatfield, M.P.D.; Palermo, N.Y.; Weinert, S.; Sträter, N.; Hoffmann, R. and Lovas, S. Proline-rich Antimicrobial Peptides Optimized for Binding to Escherichia coli Chaperone DnaK. doi: 10.2174/0929866523666160719124712, PMID:274499.
    23, p. 1061-1071 2016
  • Journal of Biological Chemistry
    Lovas, S.; He, D.Z.Z.; Liu, H.; Tang, J.; Pecka, J.L.; Hatfield M.P.ED. and Beisel, K.W. Anion-pi Interaction is the Mechanism for the Voltage-Dependent Response of Prestin, the Motor Protein of Cochlear Outer Hair Cells. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M115.649962, PMID: 26283790
    290, p. 24326-24339 2015
  • Biopolymers: Peptide Sci.
    Otvos, L. Jr.; Kovalszky, I.; Olah, J.; Coroniti, R.; Knappe, D.; Nollmann, F.I.; Hoffmann, R.; Wade, J.D.; Lovas, S. and Surmacz, E. Optimization of Adiponectin-derived Peptides for Inhibition of Cancer Cell Growth and Signaling. doi:10.1002/bip.22627.
    104, p. 156-166 2015
  • Frontiers in Chemistry
    Otvos, J. Jr.; Knappe, D.; Hoffmann, R.; Kovalszky, I.; Olah, J.; Hewitson, T.D.; Stawikowska, R.; Stawikowski, M.; Cudic, P.; Lin, F.; Wade, J.D.; Surmacz E. and Lovas, S. Development of Second Generation Peptides Modulating Cellular Adiponectin Receptor Responses.
    2:93, doi: 10.3389/fchem.2014.00093. PMID: 25368867, PMCID: PMC4201147. 2014
  • Biopolymers: Peptide Sci.
    Otvos, L. Jr.; Kovalszky, I.; Olah, J.; Coroniti, R.; Knappe, D.; Nollmann, F.I.; Hoffmann, R.; Wade, J.D.; Lovas, S. and Surmacz, E. Optimization of Adiponectin-derived Peptides for Inhibition of Cancer Cell Growth and Signaling. doi: 10.1002/bip.22627.
    104, p. 156-166 2014
  • He, D.Z.Z.; Lovas, S.; Ai, Y.; Li, Y.; Beisel, K.W. Prestin at Year 14: Progress and Prospect. Hearing Res. doi: 10.1016/j.heares.2013.12.002., PMID: 24361298.
    311, p. 25-35 2014
  • J. Phys. Chem. B
    Lovas, S.; Zhang, Y.; Yu, J.; Lyubchenko, Y.L. Molecular Mechanism of Misfolding and Aggregation of Ab(13-23). doi: 10.1021/jp402938p. PMID: 23642026; PMCID: PMC3695694
    117, p. 6175-6186 2013
  • Current Pharmaceutical Design
    Hatfield, M.P.D.; Lovas, S. Conformational Sampling Techniques. Curr. Pharm. Des. doi:10.2174/13816128113199990603, PMID: 23947647
    20, p. 3303-3313 2013
  • Protein and Peptide Letters
    Hatfield, M.P.D.; Lovas, S. Role of Hsp70 in cancer growth and survival.
    19, p. 616-624. doi:10.2174/092986612800493968 2012
  • J Pept Sci
    Palermo, N.Y.; Thomas, P.; Murphy, R.F. and Lovas, S. Hexapeptide Fragment of Carcinoembryonic Antigen which Acts as an Agonist of Heterogeneous Ribonucleoprotein M.
    18, p. 252-260, doi: 10.1002/psc.2393 2012
  • J. Cell Sci.
    Tan, X.; Pecka, J.L.; Tang, J.; Lovas, S.; Beisel, K.W.; He, D.Z.Z. A motif of eleven amino acids is a structural adaptation that facilitates motor capability of eutherian prestin.
    125, p. 1039-1047. doi: 10.1242/jcs.097337 2012
  • BMC Biotechnology
    Otvos, L., Jr.; Haspinger, E.; La Russa, F.; Maspero, Maspero, F.; Graziano, P.; M.; Kovalszky, I.; Lovas, S.; Nama, K.; Hoffmann, R.; Knappe, D.; Cassone, M.; Wade, J. and Surmacz, E. Design and Development of a Peptide-based Adiponectin Receptor Agonist for Cancer Treatment.
    11, p. 90. doi:10.1186/1472-6750-11-90 2011
  • Biochemistry
    Kim, B-H.; Palermo, N.Y.; Lovas, S.; Zaikova, Z.; Keana, J.F.W. and Lyubchenko, Y.L. Single molecule AFM force spectroscopy study of Aβ-40 interactions.
    50, p. 5154–5162. doi:10.1021/bi200147a 2011
  • J Phys Chem B
    Hatfield, M.P.D.; Murphy, R.F.; Lovas, S. The CLN025 Decapeptide Retains a b-Hairpin Conformation in Urea and Guanidium Chloride.
    115, p. 4971-4981. doi: 10.1021/jp111076j 2011

Federal

  • NSF-EPSCoR Major Research Research Instrumentation Program:
    High-Performance Computing Cluster for Biomolecular Calculations

  • NSF-EPSCoR Major Research Research Instrumentation Program,
    Project title: A high-throughput multi-user Biacore surface plasmon resonance system for studying biomolecular and biochemical interactions.

Other

  • NSF-EPSCoR Major Research Research Instrumentation Program:
    High-Performance Computing Cluster for Biomolecular Calculations

State

  • LB595 Program; Project Title: Molecular Mechanisms and Novel Targets in Cancer. Project PI: Novel therapeutic targets for nonmelanoma skin cancer Dates: 7/1/14-6/30/19; Role: collaborator