Ali Vural, PhD

Ali Vural, PhD
Ali Vural, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical Sciences

Contact Information

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Biosketch

Ali Vural, PhD, is a molecular and cellular pharmacologist/biologist in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at ÌÀÍ·Ìõapp in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He is a graduate of Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey. He earned his doctoral degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology and Pathobiology from the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, South Carolina. He completed post-doctoral training in the Laboratory of Immunoregulation with the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland. After that, he was appointed as a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacology at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. Dr. Vural's research centers on a deeper understanding of physiological functions at the cellular, tissue and organ levels through uncovering the biochemistry and signal integration of the accessory signaling proteins. In particular, his research focuses on Activator of G protein Signaling 3 (AGS3), which is a potential therapeutic target with multiple key functions including the elimination of craving behavior upon reinstatement of substances of abuse (e.g., cocaine, heroine, ethanol, methamphetamine); resistance to high-fat diet-induced obesity, altered blood pressure, resistance to antibiotic-resistant bacteria infection and regulation of cyst progression in polycystic kidney disease.

  • ÌÀÍ·Ìõapp and Training
    • Postdoctoral Research Fellowship 2016, Immunoregulation, National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
    • PhD 2010, Molecular and Cellular Biology and Pathobiology, Medical University of South Carolina
    • BSc 2005, Molecular Biology and Genetics, Middle East Technical University

  • Research
    • Pharmacology, Clinical
    • Molecular Biology
    • Cellular Immunology

  • Publications

    • Vural A., Lanier S.M. Journal of Cell Science. 2024;137

    • Vural A., Lanier S.M. Journal of Cell Science. 2020;133(17)

    • Vural A., Nabar N.R., Hwang I.Y., Sohn S., Park C., Karlsson M.C.I., Blumer J.B., Kehrl J.H. Journal of Immunology. 2019;202(5):1510-1520.

    • Vural A., Fadillioglu E., Kelesoglu F., Ma D., Lanier S.M. Journal of Cell Science. 2018;131(23)

    • Robichaux W.G., Branham-O'Connor M., Hwang I.Y., Vural A., Kehrl J.H., Blumer J.B. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. 2017;360(3):424-433.

    • Hu G., McQuiston T., Bernard A., Park Y.D., Qiu J., Vural A., Zhang N., Waterman S., Blewett N.H., Myers T.G., Kehrl J.H., Uzel G., Klionsky D.J., Williamson P.R. Tor-dependent post-transcriptional regulation of autophagy: Implications for cancer therapeutics Molecular and Cellular Oncology. 2016;3(5)

    • Vural A., Al-Khodor S., Cheung G.Y.C., Shi C.S., Srinivasan L., McQuiston T.J., Hwang I.Y., Yeh A.J., Blumer J.B., Briken V., Williamson P.R., Otto M., Fraser I.D.C., Kehrl J.H. Journal of Immunology. 2016;196(2):846-856.

    • Hu G., McQuiston T., Bernard A., Park Y.D., Qiu J., Vural A., Zhang N., Waterman S., Blewett N.H., Myers T.G., Maraia R.J., Kehrl J.H., Uzel G., Klionsky D.J., Williamson P.R. Autophagy. 2015;11(12):2390-2392.

    • Hu G., McQuiston T., Bernard A., Park Y.D., Qiu J., Vural A., Zhang N., Waterman S.R., Blewett N.H., Myers T.G., Kehrl J.H., Uzel G., Klionsky D.J., Williamson P.R. The role of transcriptional ‘futile cycles’ in autophagy and microbial pathogenesis Microbial Cell. 2015;2(8):302-304.

    • Hu G., McQuiston T., Bernard A., Park Y.D., Qiu J., Vural A., Zhang N., Waterman S.R., Blewett N.H., Myers T.G., Maraia R.J., Kehrl J.H., Uzel G., Klionsky D.J., Williamson P.R. Nature Cell Biology. 2015;17(7):930-942.

    • Vural A., Shi C., Kehrl J. Toll-Like Receptors Serve as Activators for Autophagy in Macrophages Helping to Facilitate Innate Immunity Autophagy: Cancer, Other Pathologies, Inflammation, Immunity, Infection, and Aging. 2015;6:179-189.

    • Huang N., Becker S., Boularan C., Kamenyeva O., Vural A., Hwang I., Shi C., Kehrl J. Molecular and Cellular Biology. 2014;34(22):4186-4199.

    • Williams-Bey Y., Boularan C., Vural A., Huang N., Hwang I., Shan-Shi C., Kehrl J. PLoS ONE. 2014;9(6)

    • Oner S.S., Vural A., Lanier S.M. Journal of Biological Chemistry. 2013;288(33):24091-24103.

    • Vural A., McQuiston T., Blumer J., Park C., Hwang I., Williams-Bey Y., Shi C., Dzwokai Zach M., Kehrl J. PLoS ONE. 2013;8(11)

    • Oner S.S., An N., Vural A., Breton B., Bouvier M., Blumer J.B., Lanier S.M. Journal of Biological Chemistry. 2010;285(44):33949-33958.

    • Vural A., Oner S., An N., Simon V., Ma D., Blumer J.B., Lanier S.M. Molecular and Cellular Biology. 2010;30(6):1528-1540.

  • Presentations
    • Targeting activator of G-protein signaling 3 (AGS3) biomolecular condensates: In silico identification of modulators. Greenberg S, Vural A, 42nd Annual Kalamazoo Community and Health Sciences Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2024
    • Biomolecular Condensates Defined b Activator of G Protein Signaling 3 Exhibit Distinct Properties and Regulation. Vural A, Lanier S, 41st Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical and Health Sciences Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 05/2023