Robert J. Huber
Associate Professor
- H.B.Sc. (University of Toronto)
- Ph.D. (University of Toronto)
- Postdoc (Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital)
Office: LHS D243, 705-748-1011 ext. 7316
Labs: LHS D244/D246, 705-748-1011 ext. 7673/6137
Email: roberthuber@trentu.ca
Research Interests
- Dictyostelium discoideum
- Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (Batten disease)
- Extracellular matrix
- Signal transduction
- Cell motility and adhesion
- Calcium and calmodulin
- Cyclin-dependent kinases
My lab uses the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum as a model system for studying the functions of proteins linked to human disease and the structure and function of the extracellular matrix (ECM). Current research is focused on revealing the cellular mechanisms underlying the neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (NCLs, commonly known as Batten disease), and identifying proteins within the ECM that modulate cell motility and differentiation during Dictyostelium development.
Teaching
BIOL 2070H: Cell Biology
BIOL 3080H: Molecular Biology
BIOL 4010Y/4020D: Biology Research Thesis
BIOL 4130H: Human Cell Biology
CHEM-BIOL 4040D: Project Course in Biochemistry
Selected Publications
McLaren MD, Mathavarajah S, Kim WD, Yap SQ, Huber RJ. (2021). Aberrant autophagy impacts growth and multicellular development in a Dictyostelium knockout model of CLN5 disease. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology 9, 657406. doi: 10.3389/fcell.2021.657406
Yap SQ, Mathavarajah S, Huber RJ. (2021). The converging roles of Batten disease proteins in neurodegeneration and cancer. iScience 24(4), 102337. doi:10.1016/j.isci.2021.102337
Huber RJ, Kim WD, Mathavarajah, S. (2021). Inhibiting neddylation with MLN4924 suppresses growth and delays multicellular development in Dictyostelium discoideum. Biomolecules 11(3), 482. doi:10.3390/biom11030482
Mathavarajah S, VanIderstine C, Dellaire G, Huber RJ. (2021). Cancer and the breakdown of multicellularity: What Dictyostelium discoideum, a social amoeba, can teach us. BioEssays 43(4), e2000156. doi:10.1002/bies.202000156
Kim WD, Yap SQ, Huber RJ. (2021). A proteomics analysis of calmodulin-binding proteins in Dictyostelium discoideum during the transition from unicellular growth to multicellular development. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 22(4), 1722. doi:10.3390/ijms22041722
Huber RJ, Hughes SM, Liu W, Morgan A, Tuxworth RI, Russell C. (2020). The contribution of multicellular model organisms to neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis research. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta Molecular Basis of Disease 1866(9), 165614. doi:10.1016/j.bbadis.2019.165614
Aoki MM, Emery RJN, Anjard C, Brunetti CR, Huber RJ. (2020). Cytokinins in Dictyostelia – A unique model for studying the functions of signaling agents from species to kingdoms. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology 8, 511. doi:10.3389/fcell.2020.00511
Huber RJ, Mathavarajah S, Yap SQ. (2020). Mfsd8 localizes to endocytic compartments and influences the secretion of Cln5 and cathepsin D in Dictyostelium. Cellular Signalling 70, 109572. doi:10.1016/j.cellsig.2020.109572
Huber RJ. (2020). Molecular networking in the neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses: Insights from mammalian models and the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum. Journal of Biomedical Science 27(1), 64. doi:10.1186/s12929-020-00653-y
O’Day DH, Mathavarajah S, Myre MA, Huber RJ. (2020). Calmodulin-mediated events during the life cycle of the amoebozoan Dictyostelium discoideum. Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society 95(2), 472-490. doi:10.1111/brv.12573
Aoki MM, Kisiala AB, Li S, Stock NL, Brunetti CR, Huber RJ, Emery RJN. (2019). Cytokinin detection throughout the Dictyostelium discoideum life cycle: Profiles are dynamic and affect cell growth and spore germination. Biomolecules 9(11), 702. doi:10.3390/biom9110702.
Huber RJ, Mathavarajah S. (2019). Comparative transcriptomics reveals mechanisms underlying cln3-deficiency phenotypes in Dictyostelium. Cellular Signalling 58, 79-90. doi:10.1016/j.cellsig.2019.02.004
Mathavarajah S, McLaren MD, Huber RJ. (2018). Cln3 function is linked to osmoregulation in a Dictyostelium model of Batten disease. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta Molecular Basis of Disease 1864, 3559-3573. doi:10.1016/j.bbadis.2018.08.013
Huber RJ, Mathavarajah S. (2018). Secretion and function of Cln5 during the early stages of Dictyostelium development. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta Molecular Cell Research 1865(10), 1437-1450. doi:10.1016/j.bbamcr.2018.07.017
Huber RJ, Mathavarajah S. (2018). Cln5 is secreted and functions as a glycoside hydrolase in Dictyostelium. Cellular Signalling 42, 236-248. doi:10.1016/j.cellsig.2017.11.001
Huber RJ, Myre MA, Cotman SL. (2017). Aberrant adhesion impacts early development in a Dictyostelium model for juvenile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis. Cell Adhesion & Migration 11(4), 399-418. doi:10.1080/19336918.2016.1236179
Huber RJ. (2017). Loss of Cln3 impacts protein secretion in the social amoeba Dictyostelium. Cellular Signalling 35, 61-72. doi:10.1016/j.cellsig.2017.03.022
Huber RJ, O’Day DH. (2017). Extracellular matrix dynamics and functions in the social amoeba Dictyostelium: A critical review. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta General Subjects 1861(1), 2971-2980. doi:10.1016/j.bbagen.2016.09
Huber RJ. (2016). Using the social amoeba Dictyostelium to study the functions of proteins linked to neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis. Journal of Biomedical Science 23(1), 83. doi:10.1186/s12929-016-0301-0
Huber RJ, O’Day DH. (2015). Proteomic profiling of the extracellular matrix (slime sheath) of Dictyostelium discoideum. Proteomics 15(19), 3315-3319. doi:10.1002/pmic.201500143
Huber RJ, Myre MA, Cotman SL. (2014). Loss of Cln3 function in the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum causes pleiotropic effects that are rescued by human CLN3. PLoS One 9(10), e110544. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0110544
Huber RJ. (2014). The cyclin-dependent kinase family in the social amoebozoan Dictyostelium discoideum. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences 71(4), 629-639. doi:10.1007/s00018-013-1449-3
Huber RJ, O’Day DH. (2012). A matricellular protein and EGF-like repeat signalling in the social amoebozoan Dictyostelium discoideum. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences 69(23), 3989–3997. doi:10.1007/s00018-012-1068-4
Prospective students
Students interested in contributing to the research in the lab should submit an updated CV along with an unofficial transcript to Dr. Huber via email: roberthuber@trentu.ca