Biochemistry, University of Toronto

A homogeneous split-luciferase assay for rapid and sensitive detection of anti-SARS CoV-2 antibodies

30 April 2021|

The Stagljar lab has developed an innovative and cost-effective COVID-19 serological called SATiN (for Serological Assay based on split Tripart Nanoluciferase).

SATiN is an example of an innovative, Canadian-made COVID-19 serological test with the potential to make a significant contribution to the fight against COVID-19. It has excellent sensitivity, specificity, operability and quantifiability, as well as great scientific and commercial possibilities. The assay is performed directly in the liquid phase of patient sera, making […]

New Method to Detect Protein-Protein Interactions Developed by the Stagljar Lab

28 May 2020|

In a new publication that was published in Nature Communications, the Stagljar lab describe a new technique, called Split Intein-Mediated Protein Ligation (SIMPL), where two test proteins are fused to two halves of intein, a protein that promotes “protein splicing”. When the two test proteins interact, the intein protein activates a splicing reaction, resulting in the fusion of the two test proteins. This technique can help to detect […]

New potential anti-cancer compounds discovered by the Stagljar lab

1 March 2020|

In the latest issue of Nature Chemical Biology, the Stagljar lab used the mammalian membrane two-hybrid drug screening (MaMTH-DS), a technique that they previously pioneered, to identify new compounds that inhibit the activity of oncoproteins that cause breast cancer. In this case they found four compounds that inhibit the dimerization of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), which is commonly mutated in non-small-cell lung cancers that have become […]

Stagljar lab reveals new interactions among GPCRs

16 March 2017|

Using the modified membrane yeast two‐hybrid (MYTH) technology, researchers from the Stagljar lab mapped membrane protein interactions for clinically important G protein coupled receptors (GPCRs).

Read the full story on Faculty of Medicine website.

Read their paper on Molecular Systems Biology.

Stagljar lab map interactions between receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) and protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs)

1 February 2017|

Featured on the front page of Molecular Cell, the research led by Dr. Igor Stagljar captured and mapped interactions between receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) and protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) in human cells, leading to new and improved cancer therapies.

Read the full story on the Faculty of Medicine and The Varsity websites.

Igor Stagljar and Julie Petschnigg lauded at U of T Celebrates Innovation event

15 May 2015|

At the U of T Celebrates Innovation event on May 7, the University honoured researchers and students who created technologies and successful start-up companies that have the potential for global impact and commercial appeal.

Among the 2015 Inventors of the Year are Igor Stagljar and Julie Petschnigg, who invented Mammalian membrane two-hybrid (MaMTH), which tracks membrane proteins interactions with other proteins […]

Stagljar lab uses MYTH technology to identify interactors of Sho1p

10 March 2015|

The high osmolarity glycerol (HOG) mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) stress response pathway in Saccharomyces cerevisiae enables cells to adapt and remain viable under conditions of high osmotic stress; in pathogenic fungi, the HOG pathway has been implicated in virulence. HOG also serves as a model for other MAPK pathways, including those found in mammals, which are known to play a role in diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

In work recently published in […]

Igor Stagljar interviewed on CIHR funding

16 December 2014|

In today’s Globe and Mail, Dr. Stagljar was interviewed on the current funding climate and what this means for early-to-mid career researchers.

Igor Stagljar Ceremony at the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts

Igor Stagljar has been named a corresponding member of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts

30 June 2014|

Professor Igor Stagljar, Donnelly Centre for Cellular & Biomolecular Research, has been named a corresponding member of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts. He uses a combination of molecular, cellular, chemical genomic and proteomic approaches to study the function of yeast and human membrane proteins, as well as bacterial proteins involved in pathogenicity.

Stagljar Lab identifies a novel biomarker for cancer detection

23 March 2014|

The March 23rd issue of Nature Methods highlights the Stagljar Lab‘s development of the mammalian membrane two-hybrid (MaMTH) assay and its application to the human epidermal growth receptor (EGFR), mutations of which are associated with lung cancer. Using this approach, they identified CrkII as an interactor of the mutated EGFR and showed that Crk II regulates the stability of mutated EGFR and thus promotes signaling within […]

Igor Stagljar lab discovers new regulator of the EGF receptor

18 December 2009|

Researchers at the University of Toronto and Goethe University in Germany have discovered a protein that can inhibit the growth of cancer cells, providing crucial clues for the future development of new drugs to treat the disease.

The protein, called HDAC6, controls the stability of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), a key player in cancer.

“Our teams discovered that HDAC6 acts as a molecular brake to shut down the expression of […]

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