DJ Black

Visiting Assistant Professor of Chemistry

Office:

Stephens Science Center

Contact Information:

Birmingham-Southern College
Box 549022
900 Arkadelphia Rd
Birmingham, AL 35254
E-mail: [email protected]

Brief Career Background:

I obtained my PhD from Ohio State University under the direction of J. David Johnson and Ruth Aultschuld to understand the sequence function relationships responsible for regulation of numerous calcium dependent enzymatic pathways and the ryanodine receptors involved in CICR. Following graduate school, my initial stint in academia lasted 11 years at UMKC, followed by a mad dash to industry to pay for my multiple daughters’ dance tuitions. After this 11-year extended hiatus, I returned to academia to refill my emotional well in the Spring of 2022 at CWI and joined BSC this fall ending my gypsy ways.

Educational Background:

B.A. in Chemistry, California State University 1997
Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Ohio State University, 2001

Research Focus:

The primary focus of my research is elucidating the kinetic mechanism of the calcium dependent bimodal interactions between the superfamily of calcium signaling proteins related to Calmodulin and their targets. The combined responses of these proteins and their targets dictate the physiological responses during a physiological Ca²⁺ transient observed in most cell types and especially dominant in CICR and neuronal signaling.