Photo of Bruce J. Mayer, Ph.D.

Bruce J. Mayer, Ph.D.

Professor and Vice-chair, Genetics and Genome Sciences
Member, Center for Cellular Analysis and Modeling
Academic Office Location:
Genetics and Genome Sciences
UConn Health
263 Farmington Avenue
Farmington, CT 06030-6403
Phone: 860-679-1836
Fax: 860-679-8345
Email: bmayer@neuron.uchc.edu
Website(s):

Systems Biology Graduate Program

Genetics and Developmental Biology Graduate Program

Education
DegreeInstitutionMajor
B.A.Wesleyan UniversityBiology
Ph.D.Rockefeller UniversityViral Oncology

Post-Graduate Training
TrainingInstitutionSpecialty
FellowshipNational Science FoundationGraduate Fellowship
PostdoctoralRockefeller UniversityPostdoctoral Fellow under Dr. Hidesaburo Hanafusa
PostdoctoralWhitehead Institute for Biomedical Research and the Rockefeller UniversityPostdoctoral Fellow under Dr. David Baltimore
PostdoctoralNational Institutes of Health (NIH) Postdoctoral Fellowship, Functional Significance of Nuclear c-Abl Gene Product

Awards
Name of Award/HonorAwarding Organization
Raymond and Beverly Sackler Endowment AwardUConn Health Center
Phi Beta KappaThe Phi Beta Kappa Society
Name & DescriptionCategoryRoleTypeScopeStart YearEnd Year
Faculty Opinions Landmarks Cell Biology Advisory BoardEditorial BoardBoard member to evaluate recent publications for Landmark statusExternalInternational20222023
UCHC School of Medicine Oversight CommitteeOthermemberUConn HealthUniversity20212024
Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)Advisory CommitteememberUConn HealthUniversity20212024
ZCA1 SRB-X (J1) NCI Review of Informatics Technology in Cancer Research (10/15-10/16/21)Study SectionmemberExternalNational20212021
ZCA1 SRB-1 (J2) Research Projects in Cancer Systems Biology (U01) (11/04/21)Study SectionChairExternalNational20212021
Special Emphasis Panel/Scientific Review Group 2020/10 ZRG1 BCMB-F (50) R (SEP to review NIGMS RM1 applications)Study SectionmemberExternalNational20202020
Special Emphasis Panel/Scientific Review Group 2020/10 ZEB1 OSR-E (O1) S (NIBIB SEP to review K award applications)Study SectionmemberExternalNational20202020
Special Emphasis Panel/Scientific Review Group 2021/01 ZCA1 TCRB-T (J1) R (NCI SEP to review Informatics Technology for Cancer Research (ITCR) applications)Study SectionmemberExternalNational20202020
NIH F31/F32 Fellowship study section (November 2019)Study SectionmemberExternalNational20192019
Graduate Programs Committee Curriculum CommitteeEducation CommitteememberUConn HealthUniversity20192024
President's Research Advisory Committee (PRAC)Advisory CommitteememberUConn-StorrsUniversity2019
NIH F31/F32 Fellowship study section (November 2018)Study SectionmemberExternalNational20182018
DoD Ovarian Cancer Research Program peer review panel (October 2018)Study SectionmemberExternalNational20182018
UCH Space Appeals CommitteeResearch CommitteememberUConn HealthLocal20182024
NIH F31/F32 Fellowship study section (November 2017)Study Sectionad hoc memberExternalNational20172017
NIH MIRA proposal review for NIGMS (March 2017)Study Sectionad hoc memberExternalNational20172017
LCME self-study committee on faculty standardsAdvisory CommitteechairUConn HealthLocal20172017
LCME Task ForceAdvisory CommitteememberUConn HealthLocal20172017
Research IT Advisory Group (RITAG)Advisory CommitteememberUConn HealthUniversity2017
National Institutes of Health, MIST study section (ad hoc)Study SectionreviewerExternalNational20162016
National Institutes of Health, NIGMS MIRA grant proposal reviewStudy SectionreviewerExternalNational20162016
Journal of Biological Chemistry Editorial BoardEditorial BoardEditorial Board memberExternalInternational20162026
NIH SEP to assess U01 proposals for Centers for Cancer Systems Biology (CCSB) February 2015Study SectionchairNational20152015
CSR’s NIH Application Comparison Pilot (February 2015)Study SectionreviewerExternalNational20152015
NIH F31/F32 Fellowship study section (July 2015)Study SectionreviewerExternalNational20152015
NIH MIRA proposal review for NIGMS (November 2015)Study SectionreviewerExternalNational20152015
Graduate Programs Committee Admissions CommitteeEducation CommitteememberUConn HealthLocal20142017
MIST study section (NIH), June meetingStudy Sectionad hoc memberExternalNational20132013
NCI Provocative Questions R01 and R21 proposalsStudy Sectionmail reviewerExternalNational20122012
NIH Director's Early Independence Award Review Study Sectionmail reviewerExternalNational20122012
National Institutes of Health, College of CSR Reviewers Advisory CommitteeMemberExternalNational20102012
Senior Appointments and Promotions CommitteeAdvisory CommitteememberUConn HealthLocal20102025
Member, Susan Komen for the Cure Career Catalyst Research grant review panelStudy Sectiongrant reviewerExternalNational20102011
BMC Biology (previously Journal of Biology)Editorial BoardEditorial Board memberExternalInternational20082024
National Institutes of Health, CSRS study section Study SectionChairExternalNational20072009
Health Center Research Advisory Council (HCRAC)Advisory CommitteememberUConn HealthUniversity20072024
National Institutes of Health, member, CSD study section Study SectionMemberExternalNational20062007
UCHC School of Medicine Education CouncilEducation CommitteeMemberUConn HealthLocal20062012
Department of Defense, US Army Ovarian Cancer Research Program, member OC-1 study section Study SectionMemberUConn HealthNational20042006
National Institutes of Health, CSD study section (ad hoc) Study SectionAd Hoc MemberExternalNational20032006
Graduate Programs Committee, UCHCEducation CommitteeChairUConn HealthLocal20032005
Department of Defense, US Army Breast Cancer Research Program, member MBG-2 study section Study SectionMemberExternalNational20012005
Graduate Programs Committee, UCHCEducation CommitteeVice-chairUConn HealthLocal20012003
American Association for the Advancement of ScienceProfessional/Scientific OrganizationMemberExternalNational

Our group is interested in mechanisms of signal transduction. The ability of a cell to receive signals from the surrounding environment and respond to those signals appropriately is literally a matter of life and death. Whether a cell will proliferate, differentiate, or die, where it will adhere or migrate, virtually all aspects of its behavior depend on the ability to accurately interpret signals. Not only is signaling critical for normal development and the day-to-day function of an organism, but disregulated signaling underlies many human diseases such as cancer and autoimmune disorders. It is now appreciated that one of the central elements of the signaling machinery is the highly regulated and specific formation of protein-protein complexes. The fact that signaling relies on the binding of proteins to each other presents extraordinary opportunities: binding can be used as a means of identifying critical components of signaling pathways, and also provides the basis for strategies to inhibit those pathways in the laboratory or the clinic. We use a combination of biochemical and cell biological techniques to understand signaling pathways such as those that control cell proliferation and the organization of the cytoskeleton. We are also actively pursuing novel proteomic approaches to identify functionally important protein interactions and to characterize interactions on a global scale.

Not accepting lab rotation students at this time


Lab Rotation Projects Various projects aimed at profiling tyrosine phosphorylation in cells and tumor samples; signal transduction via tyrosine kinases and their substrates; regulation of actin cytoskeleton by extracellular signals.

Journal Articles

Books

  • Lim, WA Mayer, BJ Pawson, T Cell signaling: principles and mechanisms 2014 Jun;
  • Wendell Lim, Bruce Mayer Cell Signaling: Principles and Mechanisms, second edition (in press)

Book Chapters

Conference Papers

Editorials

Other

  • Measurement of solubility product in a model condensate reveals the interplay of small oligomerization and self-association
    Chattaraj A, Baltaci Z, Mayer BJ, Loew LM, Ditlev JA BioRxiv 2024 Jan;

Reviews

Title or AbstractTypeSponsor/EventDate/YearLocation
Using phosphotyrosine binding domains to interrogate the state of cell signaling (2/18/21)Lecturecombined BBB and CCBIO seminar series2021University of Bergen, Norway (virtual)
Using phosphotyrosine binding domains to interrogate the state of cell signaling (University of Bergen, Norway). Visit coincided with beginning of pandemic shutdowns in March 2020, so provided informal seminar to host's research group instead of formal seminarTalkUniversity of Bergen2020Norway
Using SH2 domains to profile cell signaling and cancerLectureDepartment of Pathology, Kyoto University2019Kyoto, Japan
Integrating tyrosine phosphoproteomics and computational modeling in cancerLecture38th Sapporo International Cancer Symposium2019Sapporo, Japan
EMBO Workshop Organizer, "The modularity of signalling proteins and networks" (September 16-21, 2018)OtherEMBO2018Seefeld, Austria
Center for Biological Systems Engineering, Washington UniversityTalk2016St. Louis
EMBO Workshop Organizer, "The modularity of signalling proteins and networks" (September 20-25, 2016)OtherEMBO2016Seefeld, Austria
Keystone Symposium “The Biological Code of Cell Signaling: A Tribute to Tony Pawson” (session chair)Plenary LectureKeystone Symposia2015Steamboat Springs, CO
ICBP Steering Committee MeetingTalkNIH2014Rockville, MD
Research seminar, University of Colorado School of MedicineLectureUniversity of Colorado School of Medicine2013Aurora, CO
Symposium in honor of David Foster.TalkHunter College, NY 2012New York, NY
Duke University School of MedicineTalk2012Durham, NC
Roswell Park Cancer InstituteTalk2012Buffalo, NY
Center for Molecular MedicineTalk2012UCHC
ICBP Investigator's MeetingTalkNCI ICPB program2012San Francisco, CA
Keystone Symposium on the Evolution of Protein Phosphorylation.Talk2011Keystone CO
5th FEBS workshop on modular protein domains.Talk2011Seefeld Austria
University of Nevada/Las VegasTalk2011Las Vegas, NV
Connecticut College2011New London, CT
Scientific symposium in memory of Hidesaburo Hanafusa.TalkRockefeller University2009New York, NY
4th FEBS workshop on modular protein domains.Talk2009Seefeld Austria
Boehringer Ingelheim PharmaceuticalsTalk2009Ridgefield CT
West Virginia UniversityTalkMary Babb Randolph Cancer Center2009Morgantown, WV
Case Western Reserve UniversityTalk2009Cleveland, OH
University of Connecticut Stem Cell Institute Symposium. TalkUniversity of Connecticut2008CT
3rd FEBS workshop on modular protein domains.Talk2007Seefeld Austria
Gordon Research Conference on Growth Factor Receptor Signaling.Talk2006New London CT
4th Biennial International Conference on Molecular Oncogenesis.Talk2006Osaka Japan
2nd FEBS workshop on modular protein domains.Talk2005Seefeld Austria
The Oncogene RevolutionTalkOsaka Bioscience Institute Symposium 2004Osaka Japan
IBC Proteomics SymposiumTalk2002Philadelphia PA
14th Methods in Protein Structure Analysis MeetingTalk2002Valencia Spain
COE International Symposium on Molecular Pathogenesis and Therapeutic Strategies for Neurodegenerative Disease and Malignant Tumor.Talk2002Nagoya Japan
Euresco Conference on Functional Protein Modules in Cytoskeleton and Signaling Proteins Talk2001Seefeld, Austria
Tyrosine phosphorylation and cell signaling: The third decadeTalkSalk Institute2000
Roles of protein tyrosine phosphorylation in signal transduction: the 25th anniversary of the discovery of c-Src,TalkOsaka Bioscience Institute2000Osaka Japan
Northeast Branch of the American Society for Microbiology meeting, “Drug Discovery for the 21st Century.” Talk1999Worcester, MA
Memorial Symposium for Teruko Hanafusa; FASEB Summer Research Conference, GI Tract VII; Twelfth Rinshoken International ConferenceTalk1997Tokyo, Japan
Biochemistry of Signal Transduction course.TalkGraduate School of the City University of New York1996New York
FASEB Summer Research Conference, Protein Kinases and PhosphorylationTalk1995
Symposium on Molecular Biology of CancerTalk1994Seoul, Korea
SH2/SH3 Domains and Tyrosine Kinase Signaling SymposiumTalk1993Boston MA
Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia MeetingTalk1992Martha's Vinyard, MA
AACR Normal and Neoplastic Growth and Development MeetingTalk1992Chatham, MA
SH2/SH3 Domains and Tyrosine Kinase Signaling SymposiumTalk1992Boston MA
Cold Spring Harbor Symposium on Quantitative BiologyTalk1988Cold Spring Harbor, NY