Leslie M. Kennedy, Ph.D.
Research Interests
Molecular changes occurring in heart failure have largely focused on the transcriptional landscape. While this is a very important component of disease pathogenesis and characterization, disparities between transcript and protein abundances emphasize the need to better understand proteomic changes occurring in heart failure as well as the mechanisms governing these changes. Post-translational modifications (PTMs) are a well-known mechanism for regulating protein turnover and activity. A lesser-known role for these modifications involves hydroxylation on translational machinery. 2-oxoglutarate- and Fe2+-dependent oxygenases catalyze hydroxylation, and there are more than 60 members in this family of enzymes. Our work is the first to show that OGFOD1 (2-oxoglutarate- and Fe2+-dependent oxygenase domain-containing protein 1), a member of this enzyme family, accumulates in human failing hearts at both the RNA and protein levels. Additionally, OGFOD1 deletion is protective in cardiac ischemia-reperfusion injury and cardiac hypertrophy. We are currently using genetic and molecular tools to investigate translation regulation under physiological and pathological conditions.
Education/Employment
- 2023 – Present
Assistant Professor. Department of Physiology, Brody School of Medicine. East Carolina University. Greenville, NC. - 2019 – 2023
NIH Research Scholar. Laboratory of Cardiovascular Biology, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. National Institutes of Health. Bethesda, MD. Advisor: Elizabeth Murphy, Ph.D. - 2017 – 2019
Postdoctoral Fellow. Laboratory of Cardiac Physiology, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. National Institutes of Health. Bethesda, MD. Advisor: Elizabeth Murphy, Ph.D. - 2015-2017
Postdoctoral Fellow, Duke Molecular Physiology Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC - 2017
Ph.D. in Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Chapel Hill, NC. Advisor: Frank Conlon, Ph.D. - 2008 – 2010
Postbaccalaureate Fellow. Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Chapel Hill, NC. Advisor: W. Kimryn Rathmell, M.D., Ph.D. - 2008
B.S. in Biology, Elizabeth City State University. Elizabeth City, NC.