Janis KLOVINS

Janis Klovins, PhD Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre Ratsupites street 1 Riga, LV-1067 Latvia Phone: +371-7808003 Fax: +371-7442407 Mobile:+371-26438469 E-mail: klovins@biomed.lu.lv

 Born: September 26, 1969, Riga, Latvia

• Gene Structure and Molecular Genetics
• G- Protein Coupled Receptors
• Genetics of Metabolic Regulation
• Molecular Evolution
• Viral RNA Structures and Replication
• Biobanks and Genome Databases

Languages: Latvian, English, Russian

• Dipl. Biol., University of Latvia, molecular biology
• Ms. Sci. University of Latvia, molecular biology
• Ph.D. Leiden University, The Netherlands
• Nostrification, Dr. boil, University of Latvia

• 1991-1993 Laboratory assistant, Lab. of Recombinant DNA Biotechnology, Institute of Molecular Biology, University of Latvia and Latvian Academy of Sciences, Riga, Latvia

• 1993-1995 Research assistant, Lab. of Recombinant DNA Biotechnology, Biomedical Research and Study Centre, University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia.

• 1995-1998 Doctoral student at the Lab. of Recombinant DNA Biotechnology, Biomedical Research and Study Centre, University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia.

• 1997-1999 Ph.D. student at the Gorlaeus laboratories, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands

• 2000-2006 Senior Researcher, Group leader, Biomedical Research and Study Centre, University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia.

• 2001- 2004 Researcher at Dep. Of Neuroscience, Section of Pharmacology, BMC, Uppsala University, Sweden

• 2005- Head of the Genome Center, Latvian Biomedical Reesearch and Study Center.

• Corresponding Member, Latvian Academy of Sciences, 2006

• First award of Latvian Academy of Sciences for young scientists, 1995.

• 1995- Member, Latvian Biochemical Society

• 2005- Member, Promotion committee for Biology, Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Latvia.

• Klovins, J., Tsareva, N.A., de Smit, M.H., Berzins, V., and van Duin, J. (1997) Rapid evolution of translational control mechanisms in RNA genomes. J. Mol. Biol. 265, 372-384.
• Klovins, J., van Duin, J. and Olhstorn, R. (1997) Rescue of the RNA phage genome from RNase III cleavage. Nucl. Acids Res., 25, 4201-4208.
• Klovins, J., Berzins, V., and van Duin, J. (1998) A long-range interaction in Qb RNA that bridges the thousand nucleotides between the M-site and the 3’ end is required or replication. RNA 4, 948-957.
• Klovins, J., and van Duin, J. (1999) A long-range pseudoknot in Qb is essential for replication. J.Mol.Biol. 294, 875-84.
• Klovins J., Overbeek G.P., Ackermann H.-W., Van Duin J., (2002) Nucleotide sequence of a ssRNA phage from Acinetobacter: kinship to coliphages. J Gen Virol, 831523-33
• Ringholm A, Klovins J, Fredriksson R, Poliakova N, Larson ET, Kukkonen JP, Larhammar D and Schioth HB. (2003) Presence of melanocortin (MC4) receptor in spiny dogfish suggests an ancient vertebrate origin of central melanocortin system. Eur J Biochem. 2003 270:213-221.
• Schioth HB, Lagerstrom MC, Watanobe H, Jonsson L, Vergoni AV, Ringholm A, Skarphedinsson JO, Skuladottir GV, Klovins J and Fredriksson R. (2003) Functional role, structure, and evolution of the melanocortin-4 receptor. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 994:74-83.
• Ringholm, A., Klovins, J., Rudzish, R., Phillips, S., Rees, J.L., & Schiöth, H.B., (2004) Pharmacological Characterization of Loss of Function Mutations of the Human Melanocortin 1 Receptor That Are Associated with Red Hair J. Invest. Dermatol. 123: 917-923.
• Klovins, J., Haitina, T., Ringholm, A. Löwgren, M., Fridmanis, D., Slaidina, M., Stier, S., & Schioth, H.B., (2004) Cloning of two melanocortin (MC) receptors in spiny dogfish: MC3 receptor in cartilaginous fish shows high affinity to ACTH derived peptides while it has lower preference to g-MSH, Eur. J. Biochem, 271: 4320-4331.
• Lagerstrom MC, Fredriksson R, Bjarnadottir TK, Fridmanis D, Holmquist T, Andersson J, Yan YL, Raudsepp T, Zoorob R, Kukkonen JP, Lundin LG, Klovins J, Chowdhary BP, Postlethwait JH, Schioth HB.,(2005) Origin of the prolactin-releasing hormone (PRLH) receptors: evidence of coevolution between PRLH and a redundant neuropeptide Y receptor during vertebrate evolution. Genomics 2005, 85(6):688-703
• Petrovska R, Kapa I, Klovins J, Schioth HB, Uhlen S: Addition of a signal peptide sequence to the alpha1D-adrenoceptor gene increases the density of receptors, as determined by [3H]-prazosin binding in the membranes. Br J Pharmacol 2005, 144(5):651-659.
• Schioth HB, Haitina T, Ling MK, Ringholm A, Fredriksson R, Cerda-Reverter JM, Klovins J: Evolutionary conservation of the structural, pharmacological, and genomic characteristics of the melanocortin receptor subtypes. Peptides 2005, 26(10):1886-1900.

Research projects:

National:

• Study of genetic factors in regulation of homeostasis and metabolism. Latvian Council of Science ( 2004 - )

• Structure, fuction and new ligand screening for neural G – protein coupled receptors. Latvian Council of Science
  ( 2004 - )

• Structure, function and molecular evolution of melanocortin receptors, Latvian Council of Science ( 2001-2004)

• Polymorphism of genes involved in the hypothalamic melanocortin system and its connection to disorders in regulation of energy homeostasis in Latvian population, Latvian Council of Science ( 2001-2004)

International:

• Obesity: The molecular foundation for individual variation in body weight regulation, (contractor) AFA foundation, Sweden

• The structural requirements for ligand activation of peptide binding GPCRs, Marie Curie individual fellowship (2003-2004)
• Genetic and pharmacological characterization of G- protein coupled receptors involved in metabolic disorders, Wenner-Gren foundation fellowship (2002-2003)

Last update 29.12.2006