Thomas Vida Email & Phone Number

Las Vegas, Nv, Us

Houston, Tx, Us

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

Houston, Texas Area

Houston, Texas Area

• Founded an independent research laboratory• Obtained $1.9 million in grant funds from the AHA and the NIH• Studied energy-dependent localization of proteins • Generated a novel 2-fluor cell sorting system that uses pseudo-FRET to isolate yeast mutants• Developed an elegant cell lysis procedure to reconstitute protein transport between two organelles in a cell-free system• Trained and supervised technical personnel• Directed >40 graduate, medical, or undergraduate students to do experiments in biochemistry, cell biology, genetics, and molecular biology• Served and advised on >30 doctoral graduate student thesis committees• Invited >20 times to present research seminars across the US• Directed departmental Summer Undergraduate Research Program • Lectured on the pharmacology of antibiotics to med students (~200 per class)• Taught advanced microbiology, biochemistry, cell biology, and digital image analysis to grad students (~15 per class)

Continuation of my research from Caltech. Through my developments in subcellular fractionation, I discovered a new organelle, the prevacuolar compartment in yeast. I also pioneered the use of a novel vital dye, FM4-64, to explore endocytosis, which is now widely used in the fields of endocytic membrane traffic, bacterial cell division, and the cytoskeleton.

I developed novel methods to permeabilize cells and maintain cellular functions. I used these approaches to reconstitute inter-compartmental transport between organelles in permeabilized yeast cells. I also designed and implemented new methods for subcellular fractionation. For these studies, I competitively obtained a junior and senior fellowship from the American Cancer Society.

I purified and characterized multiple forms of neprilysin, an integral plasma membrane endopeptidase that regulates activity of >10 neuronal and hormonal peptides, including β amyloid peptides. This work involved solubilizing membranes with nonionic detergents and extensive chromatography techniques. I developed immuno-assay and immuno-affinity procedures to detect (ng levels) and purify neprilysin iso-forms in mg quantities respectively.

Post-Doctorate, Cell Biology

Post-Doctorate, Cell Biology

Phd, Biochemistry

Activities and Societies: Elected into the Sigma Xi Research Society.

Bs, Microbiology, Cell Biology