Classes Taught
- Immunobiology (Bio 370)
- Microbiology (Bio 210)
- The Biology of Infection (Bio 348)
- General Biology (Bio 191)
Research Interests
Funk is interested in the broad topic of
cellular decisions, how cells decide what they will become in a
multicellular organism. His cell of choice for these studies is the
B-lymphocyte, the cell that produces antibody molecules. B-lymphocytes
develop continuously throughout the lifetime of an individual and
undergo several distinct steps in their development from hemopoietic
stem cells to mature B-lymphocytes. The development of B-lymphocytes is
also controlled by other cell types, the stromal cells in bone marrow.
B-lymphocytes produce antibody molecules that can be involved in
autoimmune diseases and B-lymphocytes that grow abnormally can lead to
leukemia. So the body must carefully monitor the growth and development
of a B-lymphocyte.One of
the most important decisions a B-lymphocyte makes is whether to live or
die. Greater than 90% of the B-lymphocytes made will be triggered to die
because they have developed a defect of some sort. These cell deaths
are important, but no one understands how these cells are told that they
must die. Funk's laboratory is currently studying the role of a
molecule called chick B6 (chB6) that is present on B-lymphocytes in the
chicken and appears to cause a rapid form of cell death when it is bound
by an antibody. Interestingly, this molecule can also function and be
regulated when placed into mouse cells, suggesting that it has a
conserved function. The lab is trying to understand how chB6 functions
to initiate cell death and if there are similar molecules in mice and
humans.Select Publications
Li, X.W., J.S. Rees, P. Xue, H. Zhang,
S.W. Hamaia, B. Sanderson, P.E. Funk, R.W. Farndale, K.S. Lilley, S.
Perrett, and A.P. Jackson. 2014. New Insights into the DT40 B Cell
Receptor Cluster Using a Proteomic Proximity Labeling Assay. J. Biol.
Chem. 289(21):14434
Funk, P.E., J. Pifer, M. Kharas, G. Crisafi,
and A. Johnson. 2003. The Avian chB6 Alloantigen Induces Apoptosis in
DT40 B Cells. Cell. Immunol. 226:95. Pifer,
J., D. Robison, and P.E. Funk. 2002. The Avian chB6 Alloantigen
Triggers Apoptosis in a Mammalian Cell Line. J. of Immunol. 169:1372. Funk,
P.E., C.A. Tregaskes, J.R. Young, and C.B. Thompson. 1997. The Avian
chB6 (Bu-1) Alloantigen Can Mediate Rapid Cell Death. J. Immunol.
159:1695. Professional Activities
- DePaul Faculty Council (President 09-11)
- Strategic Resource Allocation Committee
- Strategic Facilities Committee
- Strategic Planning Advisory Committee
- Handbook Committee
- Faculty Council Executive Committee
- Joint Council
- Promotion and Tenure Policy Committee
- Policy Review Group
- Department Personnel Committee, Graduate Committee
- Co-Chair Alliance Academic Committee
- Co-Chair Pre-Health Advising Committee
- Chair International Committee
- Faculty Council Budget Committee
Professional Society Memberships
- American Association of Immunologists
- American Society for Microbiology
- American Association for the Advancement of Science
- Autumn Immunology Conference Council