Jump to
Department of Biomedical Sciences
325 SMed
1035 University Drive
Duluth, MN 55812
PhD, Cornell University
Major: Biochemistry, Cell & Molecular Biology
BS, Michigan Technological University
Major: Biological Sciences/Chemical Engineering
Selected Publications
Manipulation of mitochondrial poly(A) polymerase family proteins in Trypanosoma brucei impacts mRNA termini processing.
Smoniewski CM, Mirzavand Borujeni P, Hampton M, Petersen A, Faacks SP, Salavati R, Zimmer SL.
Frontiers in Parasitology 2, 1298561
Role of PIP39 in oxidative stress response appears conserved in kinetoplastids.
Durrani H, Bjork JA, Zimmer SL. Mol Biochem Parasitol. 2024 Sep;259:111620. doi: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2024.111620. Epub 2024 Apr 21.
PMID: 38653348.
Blastocrithidia nonstop mitochondrial genome and its expression are remarkably insulated from nuclear codon reassignment.
Afonin DA, Gerasimov ES, Škodová-Sveráková I, Záhonová K, Gahura O, Albanaz ATS, Myšková E, Bykova A, Paris Z, Lukeš J, Opperdoes FR, Horváth A, Zimmer SL, Yurchenko V. Nucleic Acids Res. 2024 Apr 24;52(7):3870-3885. doi: 10.1093/nar/gkae168.
PMID: 38452217; FREE PMC article.
A link between mitochondrial gene expression and life stage morphologies in Trypanosoma cruzi.
Ramirez-Barrios R, Susa EK, Smoniewski CM, Faacks SP, Liggett CK, Zimmer SL.
Mol Microbiol. 2020 May;113(5):1003-1021.doi:10.111/mmi.14466. Epub 2020 Feb 5.
PMID: 31961979; Free article.
Trypanosomatid mitochondrial RNA editing: dramatically complex transcript repertoires revealed with a dedicated mapping tool.
Gerasimov ES, Gasparyan AA, Kaurov I, Tichý B, Logacheva MD, Kolesnikov AA, Lukeš J, Yurchenko V, Zimmer SL, Flegontov P.
Nucleic Acids Res. 2018 Jan 25;46(2):765-781. doi: 10.1093/nar/gkx1202.
PMID: 29220521; Free PMC article.
Mitochondrial Gene Expression Is Responsive to Starvation Stress and Developmental Transition in Trypanosoma cruzi.
Shaw AK, Kalem MC, Zimmer SL.
mSphere. 2016 Apr 13;1(2):e00051-16. doi: 10.1128/mSphere.00051-16. eCollection 2016 Mar-Apr.
PMID: 27303725; Free PMC article.
circTAIL-seq, a targeted method for deep analysis of RNA 3' tails, reveals transcript-specific differences by multiple metrics.
Gazestani VH, Hampton M, Abrahante JE, Salavati R, Zimmer SL.
RNA. 2016 Mar;22(3):477-86. doi: 10.1261/rna.054494.115. Epub 2016 Jan 12.
PMID: 26759453; Free PMC article.
A novel member of the RNase D exoribonuclease family functions in mitochondrial guide RNA metabolism in Trypanosoma brucei.
Zimmer SL, McEvoy SM, Li J, Qu J, Read LK.
J Biol Chem. 2011 Mar 25;286(12):10329-40. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M110.152439. Epub 2011 Jan 20.
PMID: 21252235; Free PMC article.
The focus of our molecular parasitology laboratory is trypanosomes. Species of these vector-borne protozoan parasites cause World Health Organization-designated Neglected Tropical Diseases that are endemic to poor, rural populations and for which new drug targets are urgently needed. The laboratory studies aspects of their metabolism and mitochondrial gene expression, looking not only for vulnerabilities that may serve as new drug targets but also at processes that can inform our fundamental understanding of eukaryotic evolution.
American Heart Association Research Leaders Academy, 2017
Alexander Dubcek Travel Award, 2016
NIH Training Grant: 5T32GM007273 Predoctoral Training in Cellular Molecular Biology, 2004
National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship: Honorable Mention, 2003
NIH Training Grant: 5T32GM007273 Predoctoral Training in Cellular Molecular Biology, 2002
Scialog Fellow - Mitigating Zoonotic Threats, Research Corporation for Scientific Advancement 2021-2023
University of Minnesota Center for Women in Medicine and Science Leadership Award for Advancing Gender Equity and Inclusion in Medicine and Science Fields 2022