Individual Listing

3320 SPIETH HALL
University of California
Riverside, CA 92521

Cardullo, Richard

Professor of Biology
Professor of Biology

College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences

Biology


Biology


Biography

 

Degrees

PhD Cell Biology 1985

Johns Hopkins University

Awards

UCR Distinguished Teaching Award, 1998
Robert Day Allen Fellow at the Mrine Biological Laboratories in Woods Hole, MA, 2000
Visiting Scholar, Scripps Institute of Oceanography, 2001


Research Area

Research Specialization - cellular biophysics, fertilization biology.

Fertilization is a result of complex molecular interactions between sperm and egg and a complete understanding of these processes is necessary to identify potential sites for contraceptive development as well as specific molecular lesions leading to infertility.  Our laboratory is currently employing advanced imaging technologies along with biochemical and biophysical methodologies in order to determine both the molecules involved in fertilization as well as the precise sequence of molecular events ultimately leading to the fusion of mammalian sperm and egg.  In particular we have been focusing on three specific aspects of sperm egg interaction: The characterization of egg-associated proteins with complementary receptors on the sperm surface.  The dynamics of the sperm plasma membrane during fertilization.  The initiation and characterization of signal transduction pathways leading to the exocytosis of the acrosomal vesicle from sperm. Using a number of video enhanced microscopic techniques such as fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) we are able to observe these molecular events at the level of the single cell.  In addition, we have begun to use these techniques to follow the activation of other cell types and to follow the expression of genes during embryonic development.

Publications

Price, M.V. and Cardullo, R.A. 2000. UC must take lead in curricula reform, teacher training. California Agriculture 54:56-62.

Cardullo, R.A. 1999. Characteristics of the sperm-zona interaction: Identifying key issues for determining receptors for ZP3. In: The male gamete: basic biology and clinical applications (C. Gagnon, ed.), Cache River Press, pp. 237-247.

Cardullo, R.A., and S. Dandala. 1999. Correcting for artifacts in complex aqueous solutions when using the pH-sensitive dye 3',7'-bis-(2-carboxyethyl)-5(and-6) carboxyfluorescein. Anal. Biochem. 267(2):351-6.

Cardullo, R.A., and E.J. Alm. 1997. Introduction to Image Processing. Methods in Cell Biology, 56:91-115.

Arnoult, C., Cardullo, R.A., Lemos, J.R., and H.M. Florman. 1996. Activation of mouse sperm T-type Ca2+ channels by adhesion to the zona pellucida. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 93:13004-13009.

Thaler, C.D., and R.A. Cardullo. 1996. The initial interaction between mouse sperm and the zona pellucida is a complex binding event. J. Biol. Chem. 38:23289-23297.

Thaler, C.D., and R.A. Cardullo. 1996. Defining oligosaccharide specificity for initial sperm-zona pellucida adhesion in the mouse. Molec. Reprod. Devel. 45:535-546

Cardullo, R.A., Herrick, S.B., Peterson, M.J., and L.J.  Dangott.  1994.  Speract receptors are localized on sea urchin sperm flagella using a fluorescent peptide analog.  Developmental Biology 162:600-607.