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Minying Cai

  • Research Professor
  • Research Professor, BIO5 Institute
  • Member of the Graduate Faculty
Contact
  • (520) 621-8617
  • Carl S. Marvel Labs of Chem., Rm. 406
  • Tucson, AZ 85721
  • mcai@arizona.edu
  • Bio
  • Interests
  • Courses
  • Scholarly Contributions

Degrees

  • Ph.D.
    • University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, United States

Awards

  • Chinese Peptide Symposium
    • Chinese Peptide Society, Summer 2024
  • USPTI
    • Spring 2023
  • ExpertScape
    • PubMed, Spring 2022 (Award Finalist)
  • Guest Editor of Biomolecule
    • MDPI, Spring 2022
  • Expert in Premelanocortin
    • ExpertScape, Winter 2021 (Award Finalist)
  • National Academy of Inventors, Senior Members
    • NAI, Spring 2020

Related Links

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Interests

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Courses

2024-25 Courses

  • Directed Research
    CHEM 392 (Spring 2025)
  • Honors Directed Research
    BIOC 392H (Spring 2025)
  • Honors Independent Study
    MCB 499H (Spring 2025)
  • Honors Thesis
    BIOC 498H (Spring 2025)
  • Senior Capstone
    BIOC 498 (Spring 2025)
  • Honors Directed Research
    BIOC 392H (Fall 2024)
  • Honors Independent Study
    MCB 499H (Fall 2024)
  • Honors Thesis
    BIOC 498H (Fall 2024)
  • Senior Capstone
    BIOC 498 (Fall 2024)

2023-24 Courses

  • Directed Research
    BIOC 392 (Summer I 2024)
  • Honors Directed Research
    BIOC 392H (Spring 2024)
  • Honors Independent Study
    MCB 399H (Spring 2024)
  • Senior Capstone
    BIOC 498 (Spring 2024)
  • Directed Research
    BIOC 492 (Fall 2023)
  • Senior Capstone
    BIOC 498 (Fall 2023)

2022-23 Courses

  • Directed Research
    BIOC 392 (Spring 2023)
  • Directed Research
    BIOC 492 (Spring 2023)
  • Exchange Chemical Info
    CHEM 695B (Spring 2023)
  • Senior Capstone
    BIOC 498 (Spring 2023)
  • Directed Research
    BIOC 392 (Fall 2022)
  • Senior Capstone
    BIOC 498 (Fall 2022)

2021-22 Courses

  • Directed Research
    BIOC 392 (Spring 2022)
  • Exchange Chemical Info
    CHEM 695B (Spring 2022)

2020-21 Courses

  • Exchange Chemical Info
    CHEM 695B (Spring 2021)
  • Senior Capstone
    BIOC 498 (Spring 2021)
  • Senior Capstone
    BIOC 498 (Fall 2020)

2019-20 Courses

  • Directed Research
    BIOC 392 (Spring 2020)
  • Directed Research
    BIOC 492 (Spring 2020)
  • Honors Thesis
    BIOC 498H (Spring 2020)
  • Honors Thesis
    BIOC 498H (Fall 2019)
  • Honors Thesis
    MCB 498H (Fall 2019)

2018-19 Courses

  • Honors Directed Research
    BIOC 492H (Spring 2019)
  • Honors Thesis
    CHEM 498H (Spring 2019)
  • Honors Thesis
    MCB 498H (Spring 2019)
  • Senior Capstone
    BIOC 498 (Spring 2019)
  • Directed Rsrch
    MCB 492 (Fall 2018)
  • Honors Directed Research
    BIOC 392H (Fall 2018)
  • Honors Thesis
    CHEM 498H (Fall 2018)
  • Research
    CHEM 900 (Fall 2018)
  • Senior Capstone
    BIOC 498 (Fall 2018)

2017-18 Courses

  • Honors Independent Study
    CHEM 499H (Spring 2018)
  • Research
    CHEM 900 (Fall 2017)
  • Senior Capstone
    BIOC 498 (Fall 2017)

2016-17 Courses

  • Honors Independent Study
    BIOC 499H (Spring 2017)
  • Honors Thesis
    PSIO 498H (Spring 2017)
  • Senior Capstone
    BIOC 498 (Spring 2017)
  • Directed Research
    CHEM 492 (Fall 2016)
  • Honors Independent Study
    BIOC 499H (Fall 2016)
  • Honors Independent Study
    NSCS 499H (Fall 2016)
  • Honors Independent Study
    PSIO 399H (Fall 2016)
  • Honors Independent Study
    PSIO 499H (Fall 2016)
  • Honors Thesis
    PSIO 498H (Fall 2016)
  • Senior Capstone
    BIOC 498 (Fall 2016)

2015-16 Courses

  • Directed Research
    BIOC 492 (Spring 2016)
  • Directed Research
    CHEM 392 (Spring 2016)
  • Directed Research
    ECOL 492 (Spring 2016)
  • Honors Thesis
    BIOC 498H (Spring 2016)

Related Links

UA Course Catalog

Scholarly Contributions

Journals/Publications

  • Cai, M., Hruby, V. J., & Cai, M. -. (2013). Design of peptide and peptidomimetic ligands with novel pharmacological activity profiles. Annual review of pharmacology and toxicology, 53.
    More info
    Peptide hormones and neurotransmitters are of central importance in most aspects of intercellular communication and are involved in virtually all degenerative diseases. In this review, we discuss physicochemical approaches to the design of novel peptide and peptidomimetic agonists, antagonists, inverse agonists, and related compounds that have unique biological activity profiles, reduced toxic side effects, and, if desired, the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier. Designing ligands for specific biological and medical needs is emphasized, as is the close collaboration of chemists and biologists to maximize the chances for success. Special emphasis is placed on the use of conformational (ϕ-ψ space) and topographical (χ space) considerations in design.
  • Salamon, Z., Fitch, J., Cai, M., Tumati, S., Navratilova, E., & Tollin, G. (2009). Plasmon-waveguide resonance studies of ligand binding to integral proteins in membrane fragments derived from bacterial and mammalian cells. Analytical Biochemistry, 387(1), 95-101.
    More info
    PMID: 19454250;PMCID: PMC2783692;Abstract: A procedure has been developed for directly depositing membrane fragments derived from bacterial cells (chromatophores from Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides) and mammalian cells (μ-opioid receptor- and MC4 receptor-transfected human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells and rat trigeminal ganglion cells) on the silica surface of a plasmon-waveguide resonance (PWR) spectrometer. Binding of ligands (cytochrome c2 for the chromatophores, the peptide agonists DAMGO and melanotan-II that are specific for the μ-opioid and MC4 receptors, and two nonpeptide agonists that are specific for the CB1 receptor) to these membrane fragments has been observed and characterized with high sensitivity using PWR spectral shifts. The KD values obtained are in excellent agreement with conventional pharmacological assays and with prior PWR studies using purified receptors inserted into deposited lipid bilayer membranes. These studies provide a new tool for obtaining useful biological information about receptor-mediated processes in real biological membranes. © 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Poster Presentations

  • Albuquerque Ferreira, J. P., Hardin, M. C., Homer, P. T., White, J. S., Weinberg, N. G., Mckean, B., Overstreet, S. G., Anhalt, C. O., Daly Rooney, R. A., Manne, S., Ogden, G. E., Dooley, C. M., Berg, J. A., Fallis, D. T., Decker, P. A., White, C., Saavedra, S. S., Hudson, L., Lux, K. M., , Joshi, K. N., et al. (2016, October). A case of Disseminated Gonoccocal Infection in a Native American HIV infected Female. ACP Phoenix Chapter 2016.

Others

  • Zabludoff, A. I., Blowers, P., Boesen, K. J., Attakai, A., Abril, E. R., Taljanovic, M., Feeney, M. E., Margolis, E., Miller, J. E., Goshima, K. R., Cooley, J. H., Lee, J., Coppola, C. L., Berry, M. K., Duran-Cerda, D. G., Higgins, C. M., Ahner, H., Kumet, R., Heusinkveld, J., , Krieg, P. A., et al. (2017, March). Sahel Framework for mainstreaming land policy and governance into national agriculture policy. Africa Land Adivisory group.

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