Ph.D. - Cell Regulation
U.T. Southwestern Medical Center - 1999
Professional Preparation
B.S. - Biology
U.T. San Antonio - 1993
U.T. San Antonio - 1993
Certificate Optical Lab. Tech. - Optics
Ft. Fitzsimmons/Regis College - 1985
Ft. Fitzsimmons/Regis College - 1985
M.D. - Medicine
Universidad A. de Nuevo Leon Monterrey, Mexico - 1980
Universidad A. de Nuevo Leon Monterrey, Mexico - 1980
B.S. - Science
Colegio "Justo Sierra" Monterrey, Mexico - 1973
Colegio "Justo Sierra" Monterrey, Mexico - 1973
Research Areas
Research Interests
Cell Biology
- Mammalian cell culture and subculture (normal human epithelial cells such as skin keratinocytes, oral keratinocytes, mammary epithelial cells, squamous esophageal cells, and bronchial epithelial cells; normal human stromal cells such as dermal fibroblasts, oral fibroblasts, esophageal fibroblasts, and lung Hbroblasts; human cancer cells such as HeLa, H1299, etc.).
- Transient and stable transfections (plasmid transfections with Fugene6 and retroviral plasmid transfections).
Biochemistry
- Isolation and purification of proteins.
- Western blotting, ELISA, and Immunoprecipitation.
- Enzyme activity and kinetic assays.
- Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay (EMSA).
Molecular Biology
- DNA and RNA isolation.
- DNA sequencing, gene mapping, restriction digest, and agarose gels.
- Southern blotting.
- Northern blotting and RNase Protection Assay.
- Plasmid constructs, bacterial competent cell (DH5alpha) culture, cloning and subcloning.
- Expressing target gene in bacterial and mammalian cell lines, and site-directmutagenesis.
- PCR and Semi-quantitative RT-PCR.
Aging and Cellular Senescence Biology
- TRAP (Telomeric Repeat Amplification Protocol) assay, an enzyme assay for detection of telomerase activity.
- TRF (Terminal Restriction Fragment) assay, a modified Southern gel to measure telomere length.
Cancer Biology
- Cell-based assays: Cell Proliferation Assay, Luciferase Reporter Assay, CeIl-CelI Contact Inhibition Assay, Cell Adhesion Assay, and Soft-Agar Assay.
- Invasive assays in organotypic cultures (3-dimensionaI).
Publications
Sato, M., Larsen, J.E., Lee, W., Sun, H., Shames, D.S., Dalvi, M.P., Ramirez, R.D., Tang, H., DiMaio, J.M., Gao, B., Xie, Y., Wistuba, I.I., Gazdar, A.F., Shay, J.W. & Minna, J.D., Human Lung Epithelial Cells Progressed to Malignancy Through Specific Oncogenic Manipulations, Mol. Cancer Res., 11:638-650 2013 - Publication
Garcia-Oscos, F., Salgado, H., Hall, S., Thomas, F., Farmer, G.E., Bermeo, J., Galindo, L.C., Ramirez, R.D., D’Mello, S., Rose-John, S. & Atzori, M., The Stress-Induced Cytokine Interleukin-6 Decreases the Inhibition/Excitation Ratio in the Rat Temporal Cortex via Trans-Signaling, Biol Psychiatry, 71:574-582 2012 - Publication
Vaughan, M.B., Ramirez, R.D., Andrews, C.M., Wright, W.E. & Shay, J.W., H-Ras Expression in Immortalized Keratinocytes Produces an Invasive Epithelium in Cultured Skin Equivalents, PLoS ONE, 4(11):e7908 2009 - Publication
Feagins, L.A., Zhang, H.Y., Hormi-Carver, K., Quinones, M.H., Thomas, D., Zhang, X., Terada, L.S., Spechler, S.J., Ramirez, R.D. & *Souza, R.F., Acid has anti-proliferative effects in nonneoplastic Barrett's epithelial cells, American Journal of Gastroenterology, 102:10-20. 2007 - Publication
Jaiswal, K.R., Morales, C.P., Feagins, L.A., Gandia, K.G., Zhang, X., Zhang, H.Y., Hormi-Carver, K., Shen, Y., Elder, F., Ramirez, R.D., Sarosi Jr., G.A., Spechler, S.J., & *Souza, R.F., Characterization of telomerase immortalized, non-neoplastic, human Barrett's cell line (BAR-T), Diseases of the Esophagus, 20:256-264. 2007 - Publication
Lam, D.C.L.. Girard, L., M., Ramirez, R.D., Chau, W.S., Suen, W.S., Sheridan, S., Tin, V.P.C., Chung, L.P., Wong, M.P., Shay, J.W., Gazdar, A.F., Lam, W.K. & *Minna, J.D., Expression of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit genes in non-small cell lung cancer reveals differences between smokers and non-smokers, Cancer Research, 67:4638-4647. 2007 - Publication
Ramirez, R.D. Overview of Senescence. In David A. Gewirtz, Shawn E. Holt & Steven Grant (Eds.), Apoptosis, Senescence, and Cancer (2 ed., chap. 8, pp. 145-157). Totowa, NJ: Humana Press Inc. 2007 - Publication
*Souza, R.F., Lundsford, T., Ramirez, R.D., Zhang, X., Lee, E., Shen, Y., Owen, C., Shay, J.W., Morales, C. & Spechler, S.J., GERD is associated with shortened telomeres in the sguamous epithelium of the distal esophagus, American Journal of Physiology Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology, 293: G19-G24. 2007 - Publication
Appointments
Associate Faculty
[2007–Present]
Central Park Campus of Collin County Community College District
[2007–Present]
Central Park Campus of Collin County Community College District
Research Instructor
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center [2015–2020]
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center [2015–2020]
Assistant Professor
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center [2003–2007]
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center [2003–2007]
Assistant Professor
Dallas VA Medical Center [2003–2007]
Dallas VA Medical Center [2003–2007]
Postdoctoral Fellow
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center [2002–2003]
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center [2002–2003]
Postdoctoral Fellow
Dallas VA Medical Center [2000–2002]
Dallas VA Medical Center [2000–2002]
Graduate Research Associate
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center [1994–1999]
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center [1994–1999]
Research Associate
U. T. San Antonio [1993–1994]
U. T. San Antonio [1993–1994]
Student Intern/Undergraduate Fellow
U. T. San Antonio [1990–1993]
U. T. San Antonio [1990–1993]
Family Physician
Private Office Monterrey,Mexico [1982–1984]
Private Office Monterrey,Mexico [1982–1984]
Additional Information
Software Skills
Microsoft Office- Word
- Excel
- PowerPoint
- Outlook
Web Publishing Software
- Adobe Acrobat
- Adobe Photoshop
- Adobe Illustrator
Scientific Plotting/Graphing Software
- Sigma Plot
Statistical Software
- GraphPad Instat
- JMP
Reference Management Software
- Reference Manager
Typing Test
- Gross Speed: 66 WPM
- Net Speed: 64 WPM
Financial Management Software
- Quicken
- QuickBooks
Millitary
1988-1992 U.S. Army San Antonio, TXSergeant
- Enrolled as Reserve member of U.S. Army.
- Ordered to stand by during The Gulf War (1990).
- Honorably discharged.
Sergeant
- Enrolled as Active member of U.S. Army.
- Fabricated military frames and lenses.
- Executed daily operations of military defense practices, including supervision of medical assistance maneuvers.
- Directed and managed three full-time lab technicians in the Optical Laboratory atFt. Hood, TX.
- Assisted subordinates and supervisors in identifying and resolving optical related problems.
- Honorably discharged.
News Articles
Faculty MDs Have Fingers on the Pulse of Field
As UT Dallas continues to produce successful medical school applicants at a rate exceeding the national average, the students benefit along the way from a number of physicians on the faculty.The faculty MDs play an important role in the education of pre-med students as well as those preparing for other types of healthcare careers, administrators and students say.