Daniel Canals

imageResearch Assistant Professor

Education: 
BS: Biochemistry, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Ph.D. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 2004

Contact info:
E-mail: Daniel.Canals@stonybrookmedicine.edu
Phone: 631-444-6064 
Address:
Department of Medicine
Stony Brook University
Health Science Center, T15, 023                                                  
Stony Brook, NY 11794

Project Description or Research Interest:
My research is focused on the molecular mechanism of sphingolipids in cancer progression and metastasis. In my first postdoctoral position (Spanish National Research Council / University of Barcelona) I initiated my work in the sphingolipid field, designing and testing compounds as sphingolipid enzyme inhibitors with implications in cancer cell death by apoptosis and autophagy. I expanded my sphingolipid research with 4-years of postdoctoral training in sphingolipid and cancer research. I have focused on protein phosphatases and kinases as the downstream targets of the two major bioactive sphingolipids, ceramide and sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), and the effects on cytoskeleton reorganization during cancer progression. These studies have led to several peer-reviewed publications, including the regulation of the cytoskeletal ezrin protein by ceramide and S1P, and defining its molecular mechanism. Currently, as Research Assistant Professor, I am studying deeply the previous molecular mechanism of sphingolipids enzymes, specifically I am studying the direct molecular mechanism of activation of protein phosphatase 1 by sphingolipids and its implications in cytoskeleton re-organization during cell invasion.

Publications:

  • 1- Canals D, Irurre-Santilari J, Casas J. (2005) The first cytochrome P450 in ferns. Evidence for its involvement in phytoecdysteroid biosynthesis in Polypodium vulgare. FEBS J. 272(18):4817-25.
  • 2- Villorbina G*, Canals D*, Carde L, Grijalvo S, Pascual R, Rabal O, Teixidó J, Fabriàs G, Llebaria A, Casas J, Delgado A. (2007) Solid-phase synthesis of a combinatorial library of dihydroceramide analogues and its activity in human alveolar epithelial cells. Bioorg Med Chem. Jan 1;15(1):50-62.
  • 3- Egido-Gabás M, Canals D, Casas J, Llebaria A, Delgado A. (2007) Aminocyclitols as pharmacological chaperones for glucocerebrosidase, a defective enzyme in Gaucher disease. ChemMedChem. Jul;2(7):992-4.
  • 4- Bedia C*, Canals D*, Matabosch X, Harrak Y, Casas J, Llebaria A, Delgado A, Fabriás G. (2008) Cytotoxicity and acid ceramidase inhibitory activity of 2-substituted aminoethanol amides. Chem Phys Lipids. Nov;156(1-2):33-40.
  • 5- Canals D, Mormeneo D, Fabriàs G, Llebaria A, Casas J, Delgado A. (2009)  Synthesis and biological properties of Pachastrissamine (jaspine B) and diastereoisomeric jaspines. Bioorg Med Chem. Jan 1;17(1):235-41.  PMID: 19056278 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE].
  • 6- Jenkins RW, Canals D, Hannun YA. (2009)  Roles and regulation of secretory and lysosomal acid sphingomyelinase. Cell Signal. Jun;21(6):836-46.  PMID: 19385042 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE].
  • 7- Camino-López S, Badimon L, González A, Canals D, Peña E, Llorente-Cortés V. (2009)  Aggregated low density lipoprotein induces tissue factor by inhibiting sphingomyelinase activity in human vascular smooth muscle cells. J Thromb Haemost. Dec;7(12):2137-46. PMID: 19817993 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE].
  • 8- Canals D, Jenkins RW, Roddy P, Hernández-Corbacho MJ, Obeid LM, Hannun YA. (2010) Differential effects of ceramide and sphingosine 1-phosphate on ERM phosphorylation: probing sphingolipid signaling at the outer plasma membrane. J Biol Chem. Oct 15;285(42):32476-85. PMCID: PMC2952249.
  • 9- Milhas D, Clarke CJ, Idkowiak-Baldys J, Canals D, Hannun YA. (2010) Anterograde and retrograde transport of neutral sphingomyelinase-2 between the Golgi and the plasma membrane. Biochim Biophys Acta. Dec;1801(12):1361-74.  PMCID: PMC2957534.
  • 10- Jenkins RW, Canals D, Idkowiak-Baldys J, Simbari F, Roddy P, Perry DM, Kitatani K, Luberto C, Hannun YA. (2010)   Regulated secretion of acid sphingomyelinase: implications for selectivity of ceramide formation. J Biol Chem. Nov 12;285(46):35706-18.  PMCID: PMC2975195.
  • 11- González-Bulnes P, González-Roura A, Canals D, Delgado A, Casas J, Llebaria A. (2010)  2-aminohydroxamic acid derivatives as inhibitors of Bacillus cereus phosphatidylcholine preferred phospholipase C PC-PLC(Bc). Bioorg Med Chem. Dec 15;18(24):8549-55. PMID: 21071231 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE].
  • 12- Jenkins RW, Idkowiak-Baldys J, Simbari F, Canals D, Roddy P, Riner CD, Clarke CJ, Hannun YA. (2010)  A novel mechanism of lysosomal acid sphingomyelinase maturation - requirement for carboxy-terminal proteolytic processing. J Biol Chem. 2011 Feb 4; 286(5):3777-88. PMCID: PMC3030379.
  • 13- Jenkins RW, Clarke CJ, Canals D, Snider AJ, Gault CR, Heffernan-Stroud L, Wu BX, Simbari F, Roddy P, Kitatani K, Obeid LM, Hannun YA. (2011)  Regulation of CC Ligand 5/RANTES by Acid Sphingomyelinase and Acid Ceramidase. J Biol Chem. Apr 15;286(15):13292-303. PMCID: PMC3075676.
  • 14- Canals D, Perry DM, Jenkins RW, and Hannun YA. (2011)  Drug targeting of acid and neutral sphingomyelinases and ceramidase. Br J Pharmacol. Jun;163(4):694-712. PMID: 21615386
  • 15- Canals D, Roddy P, Hannun YA. (2012) Protein phosphatase 1α mediates ceramide-induced ERM protein dephosphorylation: a novel mechanism independent of phosphatidylinositol 4, 5-biphosphate (PIP2) and myosin/ERM phosphatase. J Biol Chem. (2012) Mar 23;287(13):10145-55. PMID: 22311981
  • 16- Gandy KA*, Canals D*, Adada M, Wada M, Roddy P, Snider AJ, Hannun YA, Obeid LM. (2013) Sphingosine 1-phosphate induces filopodia formation through S1PR2 activation of ERM proteins. Biochem J. 2013 Feb 1;449(3):661-72. PMID: 23106337
  • 17- Canals D, Hannun YA. (2013) Novel chemotherapeutic drugs in sphingolipid cancer research. Handb Exp Pharmacol. 2013;215:211-38. PMID: 23579458
  • 18- Orr Gandy KA, Adada M, Canals D, Carroll B, Roddy P, Hannun YA, Obeid LM. (2013) Epidermal growth factor-induced cellular invasion requires sphingosine-1-phosphate/sphingosine-1-phosphate 2 receptor-mediated ezrin activation. FASEB J. 27(8):3155-66. PMID: 23629860
  • 19- Adada M, Canals D, Hannun YA, Obeid LM. (2013) Sphingolipid regulation of ezrin, radixin, and moesin proteins family: Implications for cell dynamics. Biochim Biophys Acta. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 23850862
  • 20- Adada M, Canals D, Hannun YA, Obeid LM. (2013) Sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 2: A Review. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 23879641
  • 21- Adada MM, Orr-Gandy KA, Snider AJ, Canals D, Hannun YA, Obeid LM, Clarke CJ. J Biol Chem. 2013 ;288(38):27667-79. PMID: 23935096