Chemical & Materials Sciences Staff information

Biography

Dr. Galya Orr has initiated and is currently leading an effort that combines the development of imaging techniques with the investigation of the molecular processes of individual membrane receptors. Galya's effort has been focusing on time-lapse single-molecule fluorescence imaging and high sensitivity FRET analyses to study the molecular interaction dynamics of membrane receptors, and their intimate relationships with their membrane environment. Using the above techniques, nanoscale insights have been gained into the behavior and function of the ErbB receptors and associated proteins. Building on her experience in electrophysiology (see references at end of biography), Galya has been working toward simultaneous acquisition of single-molecule fluorescence and FRET imaging with single-channel current recording, for investigating structure-function relationships of ion channels. Using TIRF microscopy, Galya has also been leading an effort that aims at identifying the interactions, internalization pathways and cellular fate of specific nanomaterials.

Orr G, Rao G, Houston FP, McNaughton BL, and Barnes CA. 2001. "Hippocampal Synaptic Plasticity is Modulated by the Theta Rhythm in the Fascia Dentata of Adult and Aged Freely Behaving Rats." Hippocampus. 11:647-654.

Barnes CA, Rao G, and Orr G. 2000. "Age-Related Decrease in the Schaffer Collateral Evoked EPSP in Awake, Freely-Behaving Rats." Neural Plasticity 7(3):167-178.

Barnes CA, Meltzer J, Houston F, Orr G, McGann K, and Wenk GL. 2000. "Chronic Treatment of Old Rats with Donepezil or Galantamine: Effects on Memory, Hippocampal Plasticity and Nicotinic Receptors." Neuroscience 99(1):17-23.

Research Interests

• Investigate silica nanoparticle-alveolar type II epithelial cell interactions to better understand the cellular fate of inhaled nanomaterials.
• Study the spatial and temporal patterns of the EGF receptor interactions with its ligands and dimerization partners to better understand their function in the transformation of information across the cell membrane. Identified roles for membrane microdomains in receptor function.
• Investigate the molecular interactions of the ErbB receptors, and the NMDA receptor that govern the formation and specificity of the glutamatergic synapse.
• Previous work focused on the electrophysiology of learning and memory in the hippocampus of living animals. Identified electrophysiological correlates of the decline in cognitive functions during aging, and the involvement of the theta rhythm in synaptic plasticity.

Education and Credentials

• Ph.D., Neuroscience, Division of Neural Systems Memory and Aging, University of Arizona, 2002
• Ph.D. studies, Cell, Molecular and Neuroscience, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Hawaii, 1993-1995 (transferred to University of Arizona)
• B.S., Cellular and Molecular Biology, The Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, 1984

Affiliations and Professional Service

• Biophysical Society since 2000
• Society for Neuroscience since 1996

Awards and Recognitions

• Merit fellowship, graduate college, University of Arizona
• Merit scholarship, graduate college, University of Hawaii
• Dean's list of honors for scholastic achievements, Israel Institute of Technology

PNNL Publications

2009

• Orr G, DJ Panther, KJ Cassens, JL Phillips, BJ Tarasevich, and JG Pounds. 2009. "Syndecan-1 Mediates the Coupling of Positively Charged Submicrometer Amorphous Silica Particles with Actin Filaments across the Alveolar Epithelial Cell Membrane." Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 236(2):210-220.  doi:10.1016/j.taap.2009.01.022

2007

• Orr G, DJ Panther, JL Phillips, BJ Tarasevich, A Dohnalkova, D Hu, JG Teeguarden, and JG Pounds. 2007. "Submicron and Nanoscale Inorganic Particles Exploit the Actin Machinery to be Propelled Along Microvillilike Structures into Alveolar Cells." ACS Nano 1(5):463-475.  doi:10.1021/nn700149r
• Teeguarden JG, PM Hinderliter, G Orr, BD Thrall, and JG Pounds. 2007. "Particokinetics In Vitro: Dosimetry Considerations for In Vitro Nanoparticle Toxicity Assessments." Toxicological Sciences 95(2):300-312.  doi:10.1093/toxsci/kfl165

2006

• Oehmen CS, TP Straatsma, GA Anderson, G Orr, BJM Webb-Robertson, RC Taylor, RW Mooney, DJ Baxter, DR Jones, and DA Dixon. 2006. "New Challenges Facing Integrative Biological Science in the Post-Genomic Era." Journal of Biological Systems 14(2):275-293. 

2005

• Orr G, D Hu, S Ozcelik, L Opresko, HS Wiley, and SD Colson. 2005. "Cholesterol Dictates the Freedom of EGF Receptors and HER2 in the Plane of the Membrane." Biophysical Journal 89(2):1362-1373.  doi:10.1529/biophysj.104.056192
• Dong J, L Opresko, WB Chrisler, G Orr, RD Quesenberry, DA Lauffenburger, and HS Wiley. 2005. "The Membrane-anchoring Domain of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Ligands Dictates Their Ability to Operate in Juxtacrine Mode." Molecular Biology of the Cell 16(6):2984-2998. 
• Hendriks BS, G Orr, AH Wells, HS Wiley, and DA Lauffenburger. 2005. "Parsing ERK Activation Reveals Quantitatively Equivalent Contributions From Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor and HER2 In Human Mammary Epithelial Cells." Journal of Biological Chemistry 280(7):6157-6169. 

2004

• Harms GS, G Orr, and HP Lu. 2004. "Probing Ion Channel Conformational Dynamics Using Simultaneous Single-Molecule Ultrafast Spectroscopy and Patch-Champ Electric Recording." Applied Physics Letters 84(10):1792-1794. 
• Harms GS, G Orr, and HP Lu. 2004. "Probing Ion Channel Conformational Dynamics Using Simultaneous Single-Molecule Ultrafast Spectroscopy and Patch-clamp Electric Recoding." Applied Physics Letters 84(10):1792-1794. 

2003

• Harms GS, G Orr, and HP Lu. 2003. "Probing Single-Molecule Ion Channel Conformational Dynamics Using Fluorescence Imaging, Combined Ultrafast Spectroscopy, and Patch-Clamp Recording." Biophysical Journal 84(2 Pt. 2 Supp.):123-A. 
• Harms GS, G Orr, M Montal, BD Thrall, SD Colson, and HP Lu. 2003. "Probing conformational changes of gramicidin ion channels by single-molecule patch-clamp fluorescence microscopy." Biophysical Journal 85(3):1826-1838.