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Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism Heersink School of Medicine

Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism

StuartFrankProfessor of Medicine
Vice Chair for Research, Department of Medicine
Ruth Lawson Hanson Chair of Medicine in Diabetes and Metabolism
Chief, Endocrinology Section, Birmingham VAMC Medical Service

Education and Training:
1976-1980     B.A., University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. (summa cum laude)
1980-1984     M.D., Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
1984-1987     Internship and Residency - Internal Medicine, Barnes Hospital, Department of Internal Medicine,
                      Washington University School of Medicine, St.Louis, MO.
1987-1990     Fellowship - Endocrinology and Metabolism, Developmental Endocrinology Branch,
                      National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH. Bethesda, MD.
1988-1991    Medical Staff Fellow/Senior Staff Fellow. Cell Biology and Metabolism Branch, NICHD,
                     National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD.

Secondary Appointment:
Professor of Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology

Center Affiliations:
Center for Clinical and Translational Science, member, Executive Committee
Comprehensive Diabetes Center, member, Executive Committee
Comprehensive Cancer Center, scientist
Comprehensive Arthritis, Musculoskeletal, Bone and Autoimmunity Center,   scientist
Center for Healthy Aging, senior scientist
Center for Exercise Medicine, member

GBS Program Affiliations:
Cancer Biology Theme
Cell, Molecular & Developmental Biology Theme
Pathobiology & Molecular Medicine Theme
Biochemistry and Structural Biology Theme
Medical Scientist Training Program

Certifications:
American Board of Internal Medicine
American Board of Internal Medicine/Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism

Clinical Interests: General endocrinology, diabetes mellitus

Research Interests:
The focus of my research is on actions of growth hormone (GH), an important metabolic and growth promoting hormone, and prolactin (PRL), a lactogenic hormone. In particular, I am interested in various aspects of GH receptor (GHR) and prolactin receptor (PRLR) structure and signal transduction and development of relevant antagonists.

Current interests surround several aspects of the actions of GH and prolactin. These include: 1) molecular studies of mechanisms of GH-induced activation of the JAK2 tyrosine kinase; 2) the cellular determinants of sensitivity to GH and PRL and modulation of GHR and PRLR availability and function; 3) crosstalk between the GH and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1); functional interaction between GHR and IGF-1 receptor; 4) GHR-PRLR interaction; 5) circadian variation in GH sensitivity; 6) inducible GHR metalloproteolysis as a mechanism of generation of the GH binding protein (GHBP) and as a regulator of in vivo GH sensitivity.

In addition to these basic research activities, I serve in research leadership roles. I serve on the Executive Committee of the UAB Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS; www.uab.edu/ccts/). The CCTS is UAB’s NIH-funded CTSA. I am also the Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Medicine.


Awards

1976-1980     Benjamin Franklin Scholarship, University of Pennsylvania.
1976-1980     Dean's List, University of Pennsylvania.
1979               Phi Beta Kappa.
1990               Trainee Award, American Federation for Clinical Research (AFCR).
1990               Henry Christian Memorial Award, AFCR.
1993-1996     Early Career Development Award, AFCR Foundation.
1996-1997     UAB Department of Medicine Outstanding Teaching Award.
1997-98, 98-99, 99-00, 00-01, 01-02, 04-05, 05-06, 08-09,12-13,13-14
                       UAB Department of Medicine Outstanding Teacher - Endocrinology and Metabolism.
2004               Henry M. Middleton VISN 7 Birmingham VAMC Research Excellence Award
2005               Outstanding Reviewer - Molecular Endocrinology Editorial Board
2007               The Max Cooper Award for Research Excellence, UAB Department of Medicine
2008               Finalist, UAB School of Medicine Argus Award for Best Endocrine Lecturer in Correlative Pathology
2013               Outstanding Reviewer - Endocrinology Editorial Board
2014               UAB Department of Medicine “Unsung Hero Award”


Funding

Active Grants:
1. "Tyrosine Phosphorylation and Growth Hormone Signaling". NIDDK R01-DK46395 A1. (years 17-21) 
     July, 2010- June, 2014 P.I. In NCE.
2. “Growth Hormone Receptor Dimerization & Disulfide Linkage”. NIDDK R01-DK58259 A2. (years 9-13)
     June, 2011 - February, 2015 – P.I. In NCE.
3. “Growth Hormone Receptor Proteolysis and Shedding”. VA Merit Review. (years 14-17)
     October, 2012 - September, 2016. P.I.
4. “UAB Diabetes Research Center (formerly DRTC)”. NIDDK (Diabetes Research Centers) NIDDK P30-DK079626-06
     (years 6-10) March, 2013 – February, 2018. – (P.I.- W.T. Garvey) Role – Associate Director, Director of Pilot & Feasibility
     Grant Program.
5. “UAB Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS)”. NCATS; UL1TR000165-05S1. June, 2013 – August, 2015.
     (P.I.- R.P. Kimberly) Role – Co-Director.


Pending Grants:
1. "A Novel Role for IGF-1 Receptor in GH Action". NIDDK R01-DK107441-01. September, 2015 - August, 2020. P.I.
     under review.
2. “Growth Hormone Receptor Dimerization & Disulfide Linkage”. NIDDK R01-DK58259-14. (years 9-13)
     August, 2015 - July, 2020. P.I. under review.
3. “UAB Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS)”. NCATS. September, 2015 – August, 2020.
     (P.I.- R.P. Kimberly) Role – Member, Executive Committee.


Selected Publications:

  1. Huang, Y., Kim, S.-O., Yang, N., Jiang, J., Frank, S.J. Physical and functional interaction of GH and IGF-1 signaling elements. Mol. Endocrinol., 18(6): 1471-1485, 2004. PMID: 15044951
  2. Yang, N., Wang, X., Jiang, J., Frank, S.J. Role of the GH receptor transmembrane domain in receptor predimerization and GH-induced activation., Mol. Endocrinol., 21(7):1642-1655, 2007. PMID: 17456794
  3. Gan, Y., Zhang, Y., DiGirolamo, D., Jiang, J., Wang, X., Cao, X., Zinn, K.R., Carbone, D.P., Clemens, T.L., Frank, S.J. Deletion of Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 Receptor (IGF-1R) in primary osteoblasts reduces GH-induced STAT5 signaling. Mol. Endocrinol. 24(3): 644-656, 2010. PMID: 20133448 PMCID: PMC2840807
  4. Mavalli, M.D., DiGirolamo, D.J., Riddle, R.C., Fan, Y., Campbell, K.S., Sperling, M.A., van Groen, T., Frank, S.J., Bamman, M.M., Clemens, T.L. Distinct growth hormone receptor signaling modes control skeletal muscle development and insulin sensitivity. J. Clin. Invest. 120(11): 4007-4020, 2010. PMID: 20921627 PMCID: PMC2964973
  5. Li, X., Huang, Y., Jiang, J., Frank, S.J. Synergy in ERK activation by cytokine receptors and tyrosine kinase growth factor receptors. Cellular Signalling, 23(2):417-424, 2011. PMID: 20946955 PMCID: PMC3026594
  6. Zheng, Y., Qin, H., Frank, S.J., Deng, L., Litchfield, D.W., Tefferi, A., Pardanani, A., Lin, F.-T., Li, J., Sha, B., Benveniste, E.N. A CK2-dependent mechanism for activation of the JAK-STAT signaling pathway. Blood 118(1): 156-166, 2011. PMID: 21527517 PMCID: PMC3139382
  7. Xu, J., Zhang, Y., Berry, P.A., Jiang, J., Lobie, P.E., Langenheim J.F., Chen, W.Y., Frank, S.J. Growth hormone signaling in human T47D breast cancer cells: potential role for a growth hormone receptor-prolactin receptor complex. Mol. Endocrinol. 25(4): 597-610, 2011. PMID: 21310852 PMCID: PMC3063080
  8. Ma, F., Wei, Z., Shi, C., Gan, Y., Lu, J., Frank, S.J., Balducci, J., Huang, Y. Signaling cross talk between growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) in pancreatic islet -cells. Mol. Endocrinol. 25(12): 2119-2133, 2011. PMID: 22034225 PMCID: PMC3231823
  9. Jiang, J., Wan, Y., Wang, X., Xu, J., Harris, J.M., Lobie, P.E., Zhang, Y., Zinn, K.R., Waters, M.J., Frank, S.J. Inhibitory GH receptor extracellular domain monoclonal antibodies: three dimensional epitope mapping. Endocrinol. 152(12): 4777-4788, 2011.    PMID: 21990310 PMCID: PMC3230063
  10. Deng, L., Jiang, J., Frank, S.J. Growth hormone-induced JAK2 signaling and GH receptor downregulation: role of GH receptor intracellular domain tyrosine residues. Endocrinol. 153(5): 2311-2322, 2012. PMID:22416081 PMCID:PMC3339656
  11. Xu, J., Sun, D., Jiang, J., Deng, L., Zhang, Y., Yu, H., Bahl, D., Langenheim, J.F., Chen, W.Y., Fuchs, S.Y., Frank, S.J. The role of prolactin receptor in GH signaling in breast cancer cells. Mol. Endocrinol., 27(2): 266-279, 2013. PMID: 23192981 PMCID: PMC3683809
  12. Gan, Y., Zhang, Y., Buckels, A., Paterson, A.J., Jiang, J., Clemens, T.L., Zhang, Z.-Y., Du, K., Chang, Y., Frank, S.J. IGF-1 receptor modulation of acute GH-induced STAT5 signaling: role of protein tyrosine phosphatase activity. Mol. Endocrinol., 27(11):1969-1979, 2013. PMID: 24030252 PMCID: PMC3805849..
  13. Gan, Y., Paterson, A.J., Zhang, Y., Jiang, J., Frank, S.J. Functional collaboration of insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R), but not insulin receptor (IR), with acute GH signaling in mouse calvarial cells. Endocrinol., 155(3): 1000-1009, 2014. PMID: 24302626 PMCID: PMC3929739.
  14. Liu, Y., Berry, P.A., Zhang, Y., Jiang, J., Lobie, P.E., Paulmurugan, R., Langenheim, J.F., Chen, W.Y., Zinn, K.R., Frank, S.J. Dynamic analysis of growth hormone receptor conformational changes by luciferase complementation. Mol. Endocrinol., 28(11): 1807-1819, 2014. PMID: 25188449 PMCID: PMC4213363
  15. Gan, Y., Buckels, A., Liu, L., Zhang, Y., Paterson, A.J., Jiang, J., Zinn, K.R., Frank, S.J. Human GH receptor-IGF-1 receptor interaction: implications for GH signaling. Mol. Endocrinol., 28(11): 1841-1854, 2014. PMID:25211187 PMCID: PMC4213361



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