Doug Swartz , Ph.D.

Dr. Swartz is a native of Clovis, NM. After completing dual B.S. degrees at Oklahoma State University in Biochemistry and Microbiology, he moved to Lubbock to pursue a Ph.D. from the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Texas Tech University Health Sciences (TTUHSC). His dissertation work focused on using molecular biology and biochemistry techniques to create new tools for studying the transport mechanism of P-glycoprotein, an ABC Transporter that contributes to multidrug resistance. Upon completing his Ph.D., Dr. Swartz continued his research at TTUHSC through a postdoctoral fellowship funded by the American Heart Association. He also began teaching at LCU as an adjunct professor and became a full time LCU faculty member in 2015. At LCU, Dr. Swartz continues to pursue his research interests while mentoring undergraduate researchers in a variety of individual projects, as well as collaborative projects with other faculty in the Department of Natural Sciences. During graduate school, he met and married his wife, Dr. Lauren Swartz, who now practices full spectrum family medicine in Plainview, TX.

Thornton, B. P., Laughlin, A. M., Swartz, D. J., Durham, B. W. (2020) A Contemporary Perspective on Undergraduate Research Mentoring in University Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences Programs, Fisheries 45:11 615-624

Swartz, D. J., Singh, A., Sok, N., Thomas, J. N., Weber, J., and Urbatsch, I. L. (2020) Replacing the eleven native tryptophans by directed evolution produces an active P-glycoprotein with site-specific, non-conservative substitutions, Scientific Reports 10, 3224.

Zoghbi, M. E., Mok, L., Swartz, D. J., Singh, A., Fendley, G.A., Urbatsch, I. L., Altenberg, G. A. (2017) Substrate-induced conformational changes in the nucleotide-binding domains of lipid bilayer-associated P-glycoprotein during ATP hydrolysis, Journal of Biological Chemistry 292:50 20412-20424

Yang, Z., Zhou, Q., Mok, L., Singh, A., Swartz, D. J., Urbatsch, I. L., and Brouillette, C. G. (2017) Interactions and cooperativity between P-glycoprotein structural domains determined by thermal unfolding provides insights into its solution structure and function, Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA)-Biomembranes 1859, 48-60.

Swartz, D. J.*, Mok, L.*, Botta, S. K., Singh, A., Altenberg, G. A., and Urbatsch, I. L. (2014) Directed evolution of P-glycoprotein cysteines reveals site-specific, non-conservative substitutions that preserve multidrug resistance, Bioscience reports 34. *Equal Contribution

Ward, A. B., Szewczyk, P., Grimard, V., Lee, C. W., Martinez, L., Doshi, R., Caya, A., Villaluz, M., Pardon, E., Cregger, C., Swartz, D. J., Falson, P. G., Urbatsch, I. L., Govaerts, C., Steyaert, J., and Chang, G. (2013) Structures of P-glycoprotein reveal its conformational flexibility and an epitope on the nucleotide-binding domain, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 110, 13386-13391.

Swartz, D. J., Weber, J., and Urbatsch, I. L. (2013) P-glycoprotein is fully active after multiple tryptophan substitutions, Biochim. Biophys. Acta (BBA)-Biomembranes 1828, 1159-1168.

Bai, J. P.*, Swartz, D. J.*, Protasevich, I.I., Brouillette, C. G., Harrell, P. M., Hildebrandt, E., Gasser, B., Mattanovich, D., Ward, A., Chang, G., and Urbatsch, I. L. (2011) A gene optimization strategy that enhances production of fully functional P-glycoprotein in Pichia pastoris. PLoS One 6.  *Equal contribution

Cornwall, G.A., von Horsten, H. H., Swartz, D., Johnson, S., Chau, K., Whelly, S. (2007) Extracellular quality control in the epididymis. Asian Journal of Andrology 9(4): p. 500-507.