Bio
Dr. Maj received a BSc (Hons.) in combined Biology and Chemistry from Brock University in St. Catherines, Ontario, Canada. She completed a MSc in Biological Sciences from Brock University as well and earned a PhD in Biochemistry from the McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Post-doctoral research was realized at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Ontario Canada. Concurrent to this research, Dr. Maj was awarded a fellowship with the Canadian College of Medical Genetics to study biochemical genetics.
Dr. Maj joined St. George’s University in July 2011 as an Associate Professor in the School of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry. In addition to teaching, Dr. Maj is has continuing research projects on: Mechanisms of the dysregulation of Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex; Generation of Reactive Oxygen Species in Early Onset Parkinson’s; Mechanisms of Drug Candidates Which Stimulate Mitochondrial Activity and Disease; The Inhibition of Adenosine Kinase as a treatment for Epilepsy.
Research awards include: Ministry of Health, Ontario Laboratory Genetics Traineeship Award for the Canadian College of Medical Genetics Accreditation in Biochemical Genetics (July 2007-2010); Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, Post-doctoral Fellowship (Sept. 2002-2004); Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, Research Traineeship Award (July 1997-June 2001); Young Investigator Award, Annual Meeting of Computational Biology (1995); Women in Science Award, Brock University (1994).
Research & Interests
- Mitochondrial dysregulation in human disease
- Inborn errors of metabolism
- Oxidative phosphorylation
- Regulation of pyruvate dehydrogenase
- Reactive oxygen species in Parkinson’s disease
- Role of adenosine kinase in epileptogenesis
Affiliations
- Canadian Society for Biochemistry
- Molecular and Cellular Biology
- Society for the Study of Inborn Errors of Metabolism
- Mitochondria Drug Discovery
- Nutrition & Metabolism Society
- United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation
- American Society of Human Genetics
Journal Articles
- M.C. Maj, N. Sriskandarajah, V. Hung, I. Browne, B. Shah, A. Weadge, N. Jamieson, M. Tropak, J. Cameron, J. Addis, B.H. Robinson (2010) Identification of Drug Candidates Which Increase Cytochrome c Oxidase Activity in Deficient Patient Fibroblasts. Mitochondrion. (2011) Mar;11(2):264-72.
- M.C. Maj, I, Tkachvova, P. Patel, J.B. Addis, N. Mackay, V. Levandovskiy, J.M. Cameron and Brian H. Robinson: Oxidative Stress Alters the Regulatory Control in PINK1 Deficient Cells. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 399 (2010) 331-335.
- J.M. Cameron, M.C. Maj, V. Levandovskiy, C.P. Barnett, S. Blazer, N. MacKay, J. Raiman, A.S. Feigenbaum, A. Schulze, B.H. Robinson (2009) Pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphatase 1 (PDP1) null mutation produces a lethal infantile phenotype. Hum Genet, 125(3):319-26.
- M.C. Maj, N. MacKay, V Levandovskiy, J. Addis, E.R. Baumgartner, M.R. Baumgartner, B.H. Robinson, J.M. Cameron (2005) Pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphatase deficiency: identification of the first mutation in two brothers and restoration of activity by protein complementation. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 90(7):4101-7.
- M.C. Maj, B. Singh and R.S. Gupta (2002) Pentavalent ions dependency is a conserved property of adenosine kinase from diverse sources: identification of a novel motif implicated in phosphate and magnesium ion binding and substrate inhibition. Biochem. 41:4059-4069.
Selected Projects
- Mechanisms of the dysregulation of Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex<
- Generation of Reactive Oxygen Species in Early Onset Parkinson’s
- The Inhibition of Adenosine Kinase as a treatment for Epilepsy
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