Denis Tsygankov

Research Assistant Professor
dtsygank@med.unc.edu

Research

My current research interests involve the application of mathematical and physical approaches to address problems in cell and molecular biology. In particular, my work focuses on using stochastic modeling and computer simulations to understand energy transduction in individual motor proteins, such as kinesin, myosin and dynein, the role of these proteins in intracellular trafficking, and their collective behavior in cilia and flagella. I am also involved in projects to understand the role of the tumor suppressor gene p16 in aging and mechanisms of cystic fibrosis pathogenesis. My past research experience includes investigations of coupled non-linear dynamical systems with the goal of understanding how synchronization emerges in these complex systems.

Publications

Tsygankov D, Liu Y, Sanoff HK, Sharpless NE, Elston TC. A quantitative model for age-dependent expression of the p16INK4a tumor suppressor. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2009 Sep 29; 106(39): 16562-16567.
(Pubmed | Journal)

Serohijos AWR, Tsygankov D, Liu S, Elston TC, Dokholyan NV. Multiscale approaches for studying energy transduction in dynein. Phys Chem Chem Phys. 2009 Jun 28; 11(24): 4840-50.
(Pubmed | Journal)

Tsygankov D, Serohijos AW, Dokholyan NV, Elston TC. Kinetic models for the coordinated stepping of cytoplasmic dynein. J Chem Phys. 2009 Jan 14;130(2):025101
(Pubmed | Journal)

Tsygankov D, Fisher ME. Kinetic models for mechanoenzymes: Structural aspects under large loads. J Chem Phys. 2008 Jan 7; 128(1): 015102
(Pubmed | Journal)

Tsygankov D, Fisher ME. Mechanoenzymes under superstall and large assisting loads reveal structural features. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2007 Dec 4;104 (49): 19321–19326
(Pubmed | Journal)

Tsygankov D, Lindén M, Fisher ME. Back-stepping, hidden substeps, and conditional dwell times in molecular motors Phys Rev E. 2007 Feb; 75(2 Pt 1): 021909
(Pubmed | Journal)

Tsygankov D, Wiesenfeld K. Weak-link synchronization. Phys Rev E. 2006 Feb; 73(2 Pt 2): 026222
(Pubmed | Journal)

Tsygankov D, Wiesenfeld K. Spontaneous formation of inert oscillator pairs. Phys Lett A. 2004 Mar; 325: 51–56
(Journal)

Tsygankov D, Wiesenfeld K. Spontaneous synchronization in a Josephson transmission line. Phys Rev E. 2002 Sep; 66(3 Pt 2A): 036215
(Pubmed | Journal)

Karelsky KV, Papkov VV, Petrosyan AS, Tsygankov. Particular solutions of shallow-water equations over a non-flat surface. Phys Lett A. 2000 May; 271: 341–348
(Journal)

Educational Background

Ph.D. in Physics,
     Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA, August 2005;
M.S. in Applied Physics and Mathematics,
     Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Russia, June 2000;
B.S. in Applied Physics and Mathematics,
     Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Russia, June 1998.