Elias Coutavas | Scholars@Duke

Elias Coutavas
Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine

In 2020 Dr. Coutavas joined the Division of Pulmonary Allergy, and Critical Care, as the Director of Scientific Operations.

He has a PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology from NYU and previously worked at the Rockefeller University with Günter Blobel, the 1999 recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine, where he discovered the nuclear pore complex component, Nup358, and co-discovered SUMO. His scientific expertise is in biochemistry, molecular biology, and bio-imaging, and he has extensive experience in laboratory operations and management. Dr. Coutavas will facilitate the exciting cutting edge research being done both in the Lee lab and the other labs within the Pulmonary division at DUMC for the benefit of patients with lung diseases everywhere.

Current Appointments & Affiliations

Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine, Medicine, Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Medicine 2022

Contact Information

3 Genome Court, Msrb3 Rm 3112, Durham, NC 27705
DUMC 103050, Durham, NC 27710
elias.coutavas@duke.edu (919) 660-3833

Background
Education, Training, & Certifications
- Postdoctoral Fellowship, Cell Biology, Rockefeller University 1994 - 1999
- Ph.D., New York University 1993
Previous Appointments & Affiliations
- Assistant Professor in Medicine, Medicine, Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Medicine 2021 - 2022
- Assistant Professor in Medicine, Medicine, Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Medicine 2020
Leadership & Clinical Positions at Duke
- Director, Science Operations, Pulmonary, Allergy & Critical Care Division, Department of Medicine.
Expertise
Subject Headings
Research
Selected Grants
- R13: Vasculata 2022 Seminar awarded by National Institutes of Health 2022 - 2023
- MIF-Based Therapies in Cigarette Smoke-Related COPD and Pneumonia awarded by Department of Defense 2020 - 2021
External Relationships
- The Rockefeller University
Publications & Artistic Works
Selected Publications
- Academic Articles
  - SenNet Consortium. NIH SenNet Consortium to map senescent cells throughout the human lifespan to understand physiological health. Nat Aging. 2022 Dec;2(12):1090–100.
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  - Kim SJ, Zhou C, Coutavas E, Lee PJ. Mitochondrial TOM70 in Hyperoxia-induced Acute Lung Injury. Faseb Journal : Official Publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. 2022 May 1;36.
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  - Chun HJ, Coutavas E, Pine AB, Lee AI, Yu VL, Shallow MK, et al. Immunofibrotic drivers of impaired lung function in postacute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Jci Insight. 2021 Jul 22;6(14).
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  - Wang R, Qi X, Schmiege P, Coutavas E, Li X. Marked structural rearrangement of mannose 6-phosphate/IGF2 receptor at different pH environments. Sci Adv. 2020 Feb;6(7):eaaz1466.
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  - Blus BJ, Koh J, Krolak A, Seo H-S, Coutavas E, Blobel G. Allosteric modulation of nucleoporin assemblies by intrinsically disordered regions. Sci Adv. 2019 Nov;5(11):eaax1836.
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  - Qi X, Schmiege P, Coutavas E, Li X. Two Patched molecules engage distinct sites on Hedgehog yielding a signaling-competent complex. Science. 2018 Oct 5;362(6410).
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  - Qi X, Schmiege P, Coutavas E, Wang J, Li X. Structures of human Patched and its complex with native palmitoylated sonic hedgehog. Nature. 2018 Aug;560(7716):128–32.
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  - Blobel Laboratory Trainees. Günter Blobel: Pioneer of molecular cell biology (1936-2018). J Cell Biol. 2018 Apr 2;217(4):1163–7.
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  - Loftus KM, Cui H, Coutavas E, King DS, Ceravolo A, Pereiras D, et al. Mechanism for G2 phase-specific nuclear export of the kinetochore protein CENP-F. Cell Cycle. 2017 Aug 3;16(15):1414–29.
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  - Li X, Wang J, Coutavas E, Shi H, Hao Q, Blobel G. Structure of human Niemann-Pick C1 protein. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2016 Jul 19;113(29):8212–7.
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  - Lanna A, Coutavas E, Levati L, Seidel J, Rustin MHA, Henson SM, et al. IFN-α inhibits telomerase in human CD8⁺ T cells by both hTERT downregulation and induction of p38 MAPK signaling. J Immunol. 2013 Oct 1;191(7):3744–52.
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  - Singer S, Zhao R, Barsotti AM, Ouwehand A, Fazollahi M, Coutavas E, et al. Nuclear pore component Nup98 is a potential tumor suppressor and regulates posttranscriptional expression of select p53 target genes. Mol Cell. 2012 Dec 14;48(5):799–810.
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  - Wong RW, Blobel G, Coutavas E. Rae1 interaction with NuMA is required for bipolar spindle formation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2006 Dec 26;103(52):19783–7.
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  - Wong RW, Blobel G, Coutavas E. A Transient Protein Interaction Required for Bipolar Spindle Formation. Molecular Biology of the Cell. 2006 Jan 1;17.
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  - Siebrasse JP, Coutavas E, Peters R. Reconstitution of nuclear protein export in isolated nuclear envelopes. J Cell Biol. 2002 Sep 2;158(5):849–54.
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  - Peters R, Coutavas E, Siebrasse JP. Nuclear transport kinetics in microarrays of nuclear envelope patches. J Struct Biol. 2002;140(1–3):268–78.
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  - Radtke T, Schmalz D, Coutavas E, Soliman TM, Peters R. Kinetics of protein import into isolated Xenopus oocyte nuclei. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2001 Feb 27;98(5):2407–12.
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  - Matunis MJ, Coutavas E, Blobel G. A novel ubiquitin-like modification modulates the partitioning of the Ran-GTPase-activating protein RanGAP1 between the cytosol and the nuclear pore complex. J Cell Biol. 1996 Dec;135(6 Pt 1):1457–70.
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  - Wu J, Matunis MJ, Kraemer D, Blobel G, Coutavas E. Nup358, a cytoplasmically exposed nucleoporin with peptide repeats, Ran-GTP binding sites, zinc fingers, a cyclophilin A homologous domain, and a leucine-rich region. J Biol Chem. 1995 Jun 9;270(23):14209–13.
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  - Ren M, Villamarin A, Shih A, Coutavas E, Moore MS, LoCurcio M, et al. Separate domains of the Ran GTPase interact with different factors to regulate nuclear protein import and RNA processing. Mol Cell Biol. 1995 Apr;15(4):2117–24.
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  - Pancake BA, Zucker-Franklin D, Coutavas EE. The cutaneous T cell lymphoma, mycosis fungoides, is a human T cell lymphotropic virus-associated disease. A study of 50 patients. J Clin Invest. 1995 Feb;95(2):547–54.
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  - Coutavas EE, Hsieh CM, Ren M, Drivas GT, Rush MG, D’Eustachio PD. Tissue-specific expression of Ran isoforms in the mouse. Mamm Genome. 1994 Oct;5(10):623–8.
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  - Ren M, Coutavas E, D’Eustachio P, Rush MG. Effects of mutant Ran/TC4 proteins on cell cycle progression. Mol Cell Biol. 1994 Jun;14(6):4216–24.
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  - Coutavas E, Ren M, Oppenheim JD, D’Eustachio P, Rush MG. Characterization of proteins that interact with the cell-cycle regulatory protein Ran/TC4. Nature. 1993 Dec 9;366(6455):585–7.
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  - Huang YQ, Li JJ, Rush MG, Poiesz BJ, Nicolaides A, Jacobson M, et al. HPV-16-related DNA sequences in Kaposi's sarcoma. Lancet. 1992 Feb 29;339(8792):515–8.
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  - Shih A, Coutavas EE, Rush MG. Evolutionary implications of primate endogenous retroviruses. Virology. 1991 Jun;182(2):495–502.
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  - Drivas GT, Shih A, Coutavas EE, D’Eustachio P, Rush MG. Identification and characterization of a human homolog of the Schizosaccharomyces pombe ras-like gene YPT-3. Oncogene. 1991 Jan;6(1):3–9.
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  - Drivas GT, Shih A, Coutavas E, Rush MG, D’Eustachio P. Characterization of four novel ras-like genes expressed in a human teratocarcinoma cell line. Mol Cell Biol. 1990 Apr;10(4):1793–8.
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  - Mosser DM, Burke SK, Coutavas EE, Wedgwood JF, Edelson PJ. Leishmania species: mechanisms of complement activation by five strains of promastigotes. Exp Parasitol. 1986 Dec;62(3):394–404.
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- Book Sections
  - COUTAVAS E, REN MD, OPPENHEIM JD, YAJNIK V, DEUSTACHIO P, RUSH MG. A GTPASE CYCLE COUPLED TO THE CELL-CYCLE. In: Hu VW, editor. PLENUM PRESS DIV PLENUM PUBLISHING CORP; 1994. p. 99–110.
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- Conference Papers
  - Kim S, Kim H, Lofgren E, Chen Y, Coutavas E, Hwangbo C, et al. Toll-Like Receptor 4 Prevents Cellular Senescence by Inhibiting SOX9/miR-223/HDAC2 Signaling in Emphysema. In: American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. 2022.
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  - Blus BJ, Krolak A, Koh J, Seo H-S, Coutavas E. Allosteric Regulation of Nucleoporin Assemblies by Protein Intrinsic Disorder. In: Biophysical Journal. 2021. p. 216A-216A.
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  - Kim S, Hwangbo C, Shan P, Zhang Y, Macadlo L, Ou J, et al. Epigenetic Alterations in Cigarette Smoke-Induced Endothelial Cell Senescence. In: American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. 2021.
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  - Kim S, Zhou C, Coutavas E, Lee P. Effect of Toll-Like Receptor 4 on Tom70 Expression and Its Role in Mitochondria. In: American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. 2021.
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  - ZUCKERFRANKLIN D, COUTAVAS E, ZOUZIAS D. RETROVIRUS INFECTION OF BLOOD-LYMPHOCYTES IN PATIENTS WITH MYCOSIS-FUNGOIDES. In: Clinical Research. SLACK INC; 1990. p. A283–A283.
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Scholarly, Clinical, & Service Activities
Service to the Profession
- Participant. Faculty Curriculum on Anti-Racism. Duke Office of Faculty Advancement. January 11, 2021 - January 14, 2021 2021

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Education, Training, & Certifications

Previous Appointments & Affiliations

Leadership & Clinical Positions at Duke

Subject Headings

Selected Grants

External Relationships

Selected Publications

Academic Articles

Book Sections

Conference Papers

Service to the Profession