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Christoph Randak, MD

Associate Professor of Pediatrics-Pulmonary Medicine

Introduction

Structure and molecular function of the "cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator" (CFTR) and other ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter, pathophysiology and therapy of cystic fibrosis, and development and implementation of methods to determine lung disease progression using instrumental pulmonary function measurements in infants and children.

Current Positions

  • Associate Professor of Pediatrics - Pulmonary Medicine

Education

  • MD in Medicine, Julius-Maximilans - University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
  • MS in Computer Science, FernUniversität Hagen (University of Hagen)
  • Internship in Pediatrics, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich, Germany
  • Resident in Pediatrics, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich, Germany
  • Fellow in Neonatology, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich, Germany
  • Postdoctoral Fellow in Research Fellowship, Internal Medicine, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa
  • Fellow in Pediatric Pulmonology, University of Iowa Children's Hospital, Iowa City, Iowa

Center, Program and Institute Affiliations

Research Interests

  • Mechanisms, structural basis and role of CFTR adenylate kinase activity
  • Development and implementation of methods to determine lung disease progression using instrumental pulmonary function measurements in infants and children
  • Salt, acid and bicarbonate secretion of airway epithelium
  • The interaction of nucleotides and of pyrophosphate with CFTR to stimulate chloride currents, the structural basis, mechanisms and physiologic significance of CFTR AMP-binding and adenylate kinase activity, ΔF508 CFTR adenylate kinase activity and bicarbonate and acid secretion of healthy and CF airway epithelium.
  • Pathophysiology and therapy of cystic fibrosis
  • Structure and molecular function of the "cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator" (CFTR) and other ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters

Licenses & Certifications

  • Iowa Permanent Physician License
  • Iowa Resident Physician License
  • ECFMG certification
  • Board Certificate in Neonatology, State Medical Board of the State of Bavaria, Germany
  • Board Certificate in Pediatrics, State Medical Board of the State of Bavaria, Germany
  • Full license to practice medicine in Germany

Selected Publications

  • Randak, C. O. (2018). An elusive adenylate cyclase complicit in cholera is exposed. The Journal of biological chemistry 293 (33) 12960-12961. DOI: 10.1074/jbc.H118.004669. PMID: 30120153. PMCID: PMC6102141.
  • Paemka, L., McCullagh, B. N., Abou Alaiwa, M. H., Stoltz, D. A., Dong, Q., Randak, C. O., Gray, R. D. & McCray, Jr, P. B. (2017). Monocyte derived macrophages from CF pigs exhibit increased inflammatory responses at birth. Journal of cystic fibrosis : official journal of the European Cystic Fibrosis Society. DOI: 10.1016/j.jcf.2017.03.007. PMID: 28377087.
  • Shah, V. S., Ernst, S. E., Launspach, J. L., Ostedgaard, L. S., Randak, C. O. & Welsh, M. J. (2016). Inhibition of the non-gastric H/K ATPase raises pH of the airway surface liquid of cystic fibrosis airway epithelium and restores defective bacterial killing.
  • Shah, V. S., Meyerholz, D. K., Tang, X. X., Reznikov, L., Abou Alaiwa, M., Ernst, S. E., Karp, P. H., Wohlford-Lenane, C. L., Heilmann, K. P., Leidinger, M. R., Allen, P. D., Zabner, J., McCray, P. B., Ostedgaard, L. S., Stoltz, D. A., Randak, C. O. & Welsh, M. J. (2016). Airway acidification initiates host defense abnormalities in cystic fibrosis mice. Science (New York, N.Y.) 351 (6272) 503–507. DOI: 10.1126/science.aad5589. PMID: 26823428.
  • Dong, Q., Welsh, M. J. & Randak, C. O. (2016). The adenylate kinase inhibitor Ap5A increases channel activity of F508del CFTR - An effect that requires the conserved Q loop glutamine 1291.
  • Dong, Q., Ernst, S. E., Ostedgaard, L. S., Shah, V. S., Ver Heul, A. R., Welsh, M. J. & Randak, C. O. (2015). Mutating the Conserved Q-loop Glutamine 1291 Selectively Disrupts Adenylate Kinase-dependent Channel Gating of the ATP-binding Cassette (ABC) Adenylate Kinase Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) and Reduces Channel Function in Primary Human Airway Epithelia. The Journal of biological chemistry 290 (22) 14140-53. DOI: 10.1074/jbc.M114.611616. PMID: 25887396.
  • Randak, C. O., Dong, Q., Ver Heul, A. R., Elcock, A. H. & Welsh, M. J. (2013). ATP and AMP mutually influence their interaction with the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) adenylate kinase cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) at separate binding sites. The Journal of biological chemistry 288 (38) 27692-701. DOI: 10.1074/jbc.M113.479675. PMID: 23921386.
  • Randak, C. O. & Weinberger, M. (2013). A child with progressive multiple tracheal diverticulae: a variation of the Mounier-Kuhn syndrome. Pediatric pulmonology 48 (8) 841-3. DOI: 10.1002/ppul.22663. PMID: 22949127.
  • Reznikov, L. R., Dong, Q., Chen, J. H., Moninger, T. O., Park, J. M., Zhang, Y., Du, J., Hildebrand, M. S., Smith, R. J., Randak, C. O., Stoltz, D. A. & Welsh, M. J. (2013). CFTR-deficient pigs display peripheral nervous system defects at birth. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 110 (8) 3083-8. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1222729110. PMID: 23382208.
  • Randak, C. O., Ver Heul, A. R. & Welsh, M. J. (2012). Demonstration of phosphoryl group transfer indicates that the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) exhibits adenylate kinase activity. The Journal of biological chemistry 287 (43) 36105-10. DOI: 10.1074/jbc.M112.408450. PMID: 22948143.