Philip W. Westerman, Ph.D.

Professor Emeritus
Biochemistry and Molecular Pathology

Adjunct Professor, Department of Chemistry, Kent State University
Member, Liquid Crystal Institute, Kent State University
Member, School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University

Northeastern Ohio Universities
Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy
4209 St. Rt. 44, P.O. Box 95
Rootstown, Ohio 44272-0095
Phone: (330) 325-6686
Fax: (330) 325-5915
Email: pww@neoucom.edu
Community of Science Expertise

Education:

 

1971 Ph.D. Organic Chemistry, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
1966 B.Sc. Organic Chemistry, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia (Hons 1)

Professional Experience:

 

2005-Present Professor, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Biochemistry, Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy, Rootstown, OH
1985-Present Adjunct Professor of Chemistry, Kent State University, Kent, OH
1983-Present Graduate Faculty Member, Cellular and Molecular Biology Program, School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH
1980-Present Full Member, Liquid Crystal Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH
1997-1998 Acting Chairman, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pathology, Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, Rootstown, OH
1987-2004 Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pathology, Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, Rootstown, OH
1987, '90, '93, '96, '97, '04, '06  Visiting Scientist, Department of Chemistry, University of Calabria, Rende, Italy
1985,'87,'88 Visiting Scientist, School of Physics, University of N.S.W., Sydney, Australia
1984-1985 Visiting Scientist, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), Sydney, Australia
1982-1987 Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pathology, Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, Rootstown, OH
1976-1981 Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular Pathology, Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, Rootstown, OH

Research Interests:

  • Physicochemical characterization of model bile and lipid digestive mixtures
  • Physical properties of bilayer membranes
  • Molecular mechanisms of general anesthesia
  • Solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance

Selected Publications:

  • Westerman P.W. Physicochemical characterization of a model digestive mixture by 2H NMR. J. Lipid Res. 36:2478-2492, 1995.
  • Phonphok N., Chidichimo G. and Westerman P.W. Disposition of choloroform in phosphatidylcholine membranes: A 2H and 31P NMR study. Chem. Phys. Lipids 83:25-37, 1996.
  • Checchetti A., Golemme A., Chidichimo G., LaRosa C., Grasso D. and Westerman P.W. Effect of l-lysopalmitoyllecithin on the phase properties of 1,2-dipalmitoylphosphatidylethanolamine: A thermodynamic and NMR study. Chem. Phys. Lipids 82:147-162, 1996.
  • Westerman P., Jacquet R., Quinn B., Rinaldi P., Daunch W.A. and Sun Y. Physicochemical characterization of liquid crystalline phases in model bile and lipid digestive mixtures. Mol. Cryst. Liq. Cryst. 299:287-292, 1997.
  • LaRosa C., Grasso D., Checchetti A., Golemme D., Chidichimo G. and Westerman P. Anomalous phase transition in dipalmitoylphosphatidylethanolamine-palmitoylphosphatidyl-choline-water system. Biophys. Chem. 70:11-20, 1998.
  • Kauffman J.M., Westerman P.W., Leonard M.R., Kulkarni V.S., Crawford J.M. and Carey M.C. Fluorocholesterols (FCH): Synthesis and physical chemical characterization of promising analogs for tracking cholesterol (CH) movement through hepatocytes. Hepatology 28:533A, 1998.
  • Kauffman J.M., Pellicciari R., Westerman P.W. and Carey M.C. Characterization of fluoro-, and hydroxy-, cholesterols and fluorinated analogues of bile acids employing the surface balance: Putative imaging probes for bile acids and sterols in membranes. Hepatology 30:535A, 1999.
  • Westerman P.W., Malmer M. and Prosser R.S. Interactions of protoporphyrin IX with model phospholipid bilayer membranes: A 2H NMR study. FASEB J. 13:A13, 2000.
  • Kauffman J.M., Westerman P.W. and Carey M.C. Fluorocholesterols, in contrast to hydroxycholesterols, exhibit similar interfacial properties to cholesterol. J. Lipid Res. 41:991-1003, 2000.
  • Prosser R.S., Luchette P.A. and Westerman P.W. Using O2 to probe membrane immersion depth by 19F NMR. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 97:9967-9971, 2000.
  • Prosser R.S., Luchette P.A., Westerman P.W., Rozek A. and Hancock R.E.W. Determination of membrane immersion depth with oxygen: A high pressure fluorine-19 NMR study. Biophys. J. 79:1406-1416, 2001.
  • Oradd B., Lindblom G. and Westerman P.W. Lateral diffusion of cholesterol and dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine in a lipid bilayer measured by pulsed field gradient NMR spectroscopy. Biophys. J. 83:2702-2704, 2002.
  • Prosser R.S., Shiyanovskaya I.V., Malmer M.S. and Westerman P.W. Interaction of protoporphyrin IX with magnetically aligned phospholipid bilayer membranes: A H-2 NMR study. Biophys. J. 80:369a, 2001.
  • Prosser R.S., Luchette P.A., Westerman P.W., Rozek A. and Hancock R.E.W. Using oxygen to determine membrane immersion depth in bilayers by F-19 NMR. A solid-state and high resolution NMR approach. Biophys. J. 80:49a, 2001.
  • Prosser R.S., Luchette P.A., Westerman P.W., Rozek A. and Hancock R.E.W. Probing immersion depth and topology of membrane proteins by NMR. An ode to oxygen. Biophys. J. 80:15a, 2001.
  • Westerman P.W., MaImer M., Schneider T., Lavrentovich O.D., Jin T. and Finotello D. H-2 NMR characterization of liquid-crystalline phases in aqueous disodium cromoglycates. Proceedings of the 19th International Liquid Crystal Conference, Edinburgh, Scotland, p.131, July, 2002.
  • G. Oradd, P.W. Westerman and G. Lindblom. Lateral Diffusion Coefficients of Separate Lipid Species in a Ternary Raft--Forming Bilayer: A Pfg--NMR Multinuclear Study.  Biophys J.  89: 315-320 (2005).