Home
Faculty
Graduate Program
Events & Seminars
Resources
Contact Us
Site Map



Martin Blank, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Physiology & Cellular Biophysics
Email: mb32@columbia.edu
Tel: (212) 305-3644   
Office:P&S 3-342   
Fax: (212) 305-5775


CURRENT RESEARCH

ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD EFFECTS ON MEMBRANE ENZYMES AND ON THE CELLULAR STRESS RESPONSE.

Electromagnetic (EM) fields have been used therapeutically for accelerated healing and pain control, but they have also been associated with adverse health effects. To understand these biological effects, we have been studying the interaction of low frequency EM fields with cells at both the cellular and molecular levels. Our studies with cells have shown that 60Hz EM fields induce stress genes and stress response proteins in cells. The stress response is a protective mechanism induced by many potentially harmful environmental stimuli and characterized by the synthesis of specific proteins that assist the renaturation and transport of other proteins. Our studies suggest that EM fields initiate the stress response by interacting with electrons moving within DNA. We have identified a 900 base pair segment associated with the response to EM fields, that when removed eliminates the response, and when transfected into a reporter construct, causes the construct to become EM field responsive. We have also investigated the mechanism of EM field interactions at the molecular level through effects on three reactions, electron transfer in cytochrome oxidase, ATP hydrolysis by the Na,K-ATPase, and the Belousov-Zhabotinski (BZ) reaction (the catalyzed oxidation of malonic acid). The BZ reaction is studied with ordinary reagents, so there is no problem of impurities as with biological preparations. All three reactions show:
  • EM accelerates the reaction rate, i.e., electron transfer rate
  • EM competes with the chemical force, so its effect varies inversely
    with the reaction rate
  • thresholds for interaction are low, comparable to levels found by
    epidemiology
  • effects vary with frequency, and there are different optima for the
    reactions studied: ATPase (60Hz), cytochrome oxidase (800Hz), BZ (250Hz)
     
These properties are consistent with the idea that EM fields affect many biological systems by interacting with electrons moving during redox reactions and also within DNA.


SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

Blank, M. 2008. Protein and DNA Reaction Stimulated by Electromagnetic Fields. Bioelectromagnetic Biology and Medicine 27: 1-21.

Blank, M., and Goodman, R. 2007. A Mechanism for Stimulation of Biosynthesis by Electromagnetic Fields: Charge Transfer in DNA and Base Pair Separation. Journal of Cellular Physiology. Published Online: 9 Jul 2007 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.21198.

Blank, M. 2007. Section 7, pp. 1-40. Evidence for Stress Response (Stress Proteins). In BioInitiative Report A Scientific Perspective on Health Risk of Electromagnetic Fields. Published Online 31 August 2007 Section 7, pp. 1-40.

Blank, M. 2005. A proposed explanation for effects of electric and magnetic fields on the Na,K-ATPase in terms of interactions with electrons. Bioelectromagnetics 26(8):591-597.

Blank, M., and Goodman, R. 2004. Initial interactions in electromagnetic field-induced biosynthesis. Journal of Cellular Physiology 199:359-363.

Blank, M., and Goodman, R. 2004. A biological guide for electromagnetic safety: The stress response. Bioelectromagnetics, 25(8):642-646.

Weisbrot, D., Lin, H., Ye, L., Blank, M., and Goodman, R. 2003. Effects of Mobile Phone Radiation on Reproduction and Development in Drosophila melanogaster. Journal of Cellular Biochemistry 89: 48-55.

Blank, M., and Soo, L. 2003. Electromagnetic acceleration of Belousov-Zhabotinski reaction. Bioelectrochemistry 61: 93-97.Blank, M and Goodman, R (2003) Stress Protein Synthesis and Enzyme Reactions are Stimulated by Electromagnetic Fields. In Magnetotherapy: Potential Therapeutic Benefits and Adverse Effects. MJ McLean, S Engstr_m, RR Holcomb (eds), Floating Gallery Press, New York, pp. 19-28.

Goodman, R., and Blank, M. 2002. Insights into Electromagnetic Interaction Mechanisms. Journal of Cellular Physiology 192:16-22.

Blank, M., and Goodman, R. 2002. Interaction of Weak Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields with DNA: Mechanism and Biomedical Applications. IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science 30: 1497-1500.

Lin, H., Blank, M., Rossol-Haseroth, K., and Goodman, R. 2001. Regulating Genes with Electromagnetic Response Elements Journal of Cellular Biochemistry 81:143-148.

Blank, M., and Soo, L. 2001. Electromagnetic Acceleration of Electron Transfer Reactions. Journal of Cellular Biochemistry 81: 278-283.

Blank, M., and Soo, L., 2001. Optimal Frequencies in Magnetic Field Acceleration of Cytochrome Oxidase and Na,K-ATPase Reactions. Bioelectrochemistry 53: 171-174.

Blank, M., and Goodman, R. 2001. Electromagnetic Initiation of Transcription at Specific DNA Sites. Journal of Cellular Biochemistry 81: 689-692.

Blank, M., and Goodman, R. 2000. Stimulation of the Cellular Stress Response by Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields: Possibility of Direct Interaction with DNA. IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science 28:168-172.

Carmody, S., Wu, X.L., Lin, H., Blank, M., Skopicki, H., and Goodman, R. 2000. Cytoprotection by Electromagnetic Field-Induced hsp70: A Model for Clinical Application. Journal of Cellular Biochemistry 79:453-459.

Lin, H., Blank, M., and Goodman, R. 1999, Magnetic Field-Responsive Domain in the Human HSP70 Promoter. Journal of Cellular Biochemistry 75:170-176.

Blank, M. 1999. Mechanisms of Biological Interaction with Electric and Magnetic Fields. Plenary Lecture. Proceedings of Second World Congress for Electricity and Magnetism in Biology and Medicine. Bersani, editor, Plenum, pp. 21-25.

Goodman, R., and Blank, M. 1998. Magnetic Field Induces Expression of hsp70. Cell Stress and Chaperones 3:79-88.

Blank, M., and Soo, L. 1998. Enhancement of Cytochrome Oxidase Activity in 60Hz Magnetic Fields. Bioelectrochemistry and Bioenergetics 45:253-259.

Han, L., Lin, H., Head, M., Jin, M., Blank, M. and Goodman, R., 1998. Application of Magnetic Field-Induced Hsp70 for Pre-Surgical Cytoprotection. Journal of Cellular Biochemistry 71:577-583.

Blank, M., and Soo, L., 1998. Frequency Dependence of Cytochrome Oxidase Activity in Magnetic Fields. Bioelectrochemistry and Bioenergetics 46:139-143.

 


<< Back to Faculty Main Page
Home  |  Faculty  |  Graduate Program  |  Events & Seminars  |  Resources  |  Contact Us  |  Site Map