J. Benita Sjögren
Biography
J. Benita Sjögren, Ph.D., is Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Department of Biological Chemistry at the University of California, Irvine. Her research focuses on the posttranslational regulation of Regulator of G protein Signaling (RGS) proteins, particularly RGS2 and RGS10, and their roles in cardiovascular disease, cancer, and neuroinflammation. Sjögren received her Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, followed by postdoctoral training at the University of Michigan supported by fellowships from the Swedish Research Council and the Swedish Heart- and Lung Foundation.
Sjögren has established an independent research program investigating RGS proteins as therapeutic targets, supported by multiple NIH grants including an R01 from NIGMS and an R21 from NIA. Her work has identified novel mechanisms of RGS protein regulation, including the discovery that FBXO44-mediated degradation of RGS2 depends on a Cullin 4B/DDB1 E3 ligase complex and that PKC activation upregulates RGS2 protein levels. She has developed cell-based assays and screening platforms to identify small molecule modulators of RGS proteins, with applications in cardiovascular disease, uveal melanoma, and microglial function in neurodegeneration.
Sjögren serves as Chair of the IUPHAR-BPS Guide to Pharmacology Database Subcommittee on RGS proteins and was Chair of the ASPET Division for Drug Discovery and Development from 2022-2023. She has served on the editorial boards of Molecular Pharmacology, Pharmacological Research & Perspectives, and the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry Early Career Editorial Advisory Board. Sjögren is a member of the NIH Cancer Drug Development & Therapeutics study section and has been an invited speaker at over 25 institutions and conferences.
Return to topEducation
- Ph.D. in Pharmacology, Karolinska Institute, 2008
- M.S. in Molecular Biology, Stockholm University, 2002
Distinctions
- American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET) young Scientist Travel award, 2013
- Postdoctoral Fellowship, The Swedish Heart- and Lung Foundation, 2011-2012
- ASPET Molecular Pharmacology Division Postdoc Award, 2011
- ASPET young Scientist Travel award, 2011
- Postdoctoral Fellowship, The Swedish Research Council, 2009-2010
- American Heart Association (AHA) Scientist Development Grant, 2015
- Richard and Anne Borch MCMP Research Award, Purdue University, 2022
- Purdue University Ross-Lynn Faculty Summer Supplement Award, 2021
- Purdue College of Pharmacy BRAVO award, 2019
- Karolinska Institute graduate student travel award, 2006
Areas of Expertise
- Molecular Pharmacology
- RGS Protein Regulation
- Ubiquitin-Proteasome System
- GPCR Signaling Mechanisms
- High-Throughput Drug Screening
- Microglial Neuroinflammation
- Protein-Protein Interaction Inhibitors
Recent Publications
- Talele S., Wendimu M., Hooks S.B., Sjogren B., “Bioinformatic analysis identifies RGS10 as a modulator of BV-2 microglia migration” (opens in new tab), Cellular Signalling, vol. 139, 2026.
- Aryal S, Wong C, McNabb HJ, Junaid A, Altman RA, Sjögren B, “Discovery of RGS2-FBXO44 protein-protein interaction inhibitors using a cell-based NanoBit assay”, Mol Pharmacol, vol. 107, no. 5, pp. 100030, 2025.
- Talele S, Gonzalez S, Trudeau J, Junaid A, Loy CA, Altman RA, Sjögren B, “A phenotypic high-throughput screen identifies small molecule modulators of endogenous RGS10 in BV-2 cells”, J. Med. Chem., vol. 67, no. 22, pp. 20343-20352, 2024.
- Zhang Q, Sjögren B, “Palmitoylation of RGS20 affects Gαo-mediated signaling independent of its GAP activity”, Cell. Signal., vol. 107, pp. 110682-110691, 2023.
- Zhang Q, Haak AJ, Sjögren B, “RGS2 inhibits Gαq-dependent uveal melanoma cell growth”, J. Biol. Chem., vol. 298, no. 6, pp. 101955-101965, 2022.
Most Cited Publications
- Feng H, Sjögren B, Karaj B, Shaw V, Gezer A, Neubig RR, “Movement disorder in GNAO1 encephalopathy associated with gain-of-function mutations” (opens in new tab), Neurology., vol. 89, no. 8, pp. 762-770, 2017.
- Sjögren B, Blazer LL, Neubig RR, “Regulators of G protein signaling proteins as targets for drug discovery” (opens in new tab), Progress in Molecular Biology and Translational Science, vol. 91, pp. 81-119, 2010.
- Jones CL, Njomen E, Sjögren B, Dexheimer TS, Tepe JJ, “Small Molecule Enhancement of 20S Proteasome Activity Targets Intrinsically Disordered Proteins” (opens in new tab), ACS Chemical Biology, vol. 12, no. 9, pp. 2240-2247, 2017.
- Sjögren B, Neubig RR, “Thinking outside of the "RGS box": new approaches to therapeutic targeting of regulators of G protein signaling” (opens in new tab), Molecular Pharmacology, vol. 78, no. 4, pp. 550-7, 2010.
- Sjögren, B., Hamblin, M.W., Svenningson, P., “Cholesterol depletion reduces serotonin binding and signaling via human 5-HT7a receptors” (opens in new tab), European Journal of Pharmacology, vol. 553, pp. 1-10, 2006.
- Sjögren, B., Svenningsson, P., “Depletion of the lipid raft constituents, sphingomyelin and ganglioside, decreases serotonin binding at human 5-HT7(a) receptors in HeLa cells” (opens in new tab), Acta Physiologica, vol. 190, no. 1, pp. 47-53, 2007.
- Sjögren B, “The evolution of RGS proteins as drug targets – 20 years in the making. IUPHAR Review 21” (opens in new tab), British Journal of Pharmacology, vol. 174, no. 6, pp. 427-437, 2017.
- Björk K, Sjögren B, Svenningsson P, “Regulation of serotonin receptor function in the nervous system by lipid rafts and adaptor proteins” (opens in new tab), Experimental Cell Research, vol. 316, no. 8, pp. 1351-6, 2010.
- Sjögren B, “Regulators of G protein signaling proteins as drug targets: Current state and future possibilities” (opens in new tab), Advances in Pharmacology, vol. 62, pp. 315-347, 2011.
- Sjögren B, Swaney S, Neubig RR, “FBXO44-mediated degradation of RGS2 protein uniquely depends on a Cullin 4B/DDB1 complex” (opens in new tab), PloS One., vol. 10, no. 5, pp. e0123581, 2015.
Contact Information
Email: jsjogren@uci.edu
Phone: (949) 824-7480
Address: 2537 Falling Leaves Medical Innovation, Irvine, CA 92697-3958
Return to topThis profile was created with the help of AI.
Last updated on 3/7/2026.