Rate My Professor JoAnn Trejo

Trejo's research specializes in the cell signaling mechanisms controlled by G protein-coupled receptors, with a focus on protease-activated receptors regulating vascular inflammation, endothelial barrier dysfunction, sepsis, cytoprotection, and breast cancer progression. Her laboratory has pioneered discoveries including ubiquitin-driven GPCR inflammatory signaling at endosomes, novel lysosomal sorting pathways involving ALIX and alpha-arrestin ARRDC3, and biased signaling determinants, detailed in over 100 peer-reviewed publications such as 'An siRNA library screen identifies CYLD and USP34 as deubiquitinases that regulate GPCR-p38 MAPK signaling and distinct inflammatory responses' (J. Biol. Chem., 2023), 'aPC/PAR1 confers endothelial anti-apoptotic activity via a discrete β-arrestin-2-mediated Sphk1-S1PR1-Akt signaling axis' (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 2021), and 'Ubiquitin plays an atypical role in GPCR-induced p38 MAP kinase activation on endosomes' (J. Cell Biol., 2015). Continuously funded by the NIH for more than 20 years, including R01 and R35 MIRA awards, she has received the American Heart Association Established Investigator Award (2006), American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Ruth Kirchstein Outstanding Scientist Award (2015), American Society for Cell Biology E.E. Just Award for Outstanding Scientific Achievement (2017), UC San Diego Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Postdoctoral Scholar Mentoring (2014), and was elected to the National Academy of Medicine (2021), American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellow (2025), and Honorary Fellow of the British Pharmacological Society (2024). A prominent mentor and leader in inclusive excellence, Trejo has trained over 100 scientists, developed key programs like the Health Sciences Faculty Mentor Training Program and Grant Writing Course, chaired Gordon Research Conferences and FASEB meetings, served on NIH study sections, HHMI and NCI panels, and councils of the American Society for Cell Biology and American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.