Molecular Cell Regulation Program

The Molecular Cell Regulation Program encompasses research on all of the functions needed and utilized by cells to maintain cellular and tissue homeostasis, in particular cell division, differentiation and death, the responses to extracellular signals (hormones, growth factors, etc.) and tissue damage and repair. In addition to these endogenous pathways, many drugs and environmental agents target these same mechanisms to produce their most important effects. Numerous research opportunities exist within this program to explore cellular and subcellular behavior and the aberrant signaling mechanisms associated with disease states.

The Molecular Cell Regulation program is comprised of a diverse faculty whose research aims to unravel the molecular mechanisms that dictate cellular structure and signaling in tissue development and in pathological disease. Focus ranges from the molecular regulation of fibrosis and tissue regeneration, cellular migration and development, cell polarity, cell cycle regulation, stem cell biology, and cell to cell interactions. In addition to a track-specific Molecular Cell Regulation Journal Club, advanced courses in cell and molecular regulation and formal seminars are also offered.

Molecular Cell Regulation Faculty

Alexander Awgulewitsch, Ph.D.
Professor
Rheumatology/Immunology
Role of Hox genes in cartilage & muscle development and transgenic models for skin and hair defects

John E. Baatz, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology
Non-receptor mediated endocytic mechanisms

Craig Beeson, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Drug Discovery and Biomedical Science
Regulation of bioenergetics

Narayan R. Bhat, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Neurology
Glial cell differentiation and myelinogenesis; MAP Kinases in neurodevelopmental and neuroinflammatory cell signaling

Galina Bogatkevich, M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor
College of Medicine
Mechanistic insights into pulmonary fibrosis associated with autoimmune diseases 

Amy Bradshaw, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
College of Medicine
Extracellular matrix assembly in heath and disease 

Craig Crosson, Ph.D.
Professor and Vice Chairman for Research
Department of Ophthalmology
Cell signaling system associated with growth factors and GPCR

StephenA. Duncan, DPhil
Smartstate Chair in Regenerative Medicine
Professor and Chair
Metabolic Diseases and Development of the Liver

Stephen Ethier, Ph.D.
Professor, Endowed Chair
Pathology & Laboratory
Medicine Growth Factor/Receptor Interactions, Regulation of Cell Growth Proliferation

Hongkuan Fan, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Pathology and Laboratory
Medicine Roles of endothelial progenitor cells and pericytes in the vascular dysfunction of sepsis

Carol Feghali-Bostwick, Ph.D.
Professor
Division of Rheumatology and Immunology
Pathogenesis of Fibrosis and the Identification of Anti-fibrotic Mechanisms  

Victoria Findlay, Ph.D. 
Assistant Professor
Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Exploring the role of microRNAs in normal mammary gland development  

Gary Gilkeson, M.D.
Professor
Division of Rheumatology
Control of the inflammatory response

Monika Gooz, M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Medicine
Crosstalk among Growth Factors, ADAMs and Integrins

Denis C. Guttridge, Ph.D.
Professor
College of Medicine
NF-kB Signaling in Cancer and Muscle Wasting Disorders

Stanley R. Hoffman, Ph.D.
Professor
Rheumatology/Immunology
Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Fibrosis 

Philip Howe, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Signaling pathways activated by TGFB1 and Wnt and their potential cross-talk in cellular models of differentiation and cancer

Christine B. Kern, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology
Prrx Regulation of Extracellular Matrix Genes during Craniofacial Development

Michael Kern, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology
Defining the molecular/genetic circuitry of patterning genes in bone, craniofacial, and cardiovascular development. Target genes of homeobox transcription factors: microarrays and beyond

Masahiro Kono, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Ophthalmology
Structure and Function of G protein-coupled receptors

Yiannis Koutalos, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Ophthalmology
Sensory signal transduction and cell biology of visual receptor neurons; regulation of cell metabolism

Antonis Kourtidis, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology
Interaction of cell-cell Junctions with the RNAi Machinery in Cell Behavior and Disease

Dhandapani Kuppuswamy, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology
Mechanism of focal complex formation following integrin activation and the role of this complex in altering cell architecture and survival

John L. Lemasters, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor & GlaxoSmithKline
Distinguished Endowed Chair
Drug Discovery & Biomedical Sciences & Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
The role of mitochondria in pathobiology, especially in relation to ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury, ethanol/drug-induced hepatic injury, organ preservation for transplantation, cancer, and mitochondrial autophagy (mitophagy), utilizing techniques of quantitative laser scanning confocal, intravital multiphoton, and super-resolution microscopy, as well as Seahorse respirometry.

Donald R. Menick, Ph.D.
Professor Department of Medicine,
Division of Cardiology
Signal transduction pathways mediating gene expression   

Robin C. Muise-Helmericks, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Regenerative Medicine & Cell Biology
Hollings Cancer Institute
Role of the Ets family of transcription factors in angiogenesis and lymphoid development

Anna-Liisa Nieminen, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Drug Discovery and Biomedical Science
Mechanisms of photodynamic therapy, Thiol-dependent sensitization of tumors to hypoxic cell killing

Russell A. Norris, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology Formation of the Cardiac Valves and Pathological Processes that Result in Valve Disease

Besim Ogretmen, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Regulation of cell growth by novel ceramide and reulation of telomerase

Visu Palanisamy, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Craniofacial Biology
Regulation of mRNA stability mechanisms in oral cancer

Janardan P. Pandey, B.S., M.S., Ph.D.
Professor
Microbiology and Immunology
Immunogenetics of Malignant and Infectious Diseases 

Don Rockey, M.D.
Professor and Chair,
Department of Medicine
Cell and Molecular Biology of Liver Wound Healing

Baerbel Rohrer, Ph.D.
Professor
Ophthalmology Mechanisms of retinal degeneration for the development of diagnostics and treatments for these diseases 

Steven A. Rosenzweig, Ph.D.
Professor
Cell and Molecular Pharmacology
Tumorigenesis, angiogenesis, hypoxia-inducible factor, IGF-binding proteins, receptor tyrosine kinases, and protein:protein interactions

Suhua Sha, M.D.
Associate Professor
Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Molecular Mechanisms Behind Acquired Hearing Loss Including Noise-, Ototoxic Medicine-, and Age Related-hearing Loss  

Andrew M. Shedlock, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Marine Genomics,
Department of Biology, College of Charleston
Comparative Genomics and Transcriptomics, Molecular Evolution, Marine Environmental Biology 

Demetri D. Spyropoulos, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Medicine
Environmental factors leading to cancer and obesity 

Ge Tao, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology
Cardiac Regeneration, Myocardial Infarction, Cardiovascular Development

Stephen Tomlinson, Ph.D.
Professor
Microbiology and Immunology
Inflammatory and Adaptive Immune Responses after Brain Injury (stroke and TBI) and Organ Transplantation, with a Focus on the Complement System

Elena Tourkina, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology & Immunology
Role of Caveolin-1 during lung fibrosis and inflammation in Scleroderma and other Intenstitial lung diseases

Paula Traktman, Ph.D.
Dean, College of Graduate Studies
Professor, Microbiology & Immunology
We study the cellular protein kinase VRK1 and its roles in regulating nuclear morphology, cell proliferation, cell migration, mammary oncogenesis, spermatogenesis, and oocyte maturation

Carol Wagner, M.D.
Professor
College of Medicine, Pediatrics
Effects of vitamin D status on immune function during pregnancy and lactation in the mother-fetal/infant dyad 

Andy Wessels , Ph.D.
Professor
Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology
Cardiovascular Development Biology Center Cardiovascular Development

Elizabeth Yeh, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Cell and Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
Growth factor receptors, Protein Kinase Signaling, Cell death/survival mechanisms