Molecular & Cell Biology

Our lab focuses on skin stem cells and using them for skin regeneration studies.  We employ in vitro and in vivo approaches to enlighten the process of wound healing post injury, identify and track the fate of cell(s) that contribute to the healing.  In collaboration with burn surgeon-scientists and chemical engineering scientists, we aim to create a “skin substitute” that can be used for burn patients.

My research program is aimed at understanding myelinogenesis by oligodendrocytes. We are currently focusing on the structure and roles of myelin basic protein in interactions with the cytoskeleton and SH3-domain proteins and the role of glycosphingolipids in cell-surface phenomena. We are also studying the effect of estrogens on oligodendrocytes and myelin.

My lab studies the human fastidious enteric adenoviruses (HAdV-40 and 41), with a primary focus on their unique structural features and the role of these features as determinants of gut tropism. Related projects include the development of HAdV-40/41 as vaccine vectors and the study of antiviral agents for treatment of adenovirus infection.    

My main research interest is in the clinicopathologic and molecular characterization of breast carcinoma. This includes: evaluation of pathologic predictors of recurrence and treatment response, role of host factors in breast cancer progression, and molecular correlates of structural/histologic changes.  Other interests: ovarian cancer, digital pathology.

Our research focuses on initiation of atherosclerosis, specifically regional differences in the normal arterial intima that predispose it to atherogenesis, intimal dendritic cells and monocyte recruitment and myeloid cell proliferation in early lesions.  Another focus is functions of alpha-4 integrins in leukocyte recruitment to sites of inflammation.

Lymphoma research interests
1. diagnostics, biology and immunology of lymphoma.
2. pathology review for trials 

The Fish lab investigates the molecular mechanisms that control endothelial cell biology. We are seeking to decipher the signaling pathways and downstream transcriptional mediators that control responses to differentiation signals (e.g. artery/vein specification and angiogenesis) as well as pro-inflammatory factors. We have identified key roles for noncoding RNAs such as microRNAs in modulating signaling pathways in endothelial cells.

Using a range of molecular, cell biology, animal and clinical approaches my laboratory conducts research into the pathogenesis of diabetes complications with the overriding aim of developing new therapies to prevent and treat them. 

I am a cardiovascular pathologist with expertise in the study of cardiac valve disease and atherosclerosis.  I am interested in understanding the pathogenesis of these human diseases in order to propose therapeutic targets that prevent, detect and/or treat these conditions.

We are interested in the structural aspects of components of the Hedgehog pathway that generate the diversity of cellular responses to the Hedgehog ligands in normal cells, during mammary gland development and in transformed (cancer) cells.

Molecular mechanisms underlying long term effects of brain trauma, Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy and Seizure disorder.

Research interests include: respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) receptor discovery and drug targeting; determinants of asthma and allergy in children; lung pathology; respiratory virus-host interactions.

Molecular regulation of vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation & differentiation.  Tissue-specific transgene regulation informs molecular pathophysiology.  Genetic & experimental models of cardiovascular disease.  Clinical & experimental cardiovascular imaging.  Acute cardiac care.

My areas of research include development of experimental models in forensic pathology and public health.    

1.  The functions of resident CD11c+ myeloid cells in healthy mouse aorta and in the initiation of atherosclerosis. 
2.  The role of oxidized lipid loading on TLR-induced inflammatory gene expression in primary macrophages and dendritic cells.
3.  Mechanisms regulating basal NF-kappaB homeostasis in endothelial cells.             

Our research laboratory is interested in exploring the cellular and molecular mechanisms of tumor cell adhesion and migration, in an effort to develop biomarkers relevant to the invasion of cancer cells in vivo, and to generate inhibitors of  these processes.

To develop a translational research program that characterizes host-parasite interactions responsible for major global health threats such as malaria and HIV. To determine the molecular basis for adverse clinical outcomes in life-threatening inefctions and to translate this knowledge into novel therapeutic interventions.

My laboratory focuses on understanding how chaperone molecules fail to maintain protein homeostasis in Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders with the goal of developing novel molecular therapeutics for the treatment of these disorders.

Dr. Katz’s research interests span across all areas of Infection Prevention and Control. Areas of special interest include: Infection prevention and control in a community hospital setting, Community-associated Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Influenza and febrile respiratory illness.

The major focus of my research is the development and application of genomic technologies to the understanding of the causes of reproductive failure. Identification and characterization of copy number variation in infertile males, preimplantation embryos and perinatal samples provide insight into the mechanisms that cause infertility and abnormal embryonic development.

Our laboratory is interested in understanding the molecular mechanisms at play in the tug-of-war between viruses and the host. We want to understand how certain retroviruses enter cells and are then antagonized by innate immune molecules. Immunological recognition and restriction of viral pathogens is fundamental for fighting infectious disease.

Ren-Ke Li’s research focuses on translational research to apply new insights discovered through basic science research to clinical applications for heart regeneration and repair after myocardial infarction. Research areas are: 1) Cell transplantation into damaged tissue to regenerate myocardium and restore heart function. 2) Tissue engineering to create a muscle graft using stem cells and biomaterials for repair of cardiac defects.

The Cancer Invasion and Metastasis laboratory (CIMlab) uses a combination of cell biology, leading edge imaging techniques and clinical studies to investigate the mechanisms of early cancer invasion.    

My research is focused on using high throughput genomic technologies, including microarrays and sequencing, for gene discovery and diagnostics in neurodevelopmental disorders.

My research interests include clinical development, evaluation, and utility of viral diagnostic testing as well as rapid diagnostic testing.  I am also involved in research related to the epidemiology of antibiotic resistance in the community particularly as it relates to organisms associated with infections of the respiratory tract and urinary tract.         

The ultimate goal of our research group is to chart molecular networks dictating the non-random distribution of DNA in the nucleus and understand how this order maintains genome stability and human health.

The overall research goal of the lab is to reduce the burden of disease caused by viral inflammation in the lung with a focus on Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV).   The lab has expertise in airway epithelial cell biology and uses airway cell model systems to study a few lung diseases, most notably Cystic Fibrosis.    

My lab focuses on colorectal cancer research and specifically colorectal cancer-initiating cells. We are interested in studying clonal cooperation and novel therapeutic strategies. We are also interested in studying the role of the microbiome and how it influences primary tumour growth, as well as, metastases. 

We study the role of calreticulin, a ubiquitous calcium-binding chaperone of the ER/SR, which affects calcium homeostasis and gene expression, in ES cell choice of fate.  We discovered that calreticulin acts as a switch either promoting (bone) or suppressing (fat) stem cell differentiation, while it seems to deregulate cardiogenesis. 

My research involves the study of women's health pathology. It focuses on the discovery and application of novel tools (molecular, immunohistochemical, morphometric) in the histopathologic diagnosis of diseases of the breast and female reproductive system. It also focuses on the development of practical diagnostic algorithms in gynecologic pathology.

Physician practice patterns in transfusion medicine, transfusion support of hemoglobinopathies, safety and efficacy of blood components and fractionated plasma products, transfusion practice in rural and underserviced communities. 

Dr. Poutanen is a clinician-investigator interested in applied research as it relates to the contemporary field of medical microbiology and infectious diseases.

The focus of our research is to study the cause(s) and cure(s ) of  Amyotrophic Lateral Scelrosis.

We study Alzheimer’s disease and prion disorders, pursuing the hypothesis that early diagnostics and disease intervention strategies will emerge from an in-depth understanding of etiologies. To this end, we focus on (1) molecular events that promote the formation of toxic Aβ assemblies, (2) how the presence of Aβ causes perturbations in the biology of Tau, and (3) how disease-associated conformers of Tau or PrP cause cells to die.

Our laboratory characterizes breast and prostate cancer biomarkers that have diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Functional testing of these biomarkers is done to understand molecular mechanisms of human tumorigenesis. New molecular therapies arising from our mechanistic understanding of cancer development are tested in a clinically relevant patient-derived tumor xenografted mouse model.

Our research activities focus on discovering novel methods to prevent and treat intestinal injury in humans and enhance the quality-of-life and health of Canadians.

Metallic elements play essential roles in normal cell function as enzyme cofactors, redox sensors, and structural elements.  They also include some of the most potent toxic substances in our environment.  We study the cell biology and toxicology of metals, with a current focus on iron and cadmium.

My primary research interest is in understanding better the genomic and molecular abnormalities in lung and pancreatic cancer, such that we can improve the accuracy of our diagnosis and treatment of these deadly cancers. Comprehensive analysis of these tumors at gene sequence, gene copy number and proteomics levels may provide new “integrated” understanding of the molecular pathology of these tumors.

Our research focuses on utilizing and developing tissue engineering approaches to address cardiovascular problems

Three approaches are taken to study miRNA function in transgenic mice expressing miR-17, versican 3’UTR, which can bind endogenous miRNAs and relieve mRNAs for translation, and anti-miR-378 construct.     

The research conducted by Dr Yeger encompasses the physiological functions and development of the pulmonary neuroendocrine cell system and role in lung biology. Extensions from these studies have been made into the pathobiology of Cystic Fibrosis lung disease and neuroendocrine cancers.  

We are using mouse models, cell and molecular biology and bioinformatics to identify mechanisms of cancer initiation, progression and metastasis, that can be exploited for novel therapy.  We focus on breast and brain cancers, the tumor suppressors Rb, Pten and p53 as well as the HER2 oncogene. We are also studying the effect of the Rb pathway on aging.