COLLABORATIONS
We are a highly collaborative laboratory and always welcome partnerships across laboratories and disciplines.
DISCOVERY OF PHARMACODYNAMIC MOLECULAR BIOMARKERS FOR STEROIDAL AND ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DRUGS
In collaboration with Dr. Christopher Heier, this work focuses on identifying microRNAs as biomarkers in inflammatory diseases. Specifically, we have defined how anti-inflammatory drugs (steroidal ligand/TNFα inhibitors) affect serum miRNA levels in Inflammatory Bowel Disease patients and in dystrophic mouse muscle after treatment with prednisone or the dissociative steroid, vamarolone (VBP15). Through this work we describe microRNAs that correspond to disease severity, inflammation, and drug response. Moving forward we will utilize these miRNAs to define the efficacy of anti-inflammatory drug treatment in DMD and other inflammatory diseases.
MICRORNA MODULATION TO INCREASE DYSTROPHIN LEVELS IN DUCHENNE AND BECKER MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY
In partnership with ReveraGen Biopharma and Dr. Eric Hoffman, our laboratory has a patent for the therapeutic targeting of dystrophin-targeting microRNAs to increase dystrophin levels in Duchenne and Becker Muscular Dystrophy.
MICRORNA REGULATION IN MYASTHENIA GRAVIS
Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a neuromuscular disorder that causes weakness in the skeletal muscles. It occurs when communication between nerve cells and muscles becomes impaired. In collaboration with Dr. Anna Rostedt Punga we are investigating transcription factors that regulate miRNAs that are dysregated in the serum of Myastenia Gravis patients.