HCS 2021 Webinar Series
These events are complimentary and open to all.
Most webinars are 12:00pm-1:30pm US Eastern unless otherwise noted.
2021April 14
Epigenetic control of vascular homeostasis and smooth muscle functionUnlike cardiac and skeletal myocytes, differentiated vascular smooth muscle cells present the remarkable property of dynamically change their phenotypes and functions in response to physiological and pathological modifications of their microenvironment. For example, we have recently demonstrated that vascular smooth muscle cells downregulate their lineage-specific functions to transition into multiple disease-protecting or promoting states in atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease. This marked plasticity involves a tight yet dynamic transcriptional and epigenetic regulation of the smooth muscle cell gene repertoire. My laboratory is primarily interested in investigating epigenetic mechanisms controlling vascular smooth muscle cell phenotypic state. In this presentation, we will focus on the discovery of a central epigenetic axis, including chromatin and DNA modifications, regulating smooth muscle cell lineage identity and vascular homeostasis, and its possible impact in major chronic cardiovascular diseases. Featured Speaker: Delphine Gomez, PhD, University of PittsburghRegister for this webinar NOWMay 12HCS 2021 New Investigator AwardeeAmy C. Engevik, Medical University of South CarolinaThe Role of Myosin Vb in Maintaining Epithelial Polarity and HomeostasisMyosin Vb is a molecular motor that is highly expressed in epithelial cells. Inactivating mutations in Myosin Vb causes Microvillus Inclusion Disease, a rare disorder characterized by severe, unremitting diarrhea. Mutations in Myosin Vb are also linked with intrahepatic cholestasis. My work seeks to elucidate the role of Myosin Vb in health and disease. Using mouse models, an engineered swine model of MVID, human tissue and intestinal organoids, my work has demonstrated that dysfunctional Myosin Vb results in a loss of apical sodium transporters (NHE3 and SGLT1) in the intestine. The small intestine is the major site of water absorption, driven by sodium transport. Mislocalization of sodium transporters resulting from loss of Myosin Vb thus causes malabsorptive diarrhea. Additionally, my work has demonstrated that the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) is functional in Myosin Vb deficient mice. This results in CFTR mediated chloride secretion that further exacerbates diarrhea and dehydration by promoting water loss from the intestine. In a swine model of MVID, liver aberrations were observed in the bile canaliculi, supporting data suggesting that mutations in Myosin Vb contribute to cholestasis. Collectively, my research demonstrates that Myosin Vb is an important regulator of apical transporters in the intestine and liver. This work has the potential to provide novel targets for the development of specialized therapeutics to treat diarrhea and cholestasis. Register for this webinar NOWJune 9Tumor microenvironment multiplex immunofluorescence: an illustration of our workflow conceptFeatured Speaker: Svetomir Markovic, M.D., Ph.D., Mayo ClinicJuly 14Featured Speaker: Francesca Duncan, Northwestern UniversityAugust 11Featured Speaker: Tirthadipa Pradhan-Sundd, University of Pittsburgh School of MedicineComing this Fall - HCS Practical Workshop SeriesLook for details posted here soon. Click Here for PAST WEBINARS |