{"433241":{"#nid":"433241","#data":{"type":"event","title":"PhD Proposal by Dwight Chambers","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPhD Proposal Presentation: Dwight Chambers\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDate: August 25th, 2015\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETime: 1PM\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERoom: EBB 1005\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThomas Barker, PhD (Advisor)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJohnna Temenoff, PhD, GT-BME\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMelissa Kemp, PhD, GT-BME\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPhil Santangelo, PhD, GT-BME\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELonnie Shea, PhD, U.Mich-BME\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA System of Mechanical Genetics through MRTF\/SRF Titration with Applications to Pulmonary Fibrosis\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbstract:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe extracellular matrix in pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is the driver of patient morbidity\/mortality.\u0026nbsp; Moreover, the matrix is both the consequence of cellular pathology and a cause of the pathology itself through mechanotransduction.\u0026nbsp; Remediating the fibrotic matrix directly is not currently possible and, there are few matrix focused therapies in development.\u0026nbsp; Traditional targeting of the diseased matrix is difficult due to the biochemical similarity between pathologic collagen in fibrosis and collagen in physiological contexts; however, the fibrotic matrix is significantly stiffer than its physiological counterpart.\u0026nbsp; This proposal seeks to exploit this biophysical characteristic of the fibrotic matrix by characterizing and hijacking a mechanotransductory transcription factor (TF) pathway, the myocardin-related transcription factor-serum response factor (MRTF-SRF) axis.\u0026nbsp; Specifically, this proposal aims to develop and validate a statistical mechanics model of MRTF-SRF activity in fibroblasts to predict the mechano-sensitivity of transgenes using a high-throughput DNA-TF binding assay, TF localization assays, and a TF luciferase array.\u0026nbsp; This proposal will also characterize the ability of \u201cdecoy\u201d DNA elements to preferentially buffer pathologic signaling in the MRTF-SRF axis.\u0026nbsp; Success in this project should permit the rational design of mechano-sensitive promoters, more fully characterize an important TF axis, and develop a new gene-based therapeutic for PF.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E \u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":"","field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A System of Mechanical Genetics through MRTF\/SRF Titration with Applications to Pulmonary Fibrosis"}],"uid":"27707","created_gmt":"2015-08-11 12:42:18","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 02:12:54","author":"Tatianna Richardson","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2015-08-25T14:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2015-08-25T16:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2015-08-25T16:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2015-08-25 18:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2015-08-25 20:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2015-08-25 20:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"221981","name":"Graduate Studies"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"102851","name":"Phd proposal"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"1788","name":"Other\/Miscellaneous"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78771","name":"Public"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}