Dunnwald, Martine, Pharm.D., Ph.D.

Dunnwald.jpg
Research Scientist
Pediatrics
Office room number: 
206B
Office building: 
MRC
Office phone: 
1 319-384-4645
Lab room number: 
206
Lab building: 
MRC
Lab phone: 
1 319-335-8108
Research

Epidermal development and regeneration

My research interests involve skin, epidermal development and regeneration. The homeostasis of the epidermis is provided by stem cells that persist through the lifetime of the organism and allow the continous renewal of the tissue. One of our studies demonstrated that epidermal stem cells could be used as cell based therapy for tissue regeneration and accelerated the restoration of the blood flow in a diabetic ischemic limb (Jiao et al, 2004). By themselves, the epidermal stem cells have proangiogenic properties that make them a therapeutic alternative for wound healing and other ischemic disorders (Oberley et al, 2008). If neovascularization is critical in tissue regeneration, epithelial migration and differentiation also contributes to close embryological seams and adult wounds. Epidermal cells (keratinocytes) execute a well-ordered program of differentiation that leads to four distinct layers, the outermost provinding a barrier function to the environment. Ingraham et al recently identified Interferon Regulatory Factor 6 (Irf6) as a key regulator of epidermal proliferation and differentiation. We are currently investigating the role of Irf6 in skin regeneration and pathological conditions.

Selected publications: 

Oberley, C.C., Gourronc, F., Hakimi, S., Bronner, S., Jiao, C., and Dunnwald, M. Murine epidermal side-population possess unique angiogenic properties. Exp. Cell Res., 314(4): 720-728, 2008.

Ingraham, C.R., Kinoshita, A., Kondo, S., Yang, B., Dunnwald, M., Sajan, S., Trout, K. J., Malik, M. I., Lovett, M., Murray, J.C., and Schutte, B. Abnormal skin, limb and craniofacial morphogenesis in mice deficient for Interferon Regulatory Factor 6 (Irf6). Nat Genet 38(11); 1335-40, 2006.

Jiao C.H., Bronner, S.J., Mercer K.L.N., Sheriff, D., Schatteman G.C., and Dunnwald M. Epidermal progenitor cells accelerate the restoration of the blood flow in diabetic ischemic limbs. J. Cell Sci. 117, 1055-1063, 2004.

Dunnwald, M., Chinnathambi, S. Alexandrunas, D., Fishbaugh, J., and Bickenbach, J.R. Mouse epidermal stem cells proceed through the cell cycle. J. Cell. Physiol. 195; 194-201, 2003.

Michel, M., Dunnwald, M., L'Heureux, N., Xu, W., Auger, F.A., and Germain, L. Role of the transfollicular route in percutaneous absorption of hydrocortisone: in vitro studies with a new tissue engineered skin equivalent with hair. In Vitro Cell. Dev. Biol., 35(6): 318-326, 1999.

Michel, M., Dunnwald, M., Trk, N., Godbout, M.-J., Lussier, M., Gaudreau, P., Royal, A., and Germain, L. Keratin 19 as a biochemical marker of skin stem cells in vivo and in vitro: Keratin 19 expressing cells are differentially localized in function of anatomic sites, and their number varies with donor age and culture stage. J. Cell. Sci., 109: 1017-1028, 1996.

Department/Program affiliations: 
Biosciences
Molecular & Cellular Biology