Sashko Damjanovski
Affiliations
Associate Scientist, Division of Genetics and Development, Children’s Health Research Institute
Associate Professor, Department of Biology, Western University
How my research helps children
Using frogs as developmental models, my lab is answering key fundamental questions about how cells interact with extracellular protein during very early development. Such interactions are important for proper development to occur and, as such, they could impact many disease processes including, those involved with skeletal development and dwarfism, vascular and cardiovascular development, and even later onset diseases such as asthma and joint problems.
Research
Current Research Activities
Healthy tissue function requires proper cell adhesion, and this adhesion is in part provided by proteins collectively known as the extracellular matrix (ECM). The ECM can be cut and remodelled by proteins called matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). The function of MMPs is in turn regulated by TIMPs. Many cell types lose their normal functions when cell-ECM interactions are broken, in a process similar to the transformation of healthy cells into uncontrolled cancer cells. We use the frog, Xenopus laevis, as a model system to examine how specific ECM remodelling events control cell fate in specific tissues during development. Several embryological and microinjection techniques are used to investigate MMP and TIMP expression patterns and how they are related to ECM remodelling events, and diverse processes such as cell proliferation, migration and death.
Research Team
I currently have three PhD and three Masters students. There is also a variety of undergraduate students in the lab, whether summer Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Undergraduate Student Research Awards Program (USRA) researchers, carrying out 4th year research projects or performing work/study duties.
Awards & Grants
Awards & Grants
Funding in support of Benchtop ultracentrifuge for subcellular fractionation of biological – Awarded by Natural Science and Engineering Council of Research (NSERC)
Funding in support of High efficiency DNA transfer into mammalian and non-mammalian cells – Awarded by NSERC
Funding in support of A proteomic approach to identify key oxidant-sensing regulators of embryogenesis – Awarded by The University of Western Ontario
Funding in support of MMP activation during Xenopus development – Awarded by NSERC
Recent Publications
Publications
Peroxisome biogenesis occurs in late dorsal-anterior structures in the development of Xenopus laevis Cooper CA, Walsh LA, Damjanovski S Dev Dyn. 2007 Dec;236(12):3554-61
Membrane type-1 matrix metalloproteinases and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-2 RNA levels mimic each other during Xenopus laevis metamorphosis Walsh LA, Carere DA, Cooper CA, Damjanovski S. PLoS One. 2007 Oct 3;2(10):e1000
Soluble membrane-type 3 matrix metalloprioteinase causes changes in gene expression and increased gelatinase activity during Xenopus laevis development Walsh LA, Cooper CA, Damjanovski S. Int J Dev Biol. 2007;51(5):389-95
Cloning and developmental characterization of Xenopus laevis membrane type-3 matrix metalloproteinase (MT3-MMP) Hammoud L, Walsh LA, Damjanovski S Biochem Cell Biol. 2006 Apr;84(2):167-77.
Contact
Phone: 519-661-2111 x 84704
Fax: 519-661-3935
Email: sdamjano [at] uwo [dot] ca
Website: http://publish.uwo.ca/~sdamjano
(Please note: CHRI is not responsible for the content of any external sites - links will open in new window)