Biography PubMed Publications Website: https://ponik.crb.wisc.edu/ Research Focus My group is interested in understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying breast cancer risk due to breast density. Patients with mammographically dense breast tissue have a four to six-fold increased risk of developing breast carcinomas. In fact, 1/3 of all breast cancer cases are attributed to breast density, making …
Biography NIH Biosketch PubMed Publications Department Website Research Focus: My lab’s research focuses on advancing women’s health by using nonhuman primate models. Our overall objective is to improve human pregnancy outcomes by identifying genetic factors contributing to infertility and placental complications and by developing targeted therapeutics to improve reproductive outcomes. We use genome editing tools …
Biography NIH Biosketch PubMed Publications Department Website Research Focus: Lipids are the most abundant metabolite in the plasma, accounting for more than 60% of the circulating metabolite pool. These plasma lipids function as stored fuel, structural elements, and signaling molecules. In metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, various lipids are increased …
Biography NIH Biosketch PubMed Publications Departmental Website Research Focus Our visual experiences – like reading, recognizing faces – are dominated by the fovea, yet we know very little about signaling in the fovea and how it operates at a mechanistic level. One of the fundamental goals of my research is to understand how visual processing …
Biography NIH Biosketch PubMed Publications Departmental Website Research Focus Our research program is dedicated unraveling the cellular networks underlying preeclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction, recurrent pregnancy loss and implantation failure in Assisted Reproductive Technologies. Our lab employs both human and mouse models of reproductive physiology and disease. We use genetic targeting of immune cell development and …
Biography PubMed Publications Departmental Website Research Focus Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) affect men and women of all ages, resulting in significant health care costs and substantial reduction in quality of life. Factors contributing to LUTS are still not completely understood. We are focused on understanding the impact of exposure to environmental contaminants on the …
Biography NIH Biosketch PubMed Publications Departmental Website Research Focus My research focuses on understanding how a cell can maintain or change identity, how a cell chooses between self-renewal and the initial decision to differentiate, and how a differentiated cell with limited developmental potential can be reprogrammed to a pluripotent cell. Program Activities Trainees No past …
Biography NIH Biosketch PubMed Publications Departmental Website Research Focus The Vezina lab uses the fetal mouse prostate as a model system to elucidate prostate growth stimulatory and inhibitory signals and investigate interactions between them in clinically relevant models of prostate disease. Our ultimate goal is to identify new pharmacological targets for prostate disease intervention. We …
Biography NIH Biosketch PubMed Publications Department Website Research Lab Website Research Focus Our research interests lie at the intersection of in vitro biomimetic modeling, cancer, and women’s health. Our lab uses microfluidic (i.e., with volumes in the microscale) technologies to recreate 3D mimics of in vivo tissues and investigate disease progression. Traditional 2D models are …
Biography NIH Biosketch PubMed Publications Departmental Website Research Focus Musculoskeletal conditions are among the leading reasons that people visit their doctor. Diseases like osteoarthritis and osteoporosis cause significant economic and societal burdens as nearly a trillion US dollars are spent each year on diagnosis, treatment, and lost wages. The percentage of individuals reporting a musculoskeletal …