Faculty Profile
Address:
630 West 168th Street
VC-1526
New York, NY 10032
Phone: 212-305-9565
Fax: 212-305-7391
amc65@columbia.edu
| Education and Training | ||
| Ph.D. | 1991 | Rutgers University |
| Postdoctoral Fellow | 1991-95 | Jefferson Medical College |
Affiliations
Department
of Dermatology
Department
of Genetics & Development
Stem
Cell Consortium
Training
Activities
Training
Program in Genetics & Development
Integrated
Program in Cellular, Molecular & Biophysical Studies
MD/PhD
Program
| Angela
M. Christiano, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Molecular Dermatology and Genetics & Development |
Research
Summary
Molecular basis of inherited skin and hair disorders in humans
and mice.
Christiano
Lab
The major focus of our research is the study of inherited skin and hair disorders in humans and mice, through a classical genetic approach including identification and phenotyping of disease families, genetic linkage, gene discovery and mutation analysis, and functional studies relating these findings to basic questions in epidermal biology. Our interests include transcriptional regulation of hair cycling and differentiation, the biology of cadherin-mediated cell adhesion junctions known as desmosomes, and the morphogenesis epidermal appendages such as hair and teeth. A long-range goal of our research is to develop genetic and cell-based therapies for skin and hair diseases through understanding disease pathogenesis. We are using epithelial reprogramming as a therapeutic approach for inherited skin diseases.
 In addition to human congenital alopecia, mutations in this gene also underlie the hairless and rhino phenotypes in mice. Hairless appears to have a multitude of functions, and its relationship to thyroid hormone, transcriptional co-repression and apoptosis, among other cellular events, is currently under investigation. |
Selected Publications:
1. Ahmad, W., ul Haque, M.F., Brancolini, V., Tsou, H.C., ul Haque, S., Lam, H.M., Aita, V.M., Owen, J., deBlaquiere, M., Frank, J.A., Cserhalmi-Friedman, P.B., Leask, A., McGrath, J., Peacocke, M., Ahmad, M., Ott, J. and Christiano, A.M. (1998) Alopecia Universalis Associated with a Mutation in the Human hairless Gene. Science 279:720-724.
2. Frank, J., Pignata, C., Panteleyev, A.A., Prowse, D.M., Baden, H., Weiner, L., Gaetaniello, L., Ahmad, W., Pozzi, N., Cserhalmi-Friedman, P.B., Aita, V.M., Uyttendaele, H., Gordon, D., Ott, J., Brissette, J.L. and Christiano, A.M. (1999) Exposing the Human Nude Phenotype. Nature 398:473-474.
3. Reynolds, A.J., Lawrence, C., Cserhalmi-Friedman, P.B., Christiano, A.M. and Jahoda, C.A.B. (1999) Trans-gender Induction of Hair Follicles. Nature 402:33-34.
4. Djabali, K., Aita, V,M, and Christiano, A.M. (2001) Hairless is translocated to the nucleus via a novel bipartite nuclear localization signal and is associated with the nuclear matrix. J. Cell Science 114:367-376.
5. Panteleyev, A.A., Jahoda, C.A.B. and Christiano, A.M. (2001) Hair Follicle Predetermination. J. Cell Science 114:3419-3431.
6. Kljuic,
A., Bazzi, H., Sundberg, J.P., Martinez-Mir, A., O'Shaughnessy, R.,
Mahoney, M.G., Levy, M., Montagutelli, X., Ahmad, W., Aita, V.M.,Gordon,
D., Uitto, J., Whiting, D., Ott, J., Fischer, S., Gilliam, T.C., Jahoda,
C.A.B., Morris, R.J., Panteleyev, A.A., Nguyen, V.T. and Christiano,
A.M. (2003) Desmoglein 4 in hair follicle differentiation
and epidermal adhesion: Evidence from inherited hypotrichosis and acquired
pemphigus vulgaris. Cell 113:249-260.
Current Projects
1.
Epithelial Reprogramming
We instead asked whether we could identify an ectopic source of
epithelial cells that could be induced into becoming a skin stem cell.
Rather than searching for markers of the epidermal stem cell itself,
we asked whether we could reprogram other epithelia into skin under the
appropriate inductive (dermal) influences.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
9/2002-5/2004
2.
Functional Analysis of the Hairless Protein
We have combined our preliminary studies with several emerging lines
of biological data to formulate a hypothesis which asks three questions.
First, is hairless a DNA-binding protein, and if yes, what is its signature
sequence? Secondly, is hairless a transcriptional coactivator, and if
yes, what are its interaction partners? Finally, what are the downstream
targets of hairless gene regulation? We anticipate that this approach
will allow us to gain novel insights into the function of the hairless
protein for the first time.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
9/2001-7/2006
3.
Molecular genetics of the keratodermas
The project consists of three integrated and interdependent aims. The
first one is to search for mutations in eleven candidate genes in a small
number of families with a characterized inherited keratoderma. The second
is to identify the mutated genes in large pedigrees with well-characterized,
dominant, and fully penetrant keartodermas, one with EB superficialis,
the other "Novel Acantholytic Disease." The third is to isolate
and characterize genes that play a role in epidermal differentiation.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal
and Skin Diseases
7/1998-3/2009
4.
Gene therapy model of dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
9/1995-6/2006
Honors and Awards
| 2001 | New
York City Mayor's Award for Excellence in Science and Technology - Young Investigator's Award |
| 2001 | Doctor
Harold and Golden Lamport Research Award for "Excellence In Clinical Sciences", Columbia University, New York, NY |
| 2003 | CERIES Research Award |
Committee, Council, Professional Society Memberships
| 1996-Present | Editor, Experimental Dermatology, Munksgaard International Publishers, Inc. |
| 1995-Present | Board of Trustees, DEBRA (Dystrophic E.B. Research Association) of America |
| 2000-2005 | Member, Society of Investigative Dermatology, Committee on Scientific Programs |
| 2001-Present | New
York Skin Biology Club Co-founder and Meeting Co-chairperson |
| 2003-Present | Chair, Gordon Conference on Epithelial Differentiation and Keratinization |
| 2003-Present | Associate
Editor, Journal of Clinical Investigation American Society for Clinical Investigation |
Keywords
keratinocyte,
hair follicle, epidermis, hair cycle, dermal papilla, reprogramming,
plasticity, epidermolysis bullosa, genetic disorder, transcription factor,
cadherin, cell-cell adhesion, adult stem cells.