Research Labs
About
As one of the world’s leading muscle research groups, MD Center Faculty continue to make fundamental new discoveries about the causes of muscle disease and development of new therapeutic approaches. Our faculty are internationally recognized for their research on Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Becker muscular dystrophy, Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy, Dystroglycanopathies, Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy, other rare muscle diseases, Sarcopenia/Aging and Cachexia. Studies are often collaborations between MD Center Faculty and employ state-of-the art technologies ranging from single molecule, to cellular, organ system and ultimately behavioral, with increasing links to translational and clinical research activities.
Ervasti Lab
The Ervasti Lab primarily studies the structure and cellular function of the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex, which spans the muscle cell plasma membrane (or sarcolemma) and links the cortical actin cytoskeleton with the extracellular matrix. Greater understanding of the physiologic role of the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex is necessary to understand how its absence or abnormality leads to Duchenne muscular dystrophy and forms of human dilated cardiomyopathy.
Pacak Lab
The Pacak Lab investigates mechanisms that lead to mitochondrial dysfunction in a variety of disease settings using differentiated patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), mouse models, large animal models. They also optimize and develop adeno-associated virus (AAV) mediated gene delivery systems to treat rare genetically inherited disorders.
Kang Lab
The Kang Lab has been studying the genetic basis of muscular dystrophy, along with muscle disease mechanisms related to the Notch signaling pathway, for over a decade. The lab also pursues other neurogenetics projects, including those involving DNA repair disorders.
Perlingeiro Lab
The Perlingeiro Lab has a long-term interest in understanding the molecular mechanisms controlling lineage-specific differentiation of pluripotent stem cells (i.e. embryonic and adult reprogrammed stem cells), and applying this information to efficiently generate tissue-specific stem/progenitor cells endowed with in vivo regenerative potential. The ultimate goal is to develop safe strategies to enable their future therapeutic application.
Kyba Lab
The Kyba Lab has been focusing on factors regulating tissue degeneration and regeneration, with a view towards using cell therapy for regenerative medicine. The work spans two organ systems: the hematopoietic and the skeletal muscle systems and focuses on the role of transcription factors that regulate the regenerative response, or lead to degeneration when they go awry.
Thomas Lab
The Thomas Lab's goal is to understand the fundamental molecular motions and interactions that are responsible for cellular movement, to determine the molecular bases of muscle disorders, and to devise novel therapies based on these discoveries.