Tatiana Efimova, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Dermatology
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Research
Our research focuses on the regulatory pathways responsible for maintenance of normal skin homeostasis. We are interested in understanding the molecular mechanisms that regulate epidermal cell function in response to various physiological and pathological cues. Of particular importance are the intracellular signaling pathways implicated in transmitting gene regulatory instructions from the cell surface to the transcription factors in the nucleus to elicit specific biological responses and modulate cell behavior. Epidermal cells are continuously exposed to a variety of stimuli which initiate multiple intracellular signaling pathways, including mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). MAPKs are key regulators of major cellular processes, including proliferation, survival, transformation, differentiation and death. p38delta MAPK, a member of p38 subfamily of MAP kinases, is highly expressed both in the developing epidermis and in the adult tissue, and may therefore play a role in determining epidermal cell fate. Our studies implicate p38delta in control of differentiation and apoptosis in normal human epidermal keratinocytes. Although our in vitro studies clearly implicate p38delta MAPK as a pivotal regulator of keratinocyte function, it is imperative to investigate the functional significance of p38delta signaling pathway in vivo. We are using gene targeting approach to explore the functions of the p38delta isoform in skin homeostasis and tumorigenesis.
Elucidation of the mechanisms underlying the Protein Kinase C (PKC) isoform-specific signaling and regulation in keratinocytes is another major focus in our laboratory. PKC superfamily controls many crucial aspects of epidermal cell functions, including cell growth, cell cycle regulation, differentiation, apoptosis, survival, migration, cell-matrix and cell-cell communications, etc. We seek to understand the roles of individual PKC isoforms in regulating epidermal cell function, using a combination of biochemical, molecular, and gene targeting approaches.