Maria Trojanowska, PhD
Professor, Medicine
Biography
Dr. Trojanowska’s research is aimed at understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms that regulate ECM synthesis in healthy tissues and in pathological conditions such as fibrosis and tumorigenesis. The majority of her studies focus on the pathogenesis of scleroderma, an autoimmune disease characterized by vascular abnormalities and a prominent fibrosis of the skin. Her laboratory uses molecular and cellular approaches and various experimental models to elucidate the mechanisms responsible for uncontrolled ECM deposition and vessel degeneration in scleroderma. The second area of investigation is related to activation of tumor stroma. These studies examine the molecular mechanisms that mediate controlled regulation of ECM turnover in healthy connective tissue and are responsible for dysregulation of this process during tumorigenesis. Recent studies together with Dr. Lafyatis are examining the role of ER stress in systemic sclerosis.
Other Positions
- Director , Arthritis & Autoimmune Diseases Research Center, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
- Member, BU-BMC Cancer Center, Boston University
- Member, Pulmonary Center, Boston University
- Member, Evans Center for Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research, Boston University
- Member, Genome Science Institute, Boston University
- Graduate Faculty (Primary Mentor of Grad Students), Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Graduate Medical Sciences
Education
- Polish Academy of Sciences, PhD
- University of Warsaw, MSc
Publications
- Published on 4/1/2025
Abraham DJ, Black CM, Denton CP, Distler JHW, Domsic R, Feghali-Bostwick C, Gourh P, Hinchcliff M, Kolling F, Kuwana M, Lafyatis R, Landegren U, Mahoney JM, Martin J, Matucci-Cerinic M, McMahan ZH, Mora AL, Mouthon L, Rabinovitch M, Rojas M, Rubin K, Trojanowska M, Varga J, Whitfield ML, Gabrielli A, Krieg T. Publisher Correction: An international perspective on the future of systemic sclerosis research. Nat Rev Rheumatol. 2025 Apr; 21(4):249. PMID: 40032952.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 2/14/2025
Abraham DJ, Black CM, Denton CP, Distler JHW, Domsic R, Feghali-Bostwick C, Gourh P, Hinchcliff M, Kolling F, Kuwana M, Lafyatis R, Landegren U, Mahoney JM, Martin J, Matucci-Cerinic M, McMahan ZH, Mora AL, Mouthon L, Rabinovitch M, Rojas M, Rubin K, Trojanowska M, Varga J, Whitfield ML, Gabrielli A, Krieg T. An international perspective on the future of systemic sclerosis research. Nat Rev Rheumatol. 2025 Mar; 21(3):174-187. PMID: 39953141.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 1/25/2025
Li P, Liu L, Halushka PV, Trojanowska M, Wang G, Ergul A, Fan H. Pericytes mediate neuroinflammation via Fli-1 in endotoxemia and sepsis in mice. Inflamm Res. 2025 Jan 25; 74(1):28. PMID: 39862276.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 12/26/2024
Awaji K, Shibata S, Koyama A, Yamamoto T, Fukui Y, Toyama S, Omatsu J, Norimatsu Y, Ikawa T, Watanabe Y, Miyagawa T, Yamashita T, Nakayama Y, Trojanowska M, Sato S, Asano Y. Impact of Fli1 deletion on B cell populations: A focus on age-associated B cells and transcriptional dynamics. J Dermatol Sci. 2025 Feb; 117(2):19-29. PMID: 39818445.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 8/7/2024
Yamashita T, Kaplan U, Chakraborty A, Marden G, Gritli S, Roh D, Bujor A, Trojanowski M, Ligresti G, Browning JL, Trojanowska M. ERG Regulates Lymphatic Vessel Specification Genes and Its Deficiency Impairs Wound Healing-Associated Lymphangiogenesis. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2024 Nov; 76(11):1645-1657. PMID: 38965683.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 6/27/2024
Raslan AA, Pham TX, Lee J, Kontodimas K, Tilston-Lunel A, Schmottlach J, Hong J, Dinc T, Bujor AM, Caporarello N, Thiriot A, von Andrian UH, Huang SK, Nicosia RF, Trojanowska M, Varelas X, Ligresti G. Lung injury-induced activated endothelial cell states persist in aging-associated progressive fibrosis. Nat Commun. 2024 Jun 27; 15(1):5449. PMID: 38937456.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 1/24/2024
Chakraborty A, Kim A, AlAbdullatif S, Campbell JD, Alekseyev YO, Kaplan U, Dambal V, Ligresti G, Trojanowska M. Endothelial Erg Regulates Expression of Pulmonary Lymphatic Junctional and Inflammation Genes in Mouse Lungs Impacting Lymphatic Transport. Res Sq. 2024 Jan 24. PMID: 38343832.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 4/22/2023
Toyama T, Kudryashova TV, Ichihara A, Lenna S, Looney A, Shen Y, Jiang L, Teos L, Avolio T, Lin D, Kaplan U, Marden G, Dambal V, Goncharov D, Delisser H, Lafyatis R, Seta F, Goncharova EA, Trojanowska M. GATA6 coordinates cross-talk between BMP10 and oxidative stress axis in pulmonary arterial hypertension. Sci Rep. 2023 Apr 22; 13(1):6593. PMID: 37087509.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 1/23/2023
El-Adili F, Lui JK, Najem M, Farina G, Trojanowska M, Sam F, Bujor AM. Correction: Periostin overexpression in scleroderma cardiac tissue and its utility as a marker for disease complications. Arthritis Res Ther. 2023 Jan 23; 25(1):11. PMID: 36691037.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 1/20/2023
Raslan AA, Pham TX, Lee J, Hong J, Schmottlach J, Nicolas K, Dinc T, Bujor AM, Caporarello N, Thiriot A, von Andrian UH, Huang SK, Nicosia RF, Trojanowska M, Varelas X, Ligresti G. Single Cell Transcriptomics of Fibrotic Lungs Unveils Aging-associated Alterations in Endothelial and Epithelial Cell Regeneration. bioRxiv. 2023 Jan 20. PMID: 36712020.
Read at: PubMed
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