Maria I. Ramirez, PhD

Adjunct Associate Professor, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine

Biography

The main goal of the research in our lab is to identify and understand genetic and epigenetic mechanisms of gene regulation driving the differentiation of distinct epithelial cell lineages during development, and the potential alteration of these mechanisms in lung disease. Correct spatial and temporal patterns of gene expression during lung development are critical for the formation of a functional lung ready for the first breath at birth. In adults, patterns of gene expression also have to be maintained to preserve a healthy lung. Dissecting these basic mechanisms in development will provide the basis to accurately differentiate embryonic stem cells into lung epithelial cell lineages in vitro, to improve fetal lung maturation and to understand altered cell phenotypes in lung disease.

Publications

  • Published 9/26/2018

    Kathuria H, Millien G, McNally L, Gower AC, Tagne JB, Cao Y, Ramirez MI. NKX2-1-AS1 negatively regulates CD274/PD-L1, cell-cell interaction genes, and limits human lung carcinoma cell migration. Sci Rep. 2018 09 26; 8(1):14418. PMID: 30258080.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 6/16/2018

    Millien G, Cao Y, O'Hara CJ, Tagne JB, Hinds A, Williams MC, Ramirez MI, Kathuria H. ETS1 regulates Twist1 transcription in a KrasG12D/Lkb1-/- metastatic lung tumor model of non-small cell lung cancer. Clin Exp Metastasis. 2018 03; 35(3):149-165. PMID: 29909489.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 9/1/2016

    Kamata H, Yamamoto K, Wasserman GA, Zabinski MC, Yuen CK, Lung WY, Gower AC, Belkina AC, Ramirez MI, Deng JC, Quinton LJ, Jones MR, Mizgerd JP. Epithelial Cell-Derived Secreted and Transmembrane 1a Signals to Activated Neutrophils during Pneumococcal Pneumonia. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 2016 Sep; 55(3):407-18. PMID: 27064756.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 5/7/2015

    Krishnan H, Retzbach EP, Ramirez MI, Liu T, Li H, Miller WT, Goldberg GS. PKA and CDK5 can phosphorylate specific serines on the intracellular domain of podoplanin (PDPN) to inhibit cell motility. Exp Cell Res. 2015 Jul 1; 335(1):115-22. PMID: 25959509.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 4/2/2015

    Wilson AA, Ying L, Liesa M, Segeritz CP, Mills JA, Shen SS, Jean J, Lonza GC, Liberti DC, Lang AH, Nazaire J, Gower AC, Müeller FJ, Mehta P, Ordóñez A, Lomas DA, Vallier L, Murphy GJ, Mostoslavsky G, Spira A, Shirihai OS, Ramirez MI, Gadue P, Kotton DN. Emergence of a stage-dependent human liver disease signature with directed differentiation of alpha-1 antitrypsin-deficient iPS cells. Stem Cell Reports. 2015 May 12; 4(5):873-85. PMID: 25843048.

    Read at: PubMed

View All 38 Publications:   View Full Profile in BUMC

Other Positions

  • Member, BU-BMC Cancer Center
    Boston University
  • Member, Center for Regenerative Medicine
    Boston University
  • Member, Evans Center for Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research
    Boston University
  • Graduate Faculty (Primary Mentor of Grad Students)
    Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Graduate Medical Sciences

Websites

Education

  • University of Buenos Aires, PhD
  • Universidad de Buenos Aires, PhD
  • University of Buenos Aires, BS

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