Angela Christiano, PhD

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Overview
Research
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Overview

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.

Academic Appointments

Richard and Mildred Rhodebeck Professor of Dermatology
Professor of Genetics & Development

Gender

Female

Research

Molecular basis of inherited skin and hair disorders in humans and mice.

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.

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,: (2003) Desmoglein 4 in hair follicle differentiation and epidermal adhesion: Evidence from inherited hypotrichosis and acquired pemphigus vulgaris. Cell 113: 249-260

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Meet our Newly elected National Academy of Science Members

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Dr. Angela Christiano and her colleagues have successfully sprouted new human hairs in the lab, using a multistep recipe that includes skin fibroblasts, collagen, hair follicle dermal cells and 3-D-printed comb-shaped

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The New York Times

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Researchers use 3D printing to stop hair loss

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ABC News Philadelphia

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Radical Solutions for Baldness

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Columbia Magazine

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