The focus of my laboratory is the understanding of basic mechanisms that regulate the fate of stem cells within tissues. We are currently studying skin and hair follicle stem cells using cell culture and the mouse as model systems. Hair follicle stem cells reside in their niche in a quiescent state, but become rapidly activated in response to homeostatic and injury signals to regenerate the tissue. We are analyzing the physiological role of several genes implicated in different aspects of stem cell activation, self-renewal, and differentiation. Our general focus is on stem cell fate choice by epigenetic regulation, transcription regulation via specific developmental transcription factors, and chromatin modifying factors. Additionally, we recently began to explore the potential implication of our genes of interest in cancer.
Tumbar, T., G. Guasch, V. Greco, C. Blanpain, W.E. Lowry, M. Rendl, E. Fuchs (2003), “Defining the Ephitelial Stem Cell Niche in Skin”, Science. Jan 16;303(5656):359-63.
Osorio, K. M., Lee, S. E., McDermitt, D. J., Waghmare, S. K., Zhang, Y.V., Woo, H. N., and T. Tumbar, (2008) “Runx1 modulates developmental, but not injury-driven, hair follicle stem cell activation”, Development. 135, 1059-1068.
Waghmare, S. K., Bansal, R., Lee, J., Zhang, Y. V., McDermitt, D. J., and T. Tumbar (2008), “Quantitative Proliferation Dynamics and Random Chromosome Segregation of Hair Follicle Stem Cells”, EMBO J. 27(9):1309-20.
Zhang Y.V., Cheong J., Ciapurin N., McDermitt D.J., and T. Tumbar (2009), “Distinct self-renewal and differentiation phases in the niche of infrequently dividing hair follicle stem cells”, Cell Stem Cell. Apr 15;9(8):1504-10.
Hoi, C.S., Lee, S.E., Lu, SY., McDermitt D.J, Osorio, K.M., Piskun C.M., Peters R.M., Paus R, and T. Tumbar (2010) “Runx1 Directly Promotes Proliferation of Hair Follicle Stem Cells and Epithelial Tumor Formation in Mouse Skin”, Mol Cell Bio. May30; (10):2518-36.
Osorio, K.M., Lilja, K.C. and T. Tumbar (2011), “Runx1 modulates adult hair follicle stem cell emergence and maintenance from distinct embryonic skin compartments “, Journal of Cell Biology. April 4; 193 (1): 235-50.
Scheitz C.J., Lee T.S., McDermitt D.J., and T. Tumbar (2012).“Defining a tissue stem cell-driven Runx1/Stat3 signalling axis in epithelial cancer”, EMBO J. Nov 5;31(21):4124-39.