Name: Dr. Isabel Dominguez

Position: Assistant Professor

Research Description:

Wnt signaling is essential for organ development and maintenance and its deregulation is the cause of several human diseases. My research interest is to understand the cascade of intracellular events that leads to the activation of Wnt signaling and the biological role of the Wnt pathway during organ development and maintenance. We have two areas of interest:

1) To characterize the molecular mechanism leading to activation of β-catenin, the key intracellular Wnt component that is upregulated in many human tumors. Using Xenopus embryos and mammalian cell lines, we are studying the molecular mechanism utilized by a kinase upregulated in human tumors, CK2, to activate β-catenin. We found that CK2 is important for the stabilization of β-catenin by decreasing β-catenin interaction with its negative regulator, axin. Our ongoing studies focus on further characterizing the role of CK2 in the regulation of β-catenin activation in vivo and in vitro. As we acquire a better understanding of the molecular events leading to β-catenin activation, we will be able to develop novel and specific inhibitors for the treatment of cancers with upregulated nuclear β-catenin levels.

2) To characterize the cellular and molecular mechanisms regulated by CK2 and Wnt/β-catenin signaling during morphogenesis. CK2 regulates morphogenesis in mice and Xenopus embryos. Ongoing experiments focus in the role of CK2 during heart morphogenesis. In addition, since CK2 activity can be regulated by environmental factors that are postulated to contribute to congenital diseases, we are studying the possible role of transient CK2 modulation in mediating embryonic malformations in Xenopus embryos. Our long-term goal is to identify means of preventing or correcting defects in morphogenetic processes that lead to congenital defects.

Lab Memberships

Dominguez Laboratory (Principal Investigator/Director)

Contact Information

Address:
Hematology-Oncology Section
Department of Medicine
Boston University School of Medicine
650 Albany Street, 4th floor (X438)
Boston, MA
02118, USA

Web Page: http://www.bumc.bu.edu/hematology/research/m-isabel-dominguez-phd-2/
Personal Phone:  +1- 617- 414 1829
General/Lab Phone:  +1- 617- 638 7560
General/Lab Fax:  +1- 617- 638 7530