Soosan Ghazizadeh

Biography

Soosan Ghazizadeh (PhD) is Professor and Director of SCGT Core Facility in the Department of Oral Biology and Pathology. Her studies are currently focusing on two projects: 1) Using skin epithelia, we have discovered that differentiated keratinocytes possess inducible proliferative capacity and acquire stem cell characteristics during tissue damage/regeneration. We have identified a key role for protein kinase D in regulating dedifferentiation, cutaneous wound healing and tumorigenesis. Our ongoing studies are focused on characterization of common and unique roles of PKD isozymes in human skin and the cross-talks with other signaling pathways that regulate epidermal homeostasis, survival, migration and tumorigenesis. 2) Contrary to epidermis, salivary gland is a slowly renewing tissue and whether stem cells contribute to the renewal and regeneration of various cell lineages in the salivary gland has long been debated. We are using techniques including cell-lineage tracing and transcriptome analysis to determine how various differentiated cell lineages are regenerated in response to injury and to identify signaling pathways important in this process. These studies will inform approaches for modulating the pathways that may promote endogenous regeneration as well as the generation of exogenous salivary gland cell lineages from pluripotent stem cells.

Research Interest

Gene/cell-based therapy targeted to skin and salivary glands; Epithelial stem cell research; Regulaion of keratinocyte de-differentiation.