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Paul Sammak, Ph.D.
Assistant Investigator, Magee-Womens Research Institute
Research Associate Professor, Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh
Ph.D., Biophysics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1988
Postdoctoral Fellowship, Physiology, University of California, 1988-1992
Research Interests
Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) provide a fascinating window into basic questions of cell and developmental biology and have therapeutic potential for replacement and repair of tissue damaged by disease or injury. Dr. Sammak’s laboratory is focused on two aspects of hESC biology. First, the fundamental nature of the ability of hESCs to differentiate into any tissue in the body, pluripotency, requires the capacity to express new genetic programs during development. His laboratory is investigating the structural and functional underpinnings of pluripotency in nuclear function and plasticity. Second, hESC can be differentiated into neuronal lineages in culture that have unique potential to repair brain injury and degeneration. They are investigating how human and primate stem cells grow and function within mouse and non-human primate brains and how the stem cell niche can be altered in vivo and in vitro to improve therapeutic outcomes.
Selected Publications
Hinman LE, Beilman GJ, Groehler KE, Sammak PJ. Wound-induced calcium waves in alveolar type II cells. Am J Physiol, 273:L1242-L1248, 1997.
Tran POT, Tran Q-H, Hinman LE, Sammak PJ. Coordination between localized wound-induced Ca2+ signals and pre-wound serum signals is required for proliferation after mechanical injury. Cell Prolif, 31:155-170, 1998.
Unger GM, Bellrichard RL, Trinh BI, Sammak PJ. Quantitative assessment of leading edge adhesion: Correlation with wound closure rates and injury-derived intracellular calcium mobilization in migrating endothelial monolayers. J Cell Physiol, 174:217-231, 1998.
Tran POT, Hinman LE, Tran Q-HP, Unger GM, Sammak PJ. Calcium influx during mechanical wounding and its transcriptional activation of immediate early genes is important in the initiation of cell motility. Exp Cell Res, 246:319-326, 1999.
Csoka AB, Cao H, Sammak PJ, Constantinescu D, Schatten GP, Hegele RA. Novel LMNA mutations in atypical progeroid syndromes. J Med Genet, 41:304–308, 2004.
Sammak PJ, Duensing TD, Richard R. Patent No 6,716,588. System for cell-based screening filing date: November 15, 2001. United States Patent Application 20010041347. Assignee: Cellomics. Patent No.: 6,716,588. Issue Date: April 6, 2004.
Professional Affiliations
American Society for the Advancement of Science
American Society for Cell Biology
International Society for Stem Cell Research
Contact Information
Magee-Womens Research Institute
204 Craft Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Telephone: (412) 641-2435
Fax: (412) 641-2410
e-mail: psammak@pdc.magee.edu
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