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Deborah A. Siwik, Ph.D. Research Assistant Professor |
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About Me: Deborah A. Siwik, Ph.D., is a Prinicipal Investigator in the Whitaker Cardiovascular Institute, and the Lab Director of the Myocardial Biology Unit. She received her Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the University of Illinois at Chicago and her post-doctoral training at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School and at Boston University.
Dr. Siwik is currently investigating the regulation of the myocardial extracellular matrix and the effects of oxidative stress on the myocardium. A major focus is to understand the roles of nitric oxide, oxidative stress, and inflammatory cytokines in mediating changes in extracellular matrix. The overall focus of the Myocardial Biology Laboratory
is to understand the roles of reactive oxygen species in mediating myocyte
phenotype via their effects on cell growth, gene expression and apoptosis.
Recently, they have demonstrated that oxidative stress, mechanical deformation
and catecholamines can induce both hypertrophic growth and apoptosis
in cardiac myocytes. Parallel studies are being performed in vitro and
in vivo using cultured cardiac myocytes and genetically-modified mice,
respectively in order to determine the relationship between the molecular/cellular
events involved in cardiac remodeling and alterations in physiological
function that can be assessed at the single myocyte and whole heart
level in transgenic and knock-out mice. As part of the Cardiovascular
Proteomics Center, the lab is identifying chemical modifications of
proteins formed by reactive oxygen, nitrogen, and lipid species that
may contribute to pathology and serve as better markers for disease
severity. Student Research: Dr. Siwik regularly accepts students for training. More information can be found at the Boston University Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program web site. EMMPRIN
Mediates Beta-Adrenergic Receptor-Stimulated Matrix Metalloproteinase
Activity in Cardiac Myocytes. Siwik DA, Kuster GM, Brahmbhatt JV,
Zaidi Z, Malik J, Ooi H, Ghorayeb G, 2008. J Mol Cell Cardiol 44(1)210-217. Nitroxyl Anion Activates SERCA in Cardiac Myocytes via Glutathiolation of Cysteine 674. Lancel S, Zhang J, Evangelista A, Trucillo MP, Siwik DA, Cohen RA, Colucci WS, 2009. Circ Res 104(6):720-723. Enhanced exercise capacity in mice with severe heart failure treated with a novel allosteric effector of hemoglobin, ITPP. Biolo A, Greferath R, Siwik DA, Qin F, Valsky E, Fylaktakidou KC, Pothukanuri S, Duarte CD, Schwartz RP, Lehn J-M, Nicolau C, Colucci WS, 2009. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 106(6):1926-1929. Links: Link
to Cardiovascular Proteomics Center Homepage 
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