Emery Bresnick
Credentials: Cell & Regenerative Biology Department
Position title: Normal and malignant hematopoiesis; epigenetics; molecular medicine
Email: ehbresni@wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 265-6446
Address:
4157 Wi Institute Medical Research
1111 Highland Ave
Madison, WI 53705
LAB WEBSITE:
FOCUS GROUPS:
Cancer Biology; Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Transcriptional Mechanisms
RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:
We use multidisciplinary approaches to understand normal and malignant blood cell development/function (hematopoiesis), gene/chromosome regulation (including epigenetics), and vascular biology. Our team has expertise in genomics, proteomics, chemical genetics, and computational analysis, as well as powerful molecular, cellular, and biochemical science.
A major effort involves discovering mechanisms that regulate the genesis and function of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. This program encompasses both basic discovery science and translational/clinical science. Defining such mechanisms has enormous importance, as their disruption leads to the development of adult and pediatric blood cell cancers (leukemias, lymphomas, myelodysplastic syndrome) and additional blood cell disorders, including immunodeficiency. While hematopoietic stem cells are routinely transplanted to treat diverse diseases, their critical long-term repopulating activity is poorly understood and cannot be readily modulated for therapeutic application. Mechanistic insights can be exploited to develop novel approaches to therapeutically modulate hematopoietic stem cells, hematopoiesis, and blood cell malignancies.
Another program focuses on the transcriptional/epigenetic control of red blood cell development and function. Goals of this work include discovering the cause of red blood cell disorders, including anemias and hemoglobinopathies, developing translational strategies, and advancing fundamental knowledge in broadly important areas of biomedical science.
Since GATA-2 controls the emergence of hematopoietic stem cells from hemogenic endothelium, angiogenesis, vascular integrity, and developmental of the lymphatic system, we are studying how GATA-2 functions in the vascular system in normal and pathological states, including cancer.
Dr. Bresnick and his team are passionate about making biological and mechanistic discoveries, translating such discoveries into clinical insights and strategies, and training the next-generation of multidisciplinary researchers/scholars (undergraduates, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows).
ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (MCP), Cellular and Molecular Pathology (CMP), Cancer Biology, Medical Science Training Program (MSTP)