Philip Trackman Email & Phone Number

Research in Dr. Trackman’s laboratory is focused on the regulation of extracellular matrix accumulation in mineralized and non-mineralized tissues, and in pathologies in which extracellular matrix accumulation is affected. He has published over 110 papers in top peer-reviewed journals. For a complete listing please see https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=trackman+p , or search for Trackman P on PubMed.. Studies encompass a wide range of experimental approaches. Goals of these studies are to obtain a greater understanding of the molecular and cellular basis for fibrotic diseases, to understand mechanisms of osteopenia that occurs as a complication of type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and to elucidate mechanisms and therapeutic potential of the lysyl oxidase propeptide as a tumor suppressor and cancer therapeutic. Several important milestones in these fields have been published by Dr. Trackman’s laboratory. Important findings show that oral fibroblasts are resistant to the effects of certain inflammatory factors, and that this resistance contributes to the elevated expression of connective tissue growth factor (CCN2/CTGF). In addition, the biological process of epithelial to mesenchymal transition has been identified as a contributor to gingival overgrowth and to oral cancer. The mechanism by which lysyl oxidase acts as a tumor suppressor is under investigation. Dr. Trackman’s laboratory has made the novel discovery that the tumor suppressor function of lysyl oxidase resides in the propeptide (LOX-PP) region of a proenzyme precursor. This propeptide is released from the proenzyme by extracellular proteolytic processing, and the released propeptide inhibits growth of tumor cells and tumor formation. A focus of the laboratory is to identify mechanisms by which the lysyl oxidase propeptide can suppress tumor formation or tumor growth and tumor metastasis, and why a mutation in the propeptide doses not. Dr. Trackman’s ongoing research will establish the extent to which new and powerful lysyl oxidase family enzyme activity inhibitors can block human oral cancer tumor growth and/or metastasis in mice. A novel mutation in lysyl oxidase enzyme domain that leads to aortic aneurysms is under investigation. An additional area of interest is mechanisms of diabetic bone disease, in which he has recently provided evidence for dysregulation of osteoblast lysyl oxidase by gastric hormones in diabetes to be a determining mechanism in this pathology.

Listed skills include Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Cell Culture, and 28 others.