- J. Andrysek
- J. Audet
- B.L. Bardakjian
- E. Biddiss
- W. Chan
- T. Chau
- J.E. Davies
- A.C. Easty
- M. Eizenman
- R. Fernandez-Gonzalez
- G.R. Fernie
- P.M. Gilbert
- M.D. Grynpas
- R.A. Kandel
- D. Kilkenny
- O. Levi
- K. Masani
- A. McGuigan
- A. Mihailidis
- M.K. Nagai
- M.R. Popovic
- M. Radisic
- J. Rocheleau
- J.P. Santerre
- M.V. Sefton
- M.S. Shoichet
- C.A. Simmons
- E.D. Sone
- D.A. Steinman
- P. Trbovich
- K. Truong
- A. Wheeler
- W. Wong
- C.M. Yip
- P. Yoo
- L. You
- P. Zandstra
- J. Zariffa
P.M. Gilbert
Assistant Professor
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering
Contact Information
Terrence Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research Donnelly (CCBR) Building
160 College Street, Office # 510
University of Toronto
Toronto, Ontario M5S 3E1
Phone: (416) 978-2501
Email: Penney.Gilbert@utoronto.ca
Research Interests
The central goal of research in the Gilbert Lab is to harness the power of creative 2D and 3D biomaterial approaches to overcome challenges impeding the effective treatment of skeletal muscle wasting. Muscle atrophy arises from genetic structural defects in muscle fibers (e.g. muscular dystrophy), aging (sarcopenia), disease (cachexia), and physical inactivity (e.g. bed rest, absence of gravity) . Currently there are no clinical approaches to undo muscle atrophy in these disease settings. Notably, skeletal muscle has extensive regenerative potential, largely due to resident muscle stem cells, whose prospective isolation from murine tissue was recently established. Due to the nascence of the field, relatively little is known about muscle stem cell regulation despite the clear translational potential of this adult stem cell population.
The Gilbert Lab uses interdisciplinary approaches to provide necessary insight into the biochemical and biophysical regulation of muscle stem cells. This knowledge is then applied to (1) the rational design of biomimetic substrates for muscle stem cell expansion in culture to potentiate cell based therapies, (2) in the development of systemically delivered therapeutics aimed at regulating muscle stem cell fate and promoting regeneration within the context of the native tissue and (3) the engineering of replacement skeletal muscle tissue. By applying bioengineering principles to muscle stem cell biology the Gilbert Lab aims to advance the stem cell biology, bioengineering and regenerative medicine fields. Ultimately, we hope to provide novel therapies for the treatment of skeletal muscle wasting diseases.
Recent Publications
Protein-engineered biomaterials to generate human skeletal muscle mimics. Sengupta D, Gilbert PM, Johnson KL, Blau HM and Heilshorn SC. Advanced Healthcare Materials . 2012. In Press.
A single cell bioengineering approach to elucidate mechanisms of adult stem cell self-renewal. Gilbert PM, Corbel S, Doyonnas R, Havenstrite K, Magnusson K.E.G. and Blau HM. Integrative Biology , 360-367, 2012.
Engineering a stem cell house into a home. Stem cell research and therapy. Gilbert PM and Blau HM. January 2011.
Single cell analysis of phosphor-signaling networks reveals G-SCF drives human hematopoietic stem cells into cell cycle’ Blood. Gibbs KD Jr, Gilbert PM, Blau HM, Weissman IL, Nolan GP, and Majeti R. 117(16):4226-33, 2011.
Substrate elasticity regulates skeletal muscle stem cell self renewal in culture. Gilbert PM, Havenstrite K, Magnusson KEG, Sacco A, Leonardi N, Nguyen N, Kraft P, Thrun S, Lutolf M and Blau HM. Science . 329(5995):1078-81, 2010.
HOXA9 regulates BRCA1 expression to modulate human breast tumor phenotype. Gilbert PM, Mouw JK, Unger MA, Lakins JN, Gbegnon MK, Clemmer VB, Benezra M, Licht JD, Boudreau NJ, Tsai K.K.C., Welm AL, Feldman MD, Weber BL, and Weaver VM Journal of Clinical Investigation . 120(5):1535-50, 2010.
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