Douglas M. Anderson

Douglas M. Anderson, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor in both the Department of Medicine, Aab Cardiovascular Research Institute and the Department of Pharmacology and Physiology at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. His research focuses on the regulatory pathways controlling striated muscle development and function, with particular emphasis on RNA-binding proteins and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) as novel regulators of muscle biology. His laboratory has made significant contributions to the field by discovering that many annotated lncRNAs actually encode functional micropeptides that play crucial roles in regulating intracellular signaling.

Dr. Anderson's research interests primarily center on muscle-enriched RNA-binding proteins, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), and micropeptides as regulators of muscle development and disease. His lab has pioneered the discovery of micropeptides encoded within transcripts previously thought to be non-coding, including myoregulin (MLN), endoregulin (ELN), and another-regulin (ALN), which regulate calcium handling through interactions with SERCA pumps in different muscle and non-muscle cell types. His work bridges molecular biology, cardiovascular physiology, and developmental genetics to uncover fundamental mechanisms of muscle function and disease.

Dr. Anderson's laboratory has produced significant research demonstrating how micropeptides control calcium signaling in the cardiovascular system and the role of lncRNAs in cardiovascular development, function, and disease. His publications in high-impact journals including Science, Nature, Cell, and Genes & Development highlight the importance of previously overlooked small proteins in critical physiological processes. His work has particular relevance for understanding and potentially treating muscular dystrophies, cardiac hypertrophy, and other muscle-related disorders.

Scientific recognition includes:

• Award for Excellence in Postdoctoral Research at UT Southwestern (2014-2015)

Dr. Anderson mentors several graduate students across multiple Ph.D. programs including Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology, Biology, and Genetics. His laboratory utilizes a range of techniques including biochemical and cell-based assays, CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, and both gain- and loss-of-function mouse models to investigate the function of regulatory proteins and noncoding RNAs in muscle biology. The Anderson Lab is affiliated with several research centers including the Aab Cardiovascular Research Institute, Center for RNA Biology, and multiple NIH-funded training programs.