معرفی
Jan L. Christian is a Professor of Neurobiology & Anatomy and Professor of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology and Hematologic Malignancies at the University of Utah School of Medicine. With a research program spanning over three decades, Dr. Christian has established a prominent laboratory focused on cell-cell signaling mechanisms during vertebrate embryogenesis and their implications for human disease. Their work has significantly contributed to understanding how bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) and other signaling molecules regulate developmental processes, with implications for birth defects, degenerative diseases, and cancer.
Dr. Christian's research interests center on signal transduction mechanisms, particularly focusing on Bone Morphogenetic Proteins, Growth and Embryonic Development, Mouse Models, Xenopus laevis, Proprotein Convertases, Hematopoiesis, and the Extracellular Matrix. Their laboratory investigates two major areas: 1) how BMP activity is regulated by cleavage of precursor proteins and interactions with the extracellular matrix, using targeted mutagenesis in mice and biochemical approaches in Xenopus embryos; and 2) analysis of signal transduction downstream of Tril, a novel transmembrane protein that regulates both developmental processes and immune responses. The research employs diverse methodologies including molecular biology, biochemistry, cell biology, and genetic approaches.
Analysis of Dr. Christian's recent publications reveals a continued focus on BMP signaling mechanisms with expanding applications to iron metabolism and homeostasis. The research has evolved from fundamental developmental biology questions to address clinically relevant issues in iron disorders and hematopoiesis. Their work demonstrates how basic mechanisms of protein processing, dimerization, and signal transduction translate to physiological regulation of iron homeostasis, with implications for diseases like anemia and β-thalassemia. The laboratory has increasingly incorporated systems biology approaches including proteomics and RNA sequencing to identify novel regulatory mechanisms.
Dr. Christian has mentored numerous students and postdoctoral fellows who have gone on to diverse careers in academia, industry, and healthcare. The current laboratory team includes a research scientist, lab technicians, and postdoctoral fellows actively pursuing research projects related to BMP signaling and iron metabolism. The laboratory maintains strong collaborations with other researchers at the University of Utah and beyond, particularly with the Babitt laboratory which focuses on iron metabolism and BMP signaling.
The Christian laboratory is housed at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, with laboratory space in the BPRB building. The research program has been supported by continuous NIH funding for multiple decades, enabling the investigation of fundamental mechanisms of cell signaling during development and their implications for human disease. The laboratory maintains active collaborations across multiple departments and institutions, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of their research on signaling pathways that bridge developmental biology and clinical medicine.
