Michael J. Galko

Michael J. Galko is a Professor in the Department of Genetics within the Division of Basic Science Research at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX. He also holds a joint professorship at the UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. His research program investigates how organisms respond to tissue injury, using genetically tractable models such as Drosophila melanogaster.

Dr. Galko's research interests center on the molecular and cellular mechanisms of wound-induced epithelial repair, inflammatory responses, and injury-induced hypersensitivity to sensory stimuli. His work leverages Drosophila larval models to uncover evolutionarily conserved genetic pathways governing tissue repair and pain sensitization. These studies contribute broadly to understanding regenerative biology and chronic pain mechanisms.

His lab has been consistently supported by major funding agencies, including the National Institutes of Health (NIGMS and NINDS), the American Heart Association, and the March of Dimes. He was recognized as one of the inaugural R. Lee Clark Fellows in Basic Research at MD Anderson, and his current work is funded by a prestigious NIGMS R35 'people not projects' award.

• American Heart Association Fellowship
• Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation Fellowship
• R. Lee Clark Fellow in Basic Research
• NIGMS R35 Grant (Maximizing Investigators' Research Award)

Dr. Galko mentors graduate and postdoctoral researchers and contributes to the academic mission through his dual appointments. His lab continues to explore conserved genetic regulators of injury response, with implications for regenerative medicine and pain therapeutics. He maintains active research profiles on PubMed, ResearchGate, and SciVal, and his lab website provides further details on ongoing projects.