Howard William Schnaper, MD

Professor of Pediatrics
Feinberg School of Medicine

Research Interests:
The laboratory of William Schnaper is investigating the signal transduction pathways that regulate extracellular matrix accumulation in kidney disease. They are investigating the mechanism(s) by which transforming growth factor (TGF)-? stimulates collagen synthesis by the human kidney mesangial cells that are central to the scarring of the renal filter in disease. His lab has determined that the TGF-?-specific Smad pathway is modulated by interaction with multiple additional signaling mechanisms, including those related to ERK MAP kinase, phosphatidyl inositol-3-kinase, protein kinase C and cytoskeletal rearrangement. Dr. Schnaper’s studies include the ectopic expression of various signaling molecules in mesangial cells, as well as the use of mutated active or inactive forms of these molecules to dissect signaling pathways. His lab has been using this information to study the transcriptional regulation of collagen. This year, they will be utilizing additional techniques such as yeast-one and -two hybrid screens, and possible array technology, to seek to identify additional molecules that participate in these signals.