Paula H. Stern, PhD
Professor
Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Biological Chemistry
To contact Dr. Stern:
Phone: 312-503-8290
E-mail: p-stern@northwestern.edu
Dr. Stern's website
PubMed
Reference Lookup
Research Interests
The research in Paula Stern’s laboratory is directed at determining
the mechanisms by which bone formation and resorption are regulated. This
involves determining the roles of local factors such as cytokines and growth
factors and also in investigating the signaling pathways. One current project
focuses on parathyroid hormone signaling in osteoblasts, and specifically
on the role of the phospholipase D/protein kinase C signaling pathway. The
most recent work has shown a role of small G proteins of the Rho family in
these responses. Downstream responses that are affected by manipulation of
the pathway are expression of interleukin-6 and the membrane-associated cytokine,
RANKL, and bone resorption. Another project addresses the mechanisms of the
bone anabolic effects of prostate cancer metastases. We have found that the
MAP kinase pathway plays an regulatory role in determining whether the responses
are proliferative or differentiative. A third area is the mechanism of the
response to mechanical load, and the interaction of load and growth factors
to promote bone formation.
Her lab’s application of genetic tools has involved the use of constitutively active and dominant negative mutants and the use of antisense oligonucleotides. In planned future experiments they will be examining the effects of k/o mutations in signaling pathways on the responses of bone, examining bone structure in vivo and responses of bone organ cultures from the animals in vitro.