Ahlke Heydemann, PhD
Associate Professor
Department of Physiology and Biophysics
Contact
Building & Room:
COMRB 1154
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The Heydemann lab is investigating cardiac, diaphragm and skeletal muscle pathology and regeneration in muscular dystrophy and high fat diet-induced metabolic disease. We are interested in the super healing MRL mouse strain and the DBA2/J mouse strain which displays enhanced fibrosis.
About
The majority of my career has been the investigation of Muscular Dystrophy. I have investigated skeletal and cardiac tissue genetically, biochemically, histologically, and functionally. I have identified that the DBA2J mouse strain with a gamma-sarcolgycan (Sgcg) mutation has severe muscular dystrophy-mediated fibrosis and the lab is currently investigating the molecular causes of this detrimental outcome. I have also identified that the MRL mouse strain has very mild Muscular Dystrophy and that this is in part mediated by mitochondrial polymorphisms that cause an increase of pAMPK. We are currently identifying the naturally occurring mechanisms in the MRL mice which cause this beneficial upregulation of pAMPK. I have also identified novel pharmaceuticals for the treatment of Muscular Dystrophy. To that end we are now investigating the FDA approved sphingosine-1-phosphate modulator FTY720 in the severe dystrophic mice. We have chosen the severely affected Sgcg-/-DBA2/J mice to be tested with this compound to robustly test the effectiveness of the compound. Because of the very promising preliminary data I hold great hope for this compound as part of the future arsenal against Muscular Dystrophy. In conjunction with other therapies, this compound will help patients live fully normal lives.