Dean J. Burkin

Department: Pharmacology
Academic Unit: School of Medicine
Title: Associate Professor and Director of the Nevada Transgenic Center
Professional degrees: Ph.D., University of Colorado (1994)
Research Area: Muscular Dystrophy, Transgenic Mice, Drug Discovery, Pharmacology, Cell Biology, Developmental Biology

Contact Information

Mail Stop: 318
Phone: (775) 784-6288
Fax: (775) 784-1620
e-mail:dburking@medicine.nevada.edu

Research Interests

My research program focuses on the development of therapies for children with Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). DMD patients have mutations in the dystrophin gene resulting in a loss of dystrophin. DMD is a devastating neuromuscular disease that affects nearly 50,000 children in the United States alone. All of these children will die from this disease unless therapies are discovered soon. The alpha7beta1 integrin is a major genetic modifier of disease progression in both dystrophic mice and patients. We have demonstrated using state-of-the-art transgenic mouse technology that increased expression of alpha7 integrin can increase the longevity and alleviate muscle disease in severely dystrophic mice models. To translate this exciting discovery into a therapy for DMD, we have recently used drug discovery technology and identified pharmacological compounds that increase alpha7 integrin gene expression. These compounds might be of substantial therapeutic value to children that suffer from DMD. Several other myopathies including Congenital Muscular Dystrophy Type 1A and Fukuyama muscular dystrophy as well as muscle injury and muscle wasting associated with aging and cancer may also benefit from our research.

Laminin-111 protein prevents muscle disease in the mdx mouse model of DMD. Evans blue dye (EBD) uptake reveals mdx muscle injected with laminin-111 exhibits reduced EBD uptake compared to control. Histological staining reveals that mdx muscle treated with laminin-111 contains few muscle fibers with centrally located nuclei and mononuclear cell infiltrate compared to control. Scale bar= 10 microns.

Laminin-111 protein prevents muscle disease in the mdx mouse model of DMD. Evans blue dye (EBD) uptake reveals mdx muscle injected with laminin-111 exhibits reduced EBD uptake compared to control. Histological staining reveals that mdx muscle treated with laminin-111 contains few muscle fibers with centrally located nuclei and mononuclear cell infiltrate compared to control. Scale bar= 10 microns.

Current Graduate Students:
Jinger Joe

Other Lab Members

Dr. Ryan Wuebbles (Postdoctoral Fellow)
Dr. Jachinta Rooney (Postdoctoral Fellow)
Rebecca Evans (Research Associate)
Leah Eikelberger (Research Associate)
Maggie Elorza (Research Associate)
Jolie Knapp (Undergraduate Research Assistant)
Erika Allred (Undergraduate Research Assistant)