Pawlus, Matthew

•  Postdoctoral Research, University of Washington's Institute for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine 

• Ph.D., Molecular Biology, University of Colorado 

• B.S., Biology, Colorado Mesa University

Work in the Pawlus lab focuses on investigating interactions between environmental factors and human cells. We are especially interested in studying environmental factors that may contribute to human disease and use several human cell-based models in our experiments. Current projects involve investigating neurodegenerative mechanisms of the cyanobacterial biotoxin, BMAA in human neural cells, determining the contribution of BMAA to mesenchymal-like characteristics in cancer cells, and characterizing protective effects of melatonin in human retinal cells. The involvement of the Wnt signaling pathway, which plays important roles in the cell differentiation, development, regeneration, and disease is also investigated for its causative or protective effects in these models of human disease.