CLINICAL EXPERTISE
As a board certified clinical pathologist, I oversee Clinical Toxicology Laboratory in UPMC Clinical Laboratories and sign out Toxicology cases generated by GC-MS. As Director of Pathology Resident Training in Chemistry, I am also in charge of Clinical Chemistry education in the Pathology Residency Program at UPMC.
RESEARCH EXPERTISE
Cell therapy with adult multipotential stromal cells or mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is a promising approach against various diseases including nonhealing chronic wounds, as these cells promote angiogenesis and tissue regeneration, and exert immunomodulatory effects upon cell transplantation. Initially MSC differentiation and direct incorporation into regenerating tissues was speculated as a primary mechanism of MSC action; however, it has been realized that the strong paracrine capability of various growth factors and cytokines is a key mechanism of MSC-mediated wound healing and tissue regeneration. We are studying the molecular mechanisms that support strong paracrine machineries in MSC in order to maximize the regenerative effects of MSC-based therapeutics. One promising approach is to culture MSC in low oxygen condition, as the hypoxic condition promotes the production of angiogenic growth factors in the short term and delays replicative cell senescence in the long term. Another approach is to focus on EGFR signaling, as we have previously shown that the activation of EGFR signaling pathway promotes in vitro MSC expansion without compromising differentiation potentials, enhances the preservation of early progenitor MSCs, and increases the production of growth factors.
PUBLICATIONS
(since 2006, *denotes corresponding authorship)
Kerpedjieva SS, Kim DS, Barbeau DJ, Tamama K* EGFR ligands drive multipotential stromal cells to produce multiple growth factors and cytokines via early growth response-1. Stem Cells Dev. 2012 Feb 8. [Epub ahead of print]
Tamama K*, Kerpedjieva SS Acceleration of wound healing by multiple growth factors and cytokines secreted from multipotential stromal cells / mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) Wound Healing Society Year Book (WHSYB) - Advances in Wound Care (Sen, C. K. ed.), Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. , New Rochelle, NY. In press
Tamama K*, Kawasaki H, Kerpedjieva SS, Guan J, Ganju RK, Sen CK Differential roles of hypoxia inducible factor subunits in multipotential stromal cells under hypoxic condition. J Cell Biochem. 2011 Mar;112(3):804-17.
Kawasaki H, Guan J, Tamama K*. Hydrogen gas treatment prolongs replicative lifespan of bone marrow multipotential stromal cells in vitro while preserving differentiation and paracrine potentials. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2010 Jul 2;397(3):608-13.
Wang F, Li Z, Khan M, Tamama K, Kuppusamy P, Wagner WR, Sen CK, Guan J. Injectable, rapid gelling and highly flexible hydrogel composites as growth factor and cell carriers. Acta Biomater. 2010 Jun;6(6):1978-91.
Tamama K*, Kawasaki H, Wells A Epidermal growth factor (EGF) treatment on multipotential stromal cells (MSCs). Possible enhancement of therapeutic potential of MSC. J Biomed Biotechnol. 2010;2010:795385
Wang F, Li Z, Tamama K, Sen CK, Guan J Fabrication and Characterization of Prosurvival Growth Factor Releasing, Anisotropic Scaffolds for Enhanced Mesenchymal Stem Cell Survival/Growth and Orientation. Biomacromolecules. 2009 Sep 14;10(9):2609-18.
Tamama K*, Sen CK, Wells A. Differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells into the smooth muscle lineage by blocking ERK/MAPK signaling pathway. Stem Cells Dev. 2008 Oct;17(5):897-908.
