Dr. Olivia M. Bermingham-McDonogh

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University of Washington
School of Medicine
Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery
Assistant Professor
Professional Headshot of Olivia M. Bermingham-McDonogh

Mailing Address

Virginia Merrill Bloedel Hearing Research Center
University of Washington
Box 357423
Seattle, Washington 98195
United States

Contact Information

Phone: (206) 616-4652
Fax: (206) 221-5685
oliviab@u.washington.edu

Qualifications

Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles, Biochemistry, 1987.

Expertise and Research Interests

The role of FGFs in development and regeneration of the cochlea

My work is aimed at understanding why the auditory hair cells of the bird regenerate while those of the mammalian auditory system do not. My background is in the molecular biology of growth factors and receptors. My current focus is on receptor tyrosine kinases and their signaling pathways in the hair cells and supporting cells. In a screen of receptor tyrosine kinases in inner ear of the chicken, I found a number of different receptors expressed, and am currently concentrating on the FGF receptor family. FGFR3, is highly expressed in a specific set of supporting cells in the chicken sensory receptor epithelium (also known as the basilar papilla). This gene is specifically downregulated in these cells during the regeneration process. I am currently investigating whether the downregulation of this gene is critical to the process of regeneration.

I am also interested in the role of FGFs and FGFRs in the development of the mammalian cochlea. I am particularly interested in the role of FGFR3 in the development of the tunnel of Corti. In the FGFR3 knockout mouse the tunnel fails to develop and the mice are deaf. I am looking at what transcription factors are activated by FGF signaling to identify the important factors governing the development of the Pillar cells that line the tunnel. In addition I am interested in what FGFs are expressed in the developing cochlea and using PCR hope to find the FGFs that are required for the postnatal development of the organ of Corti.


Keywords

COS Keywords:

Neuroscience, Otolaryngology.

Additional Terms:

Development, Molecular Neuroscience, Regeneration.

Memberships

American Association for the Advancement of Science
Association for Research in Otolaryngology
Society for Neuroscience

Publications

  • Cramer KS, Bermingham-McDonogh O, Krull CE, Rubel EW, EphA4 signaling promotes axon segregation in the developing auditory system, Developmental Biology, 269(1), 26-35, May 2004 Abstract
  • Bermingham-McDonogh O, Rubel EW, Hair cell regeneration: winging our way towards a sound future, Current Opinion in Neurobiology, 13(1), 119-26, Feb 2003 Abstract
  • Bermingham-McDonogh O, Stone JS, Reh TA, Rubel EW, FGFR3 expression during development and regeneration of the chick inner ear sensory epithelia, Developmental Biology, 238(2), 247-59, Oct 2001 Abstract
  • Cochran SL, Stone JS, Bermingham-McDonogh O, Akers SR, Lefcort F, Rubel EW, Ontogenetic expression of trk neurotrophin receptors in the chick auditory system, The Journal of Comparative Neurology, 413(2), 271-88, Oct 1999 Abstract
  • Rostomily RC, Bermingham-McDonogh O, Berger MS, Tapscott SJ, Reh TA, Olson JM, Expression of neurogenic basic helix-loop-helix genes in primitive neuroectodermal tumors, Cancer Research, 57(16), 3526-31, Aug 1997 Abstract
  • Bermingham-McDonogh O, Xu YT, Marchionni MA, Scherer SS, Neuregulin expression in PNS neurons: isoforms and regulation by target interactions, Molecular and Cellular Neurosciences, 10(3-4), 184-95, 1997 Abstract
  • Bermingham-McDonogh O, McCabe KL, Reh TA, Effects of GGF/neuregulins on neuronal survival and neurite outgrowth correlate with erbB2/neu expression in developing rat retina, Development (cambridge, England), 122(5), 1427-38, May 1996 Abstract
  • Reh TA, McCabe K, Kelley MW, Bermingham-McDonogh O, Growth factors in the treatment of degenerative retinal disorders, Ciba Foundation Symposium, 196, 120-31; discussion 1, 1996 Abstract
  • Chen MS, Bermingham-McDonogh O, Danehy FT Jr, Nolan C, Scherer SS, Lucas J, Gwynne D, Marchionni MA, Expression of multiple neuregulin transcripts in postnatal rat brains, The Journal of Comparative Neurology, 349(3), 389-400, Nov 1994 Abstract
  • Zhang L, Bermingham-McDonogh O, Turcotte B, Guarente L, Antibody-promoted dimerization bypasses the regulation of DNA binding by the heme domain of the yeast transcriptional activator HAP1, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America., 90(7), 2851-5, Apr 1993 Abstract
  • Marchionni MA, Goodearl AD, Chen MS, Bermingham-McDonogh O, Kirk C, Hendricks M, Danehy F, Misumi D, Sudhalter J, Kobayashi K, et al., Glial growth factors are alternatively spliced erbB2 ligands expressed in the nervous system, Nature, 362(6418), 312-8, Mar 1993 Abstract
  • Guarente L, Bermingham-McDonogh O, Conservation and evolution of transcriptional mechanisms in eukaryotes, Trends in Genetics : Tig, 8(1), 27-32, Jan 1992 Abstract
  • Bermingham-McDonogh O, Gralla EB, Valentine JS, The copper, zinc-superoxide dismutase gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae: cloning, sequencing, and biological activity, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America., 85(13), 4789-93, Jul 1988 Abstract
  • Bermingham-McDonogh O, Mota de Freitas D, Kumamoto A, Saunders JE, Blech DM, Borders CL Jr, Valentine JS, Reduced anion-binding affinity of Cu,Zn superoxide dismutases chemically modified at arginine, Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 108(4), 1376-82, October 1982 Abstract

Profile Details

Last Updated: 1/9/2005

COS Expertise ID #666078
Reference this profile directly: http://myprofile.cos.com/oliviab