Petkovich | Sinclair Cancer Research Institute | School of Medicine

P. Martin Petkovich PhD

Position(s)

Principal Investigator, CBG Division

Contact Info

martin.petkovich@queensu.ca

613-533-6791

Faculty Bio:

BSc, McMaster; PhD, University of Toronto.

Research Interests

The main research focus in the Petkovich lab is understanding the role of hormone receptor signalling in health and disease. Our current efforts are focused on vitamin A and vitamin D signalling and metabolism as they relate to bone development (along with pathological calcification of tissues), skin disorders, kidney disease, and tumour metastasis.

Retinoic acid (RA) is the active metabolite of vitamin A and has several important physiological functions including regulation of cell proliferation and apoptosis, cell differentiation, and tissue morphogenesis. These attributes of RA have been exploited in the clinic for the treatment of skin diseases and make it a strong candidate for cancer prevention and differentiation therapy.

RA distribution is finely controlled by the balanced activities of retinaldhyde dehydrogenases (Raldhs) which control its synthesis and cytochrome P450 enzymes from the CYP26 family which control its degradation. Three CYP26 family members (A1, B1, and C1) were discovered in our lab. Their distribution during embryogenesis clearly indicates that they have distinct roles in defining the distribution of RA in tissues undergoing morphogenesis. We have generated a CYP26 gene-knockout (KO) mouse models, and have analysed their embryonic lethal phenotypes.

These genetic models also allow us to specifically delete Cyp26a1 or b1 in selected tissues. We are currently using these models to assess the impact of altered RA signaling on bone cell differentiation and maintenance. We are also interested in determining whether RA effects on osteoblast differentiation are pertinent to ectopic ossification since diseases such as chronic kidney disease (CKD) can result in inappropriate ectopic phosphatemic activation of osteochondrogenic pathways resulting in mineralization of cardiovascular tissues.

The Petkovich lab is also actively involved in drug development for treatment of diseases that respond to modulators of vitamin A and D signalling, such as CKD, acne, wound healing, and metastasis.

Publications

Petkovich Lab

Faculty

Abraham, Sheela A., Principal Investigator (CBG Division)

Allingham, Dr.John, Prof, Associate member, SCRI

Aronson, Kristan, Professor Emeritus, CCE Division

Ashworth, MD, FRCPC, Allison, Assistant Professor

Baetz, Tara, Member, Division of Cancer Clinical Trials

Basta, Dr.Sam, Prof, Associate member, SCRI

Berman, David M., Principal Investigator, CBG Division

Biagi, Jim, Member, Division of Cancer Clinical Trials

Bingshu, Chen, Senior Biostatistician, CCTG

Booth, Christopher, Director, CCE Division

Brundage, Michael, MSc, FRCPC, MD

Chen, Bingshu, Senior Biostatistician, CCTG

Cottrell, Tricia, Senior Investigator, CCTG

Craig, Andrew, Director, Sinclair Cancer Research Institute

Dancey, Janet, Director, CCTG

Davey, Scott K., past CBG Division

Ding, Keyue, Biostatistician, CCTG

Feilotter, Harriet, Senior Scientist, CCTG

Flemming, Jennifer, Principal Investigator, CCE Division

Galica, PhD, RN, CON(C), Jacqueline, Associate Professor

Gaudreau, Pierre-Olivier, Senior Investigator, Investigational New Drug Program, CCTG

Gauthier, Isabelle, Senior Scientist, Business Development & Collaborations, CCTG

Gee, Dr.Katrina, Prof, Associate member, SCRI

Gooding, Robert, Member, Division of Cancer Biology & Genetics

Graham, Charles, Member, Division of Cancer Biology & Genetics

Greer, Peter A., Principal Investigator, CBG Division

Groome, Patti, Professor Emerita, CCE Division

Gyawali, Bishal, Principal Investigator, CCE Division

Hanna, Timothy, Principal Investigator, CCE Division

Hay, Annette, Senior Investigator, CCTG

Izard, Jason, Member, Division of Cancer Care & Epidemiology

Koti, Madhuri, Principal Investigator, CBG Division

Kubes, Paul, Professor, CBG Division

Madarnas, Yolanda, Member, Division of Cancer Biology & Genetics

Mahar, Alyson, Principal Investigator, CCE Division

Massey, Thomas, Member, Division of Cancer Biology & Genetics

Mathews, MBBS, MD, Jean, Assistant Professor, Division of Palliative Medicine

Merchant, Shaila, Associate Professor

Mueller, Christopher R., Principal Investigator, CBG Division

Mulligan, Lois, Principal Investigator, CBG Division

Nanji, Sulaiman, Associate Professor

Nicol, Christopher, Director, CBG Division

O'Callaghan, Chris, Senior Investigator, CCTG

Othman, Maha, Professor, Associate Member SCRI

Panchenko, Anna, Professor, DBMS; Sr. Investigator, OICR

Parulekar, Wendy, Senior Investigator, CCTG

Patel, Sunil, Principal Investigator, CCE Division

Pater, Joseph, Senior Investigator, CCTG

Peng, Yingwei (Paul), Biostatistician, CCE Division

Petitjean, Anne, Member, Division of Cancer Clinical Trials

Petkovich, P. Martin, Principal Investigator, CBG Division

Postovit, Lynne-Marie, Head, Dept. of Biomedical & Molecular Sciences

Raptis, Leda, Member, Division of Cancer Biology & Genetics

Rauh, Michael, Member, Division of Cancer Biology & Genetics

Renwick, Neil, Assistant Professor, Translational RNA Biology

Richardson, Harriet, Investigator, CCTG and CCE divisions

Robinson, MD, MSc, FRCPC, Andrew, Associate Professor

Rushton-Marovac, Moira, Senior Investigator, CCTG

Schreiner, John, Member, Division of Cancer Clinical Trials

Seymour, Lesley, Director, Investigational New Drug Program, the Canadian Cancer Trials Group

Shepherd, Lois, Senior Investigator, CCTG

Siemens, Robert, Member, Division of Cancer Care & Epidemiology

Simpson, Amber, Senior Scientist, CCTG

Szewczuk, Dr.Myron, Prof, Associate member, SCRI

Talbot, Dr.Sebastien, Associate Prof, Associate member, SCRI

Tu, Dongsheng, Senior Biostatistician, CCTG

Tu, Wei, Senior Biostatistician, CCTG

Wijeratne, MSc, MD, Don Thiwanka, Associate Professor

Wilson, MBBS, MSc, FRACP, Brooke, Assistant Professor

Winn, Louise, Member, Division of Cancer Biology & Genetics

Yang, Xiaolang, Member, Division of Cancer Biology & Genetics

Yeates, MPH, MD, Karen, Professor

Ynoe de Moraes, Fabio, Principal Investigator, CCE Division

Team

Faculty Bio:

Research Interests

Petkovich Lab

Faculty