Francis C. Lynn, BSc PhD
Department of Surgery and School of Biomedical Engineering
BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute
Room A4-184, 950 W 28th Avenue
Vancouver BC, V5Z 4H4
Phone office: 604.875.2000 ext. 5426
Fax: 604.875.2373
Email: francis.lynn@ubc.ca
Summary of Research Interests
Diabetes mellitus results from dysfunction, damage or loss or of pancreatic β-cells. These cells reside in small endocrine clusters, called the islets of Langerhans, which are interspersed throughout the pancreas and secrete the hormones insulin and glucagon in response to changes in blood glucose. In order to ameliorate and eventually cure both forms of diabetes, β-cells will need to be functionally restored, regenerated, or replaced. Pancreas and islet transplantation have demonstrated the promise of β-cell replacement, but a short supply of transplantable tissue limits the applicability of these approaches in broadly curing diabetes mellitus. Our group is interested in understanding the mechanisms that regulate the formation of islet β-cells from pancreatic stem or progenitor cells during solid organ formation. We focus on the gene regulatory networks at play in the progenitor cells and how these networks change during differentiation to mature endocrine cells and in the long-term maintenance of the β-cell. We believe that a greater understanding of these genetic mechanisms and pathways will refine cell-based approaches for preventing and reversing the β-cell deterioration and loss that occurs with diabetes.
Dr. Lynn’s : laboratory
Detailed information about – : scholarly, professional activities
Recent Publications
Smith SB, Qu H-Q, Taleb N, Kishimoto N, Scheel DW, Lu Y, Patch AM, Grabs R, Wang J, Lynn FC, Miyatsuka T, Mitchell J, Seerke R, Désir J, Vanden Ejnden S, Abramowicz M, Kacet N, Weill J, Renard M-E, Gentile M, Hansen I, Dewar K, Hattersley AT, Wang R, Wilson ME, Johnson JD, Polychronakos C, German MS (2010). Endoderm Factor Rfx6 Directs Islet Formation and Insulin Production in Mice and Humans. Nature 463, 775-780.
Shimajiri Y, Kosaka Y, Scheel DW, Lynn FC, Kishimoto N, Wang J, Zhao S, German MS (2011). A mouse model for monitoring islet cell genesis and developing therapies for diabetes. Dis Mod Mech 4, 268-276.
Kim H, Toyofuku Y, Lynn FC, Chak E, Uchida T, Mizukami H, Fujitani Y, Kawamori R, Miyatsuka T, Kosaka Y, Yang K, Honig G, Van der Hart M, Kishimoto N, Wang J, Yagihasi S, Tecott LH, Watada H, German MS (2010). Serotonin regulates pancreatic beta cell mass during pregnancy. Nat Med 16, 804-808.
Pujadas G, Felipe F, Ejarque M, Sanchez L, Cervantes S, Lynn FC, Gomis R, Gasa, R (2011). Sequence and epigenetic determinants in the regulation of the Math6 gene by Neurogenin3 Differentiation; research in biological diversity, 82(2), 66-76.
Whitaker GM, Lynn FC, Fulton C, McIntosh CHS and Accili EA (2012). Regulation of GIP and GLP1 Receptor Cell Surface Expression by N-Glycosylation and Receptor Heteromerization. PLoS ONE 7(3): e32675.
Tennant BR, Robertson AG, Kramer M, Li L, Zhang X, Beach M, Thiessen N, Chiu R, Mungall K, Whiting CJ, Sabatini PV, Kim A, Gottardo R, Marra MA, Lynn FC, Jones SJ, Hoodless PA, Hoffman BG (2013). Identification and analysis of murine pancreatic islet enhancers. Diabetologia. 56(3), 542-552.
Sabatini PV, Krentz NA, Zarrouki B, Westwell-Roper CY, Nian C, Uy RA, Shapiro AM, Poitout V, Lynn FC (2013). Npas4 Is a Novel Activity-Regulated Cytoprotective Factor in Pancreatic β-Cells. Diabetes, 62(8), 2808-2820.
Rawnsley DR, Xiao J, Lee J, Liu X, Mericko-Ishizuka P, Kumar V, He J, Basu A, Lu M, Lynn FC, Pack M, Gasa R, Kahn ML (2013). The transcription factor Atonal homolog 8 regulates Gata4 and Friend of Gata-2 during vertebrate development. J Biol Chem, 288(34), 24429-24440.
Bruin JE, Erener S, Vela J, Johnson JD, Hu X, Kurata HT, Lynn FC, Piret JM, Rezania A, Kieffer TJ (2014). Characterization of polyhormonal insulin-producing cells derived in vitro from human embryonic stem cells. Stem Cell Res.12(1),194-208.
Ngai YF, Sabatini PV, Nguyen D, Davidson J, Chanoine J-P, Devlin AM, Lynn FC, Panagiotopoulos C (2014). Quetiapine-treatment in youth is associated with decreased insulin secretion. J Clin Psychopharmacol. Mar 13. [Epub ahead of print]
Chow SZ, Speck M, Yoganathan P, Nackiewicz D, Hansen AM, Ladefoged M, Rabe B, Rose-John S, Voshol PJ, Lynn FC, Herrera PL, Müller W, Ellingsgaard H, Ehses JA (2014). Gp130 receptor signaling mediates α cell dysfunction in a rodent model of type 2 diabetes. Diabetes May 8th. [Epub ahead of print].