The Wong Lab @ The University of Michigan

The Wong Lab @ The University of MichiganThe Wong Lab @ The University of MichiganThe Wong Lab @ The University of Michigan

The Wong Lab @ The University of Michigan

The Wong Lab @ The University of MichiganThe Wong Lab @ The University of MichiganThe Wong Lab @ The University of Michigan
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Skin Cancer & Hair Follicle Research

Skin Cancer & Hair Follicle Research Skin Cancer & Hair Follicle Research Skin Cancer & Hair Follicle Research

Skin Cancer & Hair Follicle Research

Skin Cancer & Hair Follicle Research Skin Cancer & Hair Follicle Research Skin Cancer & Hair Follicle Research

Research Interests

Welcome!  We are a basic science research laboratory in the Department of Dermatology, Cell & Developmental Biology and Cellular & Molecular Biology program at the University of Michigan. Our interests are in discovering novel and fundamental insights related to skin and hair follicle biology, epithelial stem cells and cancer.


Our skin is a vital organ of great intrigue due to its immense complexity. Because of this complexity, a multitude of diseases can arise when cellular processes become defective. Some of these diseases are typically mild, such as acne.  Others can be disfiguring, such as ichthyosis.  Still others, such as basal cell carcinoma (BCC), are fascinating because of their subversion of key developmental pathways such as Hedgehog signaling.  All these diseases are related to studies currently ongoing in our lab.  In addition, we are keenly interested in studying how hair follicles grow, and how different stem cells in the skin coordinate their behaviors to drive hair regeneration.  Our research is generously supported by the NIH, the American Cancer Society, the Leo Foundation, and the Roof cancer research grant.


***  We are hiring!  If interested, click here.  ***

April 2022

Celebrating grants & our new paper!!

Kenny and Sibyl's paper on basal cell carcinoma is in press @ Cell Reports!  And, we have new funding!


Research Highlights

Hotspots for basal cell carcinoma

Hotspots for basal cell carcinoma

Hotspots for basal cell carcinoma

Where do BCCs come from?  Which stem cells in the skin are susceptible to forming tumors?  How might nerves play a role?

Sebaceous gland biology

Hotspots for basal cell carcinoma

Hotspots for basal cell carcinoma

Sebaceous glands secrete oils that maintain healthy skin.  We study how stem cells that maintain these glands are regulated.

Tumor-drug response

Hotspots for basal cell carcinoma

Tumor-drug response

Advanced BCCs frequently persist after drug treatment.  Our study identifies genetic factors that affect tumor-drug response.

How does hair form?

Discovery of Keratin 79

Tumor-drug response

What happens during the earliest stages of hair follicle formation in the skin?

Discovery of Keratin 79

Discovery of Keratin 79

Discovery of Keratin 79

Learn how we identified a novel keratin in the skin, Keratin 79.

Primary cilia & cancer

Discovery of Keratin 79

Discovery of Keratin 79

What does an ancient cellular structure found in pond scum have to do with skin cancer?

Recent Publications

Basal cell carcinomas acquire secondary mutations to overcome dormancy and progress from microscopic to macroscopic disease. 

Trieu KG, Tsai SY, Eberl M, Ju V, Ford NC, Doane OJ, Peterson JK, Veniaminova NA, Grachtchouk M, Harms PW, Swartling FJ, Dlugosz AA, Wong SY.

Cell Reports.  2022 May 3;9(5):110779.


Preparing the hair follicle canal for hair shaft emergence.

Mesler AL, Benedeck RE, Wong SY.

Experimental Dermatology.  2021 Apr(4);30:472-478.


Niche-specific factors dynamically regulate sebaceous gland stem cells in the skin.

Veniaminova  NA, Grachtchouk M, Doane OJ, Peterson JK, Quigley DA, Lull MV,  Pyrozhenko DV, Nair RR, Patrick MT, Balmain A, Dlugosz AA, Tsoi LC, Wong SY.

Developmental Cell.  2019 Nov 4;51:1-15.


Tumor architecture and notch signaling modulate drug response in basal cell carcinoma.

Eberl M, Mangelberger D, Swanson JB, Verhaegen ME, Harms PW, Frohm M, Dlugosz AA, Wong SY.

Cancer Cell. 2018 Feb 12;33(2):229-243.


Loss of Gata6 causes dilation of the hair follicle canal and sebaceous duct.

Swanson JB, Vagnozzi AN, Veniaminova NA, Wong SY.

Experimental Dermatology. 2018 Apr;28(4):345-349. 


Hair follicle terminal differentiation is orchestrated by distinct early and late matrix progenitors.

Mesler AL, Veniaminova NA, Lull MV, Wong SY.

Cell Reports. 2017 Apr 25;19(4):809-821.


Hair follicle and interfollicular epidermal stem cells make varying contributions to wound regeneration.

Vagnozzi AN, Reiter JF, Wong SY.

Cell Cycle. 2015;14(21):3408-17.


Basal cell carcinoma preferentially arises from stem cells within hair follicle and mechanosensory niches.

Peterson SC, Eberl M, Vagnozzi AN, Belkadi A, Veniaminova NA, Verhaegen ME, Bichakjian CK, Ward NL, Dlugosz AA, Wong SY.

Cell Stem Cell. 2015 Apr 2;16(4):400-12.


Keratin 79 identifies a novel population of migratory epithelial cells that initiates hair canal morphogenesis and regeneration.

Veniaminova NA, Vagnozzi AN, Kopinke D, Do TT, Murtaugh LC, Maillard I, Dlugosz AA, Reiter JF, Wong SY.

Development. 2013 Dec;140(24):4870-80.


2009-2011


Wounding mobilizes hair follicle stem cells to form tumors.

Wong SY, Reiter JF.

Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2011 Mar 8;108(10):4093-8. 


Primary cilia can both mediate and suppress Hedgehog pathway-dependent tumorigenesis.

Wong SY, Seol AD, So PL, Ermilov AN, Bichakjian CK, Epstein EH Jr, Dlugosz AA, Reiter JF.

Nature Medicine. 2009 Sep;15(9):1055-61.

About Us

Sunny Wong

Natalia Veniaminova

Natalia Veniaminova

 Associate Professor, Department of Dermatology, and Cell & Developmental Biology 

Natalia Veniaminova

Natalia Veniaminova

Natalia Veniaminova

Research Associate

Sibyl Tsai

Natalia Veniaminova

Joseph Durgin

Postdoctoral Scholar

Joseph Durgin

Joseph Durgin

Joseph Durgin

Dermatology Resident

Tom Huyge

Joseph Durgin

Tom Huyge

Undergraduate Student

Noah Ford

Joseph Durgin

Tom Huyge

Laboratory Technician

Adrien Hartigan

Stephanie Shimko

Adrien Hartigan

Undergraduate Student

Matthew Mattoon

Stephanie Shimko

Adrien Hartigan

Laboratory Technician

Stephanie Shimko

Stephanie Shimko

Stephanie Shimko

Administrative Assistant

Previous Members

Virginia Ju, medical student (2019, 2021)

Rachel Benedeck, laboratory technician (2019-2021)

Kenny Trieu, CDB graduate student (2018-2022) (Ph.D. '22)

Owen Doane, undergraduate research (2017-2021)

Jamie Peterson, laboratory technician (2017-2019)

Jacob Swanson, laboratory technician (2015-2017)

Arlee Mesler, CMB graduate student (2014-2018) (Ph.D. '18)

Madison Lull, undergraduate research (2013-2017)

Markus Eberl, postdoctoral scholar (2012-2017)

Austen Weaver, undergraduate research (2015-2016)

Shelby Peterson-Unsworth, CMB graduate student (2013-2017) (Ph.D. '17)

Nadia Danienta, undergraduate research (2012)

Natalia Veniaminova, postdoctoral scholar (2012- )

Alicia Vagnozzi, laboratory technician (2012-2015)

Karen Myers, administrative aide (2011-2021)

Rotation Students:  Takuya Kaneko, Morgan Gingerich, Samantha Devenport, Fatima Javed, Haeyoung Park, LiAng Yao, Ryann Li

Lab Fun

Questions? Interested in joining the lab?

Drop us a line!

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We are currently looking for new grad students & postdocs. Undergrads: sorry, we are now full.

The Wong Lab @ The University of Michigan

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