About me
I am a postdoctoral scholar in the lab of Jay Debnath, MD in the Department of Pathology at the University of California, San Francisco. I am studying how autophagy in the tumor microenvironment contributes to solid tumor progression using in vivo and in vitro methods. I'm also part of the UCSF IRACDA program, which supports training in research and teaching in preparation for your career in academia. As a part of this program, I am currently teaching part of BIOL 355 Genetics at San Francisco State University.
I obtained my PhD in April 2016 in the lab of Michael T. Lewis, PhD in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at Baylor College of Medicine (Houston, TX). My thesis project elucidated the epithelial and stromal functions of hedgehog network genes in mammary gland development. I also established an ongoing collaboration elucidating functions of hedgehog network genes in fertility with Yi Athena Ren, PhD and JoAnne Richards, PhD at BCM.
My primary research interests are understanding mechanisms and genetics of epithelial-stromal and tissue-tissue crosstalk in development and disease.
Contact Info
teresa.monkkonen@ucsf.edu
tmonkkonen@sfsu.edu
teresa.monkkonen@gmail.com
LinkedIn
ResearchGate
OrcID
I obtained my PhD in April 2016 in the lab of Michael T. Lewis, PhD in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at Baylor College of Medicine (Houston, TX). My thesis project elucidated the epithelial and stromal functions of hedgehog network genes in mammary gland development. I also established an ongoing collaboration elucidating functions of hedgehog network genes in fertility with Yi Athena Ren, PhD and JoAnne Richards, PhD at BCM.
My primary research interests are understanding mechanisms and genetics of epithelial-stromal and tissue-tissue crosstalk in development and disease.
Contact Info
teresa.monkkonen@ucsf.edu
tmonkkonen@sfsu.edu
teresa.monkkonen@gmail.com
ResearchGate
OrcID
Publications
1. Monkkonen T, Landua JD, Visbal AP, and Lewis MT (2017). Epithelial and Non-Epithelial Patched-1 (Ptch1) Play Opposing Roles to Regulate Proliferation and Morphogenesis of the Mouse Mammary Gland. Development (144):1317-1327. Link PMID: 28275010
2. Monkkonen T, and Debnath, J (2017). Inflammatory Signaling Cascades and Autophagy in Cancer. Autophagy. Link PMID: 28813180
3. Monkkonen T, and Lewis MT (2017). New Paradigms for the Hedgehog Signaling Network in Mammary Gland Development and Breast Cancer. BBA Reviews on Cancer. 1868: 315-322. Link PMID: 28624497
4. Zhang, Y, Oetting WS, Harvey SB, Stone MD, Monkkonen T, Matas AJ, Cosio FG, Nelsestuen GL (2009). Urinary Peptide Patterns in Native Kidneys and Kidney Allografts. Transplantation 87 (12): 1807-183. Link PMID: 19543057
5. Harvey SB, Zhang Y, Wilson-Grady J, Monkkonen T, Nelsestuen GL, Kasthuri RS, Verneris MR, Lund TC, Ely EW, Bernard GR, Zeisler H, Homoncik M, Jilma B, Swan T, Kellogg TA (2008) O-Glycoside Biomarker of Apolipoprotein C3: Responsiveness to Obesity, Bariatric Surgery, and Therapy with Metformin, to Chronic or Severe Liver Disease and to Mortality in Severe Sepsis and Graft vs Host Disease. J Proteome Res 8 (2):603–612. Link PMID: 19055479
In preparation:
1. Rudnick JA, Mar F, Barnes JM, Goldsmith J, Monkkonen, T, Rostker F, Starobinets H, Roy S, Weaver VM, Debnath J. Autophagy in stromal fibroblasts promotes mammary tumorigenesis and desmoplasia. Invited for resubmission at Nature, September 2016.
2. Monkkonen T, and Debnath, J (2017). Inflammatory Signaling Cascades and Autophagy in Cancer. Autophagy. Link PMID: 28813180
3. Monkkonen T, and Lewis MT (2017). New Paradigms for the Hedgehog Signaling Network in Mammary Gland Development and Breast Cancer. BBA Reviews on Cancer. 1868: 315-322. Link PMID: 28624497
4. Zhang, Y, Oetting WS, Harvey SB, Stone MD, Monkkonen T, Matas AJ, Cosio FG, Nelsestuen GL (2009). Urinary Peptide Patterns in Native Kidneys and Kidney Allografts. Transplantation 87 (12): 1807-183. Link PMID: 19543057
5. Harvey SB, Zhang Y, Wilson-Grady J, Monkkonen T, Nelsestuen GL, Kasthuri RS, Verneris MR, Lund TC, Ely EW, Bernard GR, Zeisler H, Homoncik M, Jilma B, Swan T, Kellogg TA (2008) O-Glycoside Biomarker of Apolipoprotein C3: Responsiveness to Obesity, Bariatric Surgery, and Therapy with Metformin, to Chronic or Severe Liver Disease and to Mortality in Severe Sepsis and Graft vs Host Disease. J Proteome Res 8 (2):603–612. Link PMID: 19055479
In preparation:
1. Rudnick JA, Mar F, Barnes JM, Goldsmith J, Monkkonen, T, Rostker F, Starobinets H, Roy S, Weaver VM, Debnath J. Autophagy in stromal fibroblasts promotes mammary tumorigenesis and desmoplasia. Invited for resubmission at Nature, September 2016.
Research Projects and Mentors
8/2016- present: Jayanta Debnath, MD
Dept. of Pathology
University of California, San Francisco
I am studying the role of autophagy in vascular development, tumorigenesis, and metastasis. I am also working to complete a project on autophagy function in collagen secretion by cancer-associated fibroblasts, involving culture of primary murine fibroblasts, and collagen assays.
2010-2016: Michael T. Lewis, PhD
Dept. of Molecular and Cellular Biology & Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center
Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
I studied the effects of conditional ablation of Patched 1 in the mammary epithelium, and in stromal cell types with respect to virgin mammary gland development. I also collaborated with JoAnne Richards, PhD and Yi Athena Ren, PhD at BCM to define stromal functions of Patched 1 in ovarian development and ovulation.
Dissertation title: Epithelial, Stromal, and Systemic Functions of Patched 1 in Mammary Gland Development.
2007-2008: Gary L. Nelsestuen, PhD
Dept. of Biochemistry, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN
I applied proteomics techniques (MALDI-TOF) to interrogate changes to plasma and urine proteomes of patients with different metabolic diseases.
2006-2007: James A. McNew, PhD
Dept. of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Rice University, Houston TX
I completed a senior honors thesis studying C. elegans SNARE proteins and vesicle fusion using reconstituted liposomes.
Dept. of Pathology
University of California, San Francisco
I am studying the role of autophagy in vascular development, tumorigenesis, and metastasis. I am also working to complete a project on autophagy function in collagen secretion by cancer-associated fibroblasts, involving culture of primary murine fibroblasts, and collagen assays.
2010-2016: Michael T. Lewis, PhD
Dept. of Molecular and Cellular Biology & Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center
Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
I studied the effects of conditional ablation of Patched 1 in the mammary epithelium, and in stromal cell types with respect to virgin mammary gland development. I also collaborated with JoAnne Richards, PhD and Yi Athena Ren, PhD at BCM to define stromal functions of Patched 1 in ovarian development and ovulation.
Dissertation title: Epithelial, Stromal, and Systemic Functions of Patched 1 in Mammary Gland Development.
2007-2008: Gary L. Nelsestuen, PhD
Dept. of Biochemistry, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN
I applied proteomics techniques (MALDI-TOF) to interrogate changes to plasma and urine proteomes of patients with different metabolic diseases.
2006-2007: James A. McNew, PhD
Dept. of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Rice University, Houston TX
I completed a senior honors thesis studying C. elegans SNARE proteins and vesicle fusion using reconstituted liposomes.
