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Biomedical Engineering Faculty

Peter Hornsby, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Physiology
Sam and Ann Barshop Center for Longevity and Aging Studies

Educational Background:
Ph.D., Institute of Cancer Research, University of London,
London, England
Postdoctoral, University of California, San Diego

Areas of Research Interest:

My research concerns experimental cell transplantation. Cell transplantation can be used for therapeutic purposes (cell therapy) and for pure basic science studies. Under appropriate conditions, transplanted cells can re-form an organ or a tissue structure. If they are genetically modified before they are transplanted they can be used to deliver a gene product, or can be used to detect the levels of a substance in the body (i.e., they can act as a biosensor). If they are genetically modified with oncogenes they can be transformed into a benign or malignant tumor. Over the past few years we have principally used two types of cells in these studies. In the cellular senescence and tumorigenesis work we have focused recently on human fibroblasts. In most of the other work we have used bovine or human adrenocortical cells. The following are the projects that are ongoing in the lab. If you are interested in any of these projects you are encouraged to contact Dr. Hornsby at the e-mail address below.

Current Projects in Lab:

  1. Cellular senescence, telomeres, telomerase, and tumorigenesis
    • hTERT role in tumorigenesis - safety of hTERT in cell therapy
    • effects of hTERT other than telomere maintenance
    • role of the WRN (Werner) gene in genome maintenance and tumorigenesis
    • role of senescent cells in tumorigenesis
  2. Basic biology of the adrenal cortex aging of the adrenal cortex loss of DHEA secretion
    • morphogens in zonation (DKK-3 and other molecules in WNT signaling pathway)
    • effect of changing morphogens on adrenocortical zonation in cell transplant model
  3. Cell therapy
    • expression of constitutively active G protein high steroid producing cell
    • Cre/loxP technology to switch genes on in transplant
  4. Tissue biosensors
    • use of luciferase-expressing cells in a tissue transplant as a biosensor device
    • interfacing bioluminescent tissue with light-sensing apparatus - miniaturization of electronics

Selected Publications:

Hornsby PJ. Short telomeres: cause or consequence of aging? Aging Cell 2006 Dec;5(6):577-578

Chen M, Hornsby PJ. Adenovirus-delivered DKK3/WNT4 and Steroidogenisis in Primary Cultures of Adrenocortical Cells. Horm Metab Res 2006 Sep;38(9):549-555.

Perrault SD, Hornsby PJ, Betts DH. Global gene expression response to telomerase in bovine adrenocortical cells. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2005 Sep;335(3):925-936.

Sun B, Chen M, Hawks CL, Hornsby PJ. Immortal ALT+ human cells do not require telomerase reverse transcriptase for malignant transformation. Cancer Res 2005 Aug;65(1 5):651 2-6515.

Sun B, Chen M, Hawks CL, Pereira-Smith CM, Hornsby PJ. The minimal set of genetic alterations required for conversion of primary human fibroblasts to cancer cells in the subrenal capsule assay. Neoplasia 2005 Jun;7(6):585-593.

Bornstein SR, Hornsby PJ. What can we learn from gene expression profiling for adrenal tumor management? J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2005 Mar;90(3): 1900-1902.

Wang W, Wang L, Endoh A, Hummelke G, Hawks CL, Hornsby PJ. Identification of alpha-enolase as a nuclear DNA-binding protein in the zona fasciculata but not the zona reticularis of the human adrenal cortex. J Endocrinol 2005 Jan;1 84(1 ):85-94.

Hornsby PJ. Dysfunction of the adrenal cortex: An exploration of molecular mechanisms. Journal of Organ Dysfunction 2005;1 :69-77.

Chen M, Hawks CL, Huang Q, Sun B, Hornsby PJ. Telomerase is not required for experimental tumorigenesis of human and bovine adrenocortical cells. Endocr Res 2004 Nov;30(4):555-565.

Sun, B., Huang, Q., Liu, S., Chen, M., Hawks, C.L., Wang, L., Zhang, C., Hornsby, P.J. Progressive loss of malignant behavior in telomerase-negative tumorigenic adrenocortical cells and restoration of tumorigenicity by human telomerase reverse transcriptase. Cancer Res. 2004 Sep 1;64(17):6144-51.

Hornsby, P.J. Aging of the Human Adrenal Cortex. Sci Aging Knowledge Environ. Vol. 2004, Issue 35, pp. re6, 1 September 2004.

Hornsby, P.J. Telomerization of mammalian cells and transplantation of telomerized cells in immunodeficient mice. Methods Mol Biol. 2004;240:147-66.

Hornsby, P.J. Telomerization of mammalian cells and transplantation of telomerized cells in immunodeficient mice. Endocrine Research. Vol 30, Issue 4, pp.555 - 565, December 2004.

Hornsby, P.J. Replicative senescence of human and mouse cells in culture: significance for aging research. Mech Ageing Dev. 124(8-9): 853-5, Aug-Sep, 2003.

Hornsby, P.J.; Chen, M.; Hawks, C.L.; Huang, Q.; Sun, B.; Wang, L.; Thomas, M. Using cell transplantation to investigate genes involved in aging. Mech. Ageing Dev. 124: 79-84, 2003.

Thomas, M.; Hawks, C.L.; Hornsby, P.J. Adrenocortical cell transplantation in scid mice: the role of the host animals' adrenal glands. J. Steroid Biochem. 85: 285-290, 2003.

Hornsby, P.J. Mouse and human cells versus oxygen. Sci. Aging Knowl. Environ. 2003: PE21,(30 July 2003).

Hornsby, P.J., Yang, L., Thomas, M. Adrenocortical cell proliferation in a cell transplantation model: the role of SV40 T antigen. Endocr Res. 28(4):777-83, Nov 2002.

Contact Information:

University of Texas Health Science Center
Department of Physiology
Sam and Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies
15355 Lambda Dr., STCBM Bldg., Room 3.100.05
San Antonio, TX 78245
Phone: 210-562-5080
Fax: 281-582-3538
Hornsby@uthscsa.edu

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