Dr. Cynthia Ellison

Cynthia Ellison, PhD, D(ABHI)
Associate Professor, Department of Pathology
Associate Professor, Department of Immunology
Faculty of Medicine, University of Manitoba

1998 PhD (Immunology)

cynthia.ellison@med.umanitoba.ca

T: 204 977-5621| Lab: 789-3317 | F: 204 789-3931

    

 
Office & Mail: 401Brodie Centre, 727 McDermot Avenue, Winnipeg, MB, Canada R3E 3P5

Research Interests:

One of Dr. Ellison’s research interests is the immunopathogenesis of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), a serious complication of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.  Her main focus is on role of intestinal injury in shaping developing immune responses and the ways in which microRNA molecules regulate inflammation and alloreactivity in both acute and chronic GVHD.

Another area of interest for Dr. Ellison’s team is the role of thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) in the development of breast cancer.  TSLP is a cytokine that is made by epithelial cells and promotes the development of inflammatory, Th2-dominated immune responses in allergy and asthma.  Using a mouse model of mammary carcinoma, they recently showed that TSLP promotes the development of a permissive environment that facilitates growth and establishment of the primary tumor, as well as its metastasis to the lung.  The mechanism, in part, involves shifting the immune response towards one that is less effective at combating the tumor.

Publications:

Pubmed

Laboratory Members:

Students:

Technical/Research Staff:
Melanie Durston