Dr. Karner is generally interested in understanding the molecular underpinnings of cellular differentiation. The bone-forming cell (osteoblast) is used as a common experimental paradigm in the lab. This is in part due to the clinical significance of this cell type in human skeletal disorders such as osteoporosis. Dr. Karner is interested in understanding how growth factors such as Wnt regulate both osteoblast differentiation and activity. His research thus far has revealed that Wnt stimulates osteoblasts to metabolize the amino acid glutamine during differentiation. An ongoing effort is to elucidate how glutamine metabolism is regulated during differentiation, and what role glutamine metabolism plays in regulating the transition from a progenitor to the differentiated phenotype. A long-term goal of the Karner Lab is to discover molecular targets for developing novel bone-enhancing therapeutics.
