Biography
Janna Mouw, Ph.D. performed her graduate studies at the Georgia Institute of Technology, where she obtained an MS in Mechanical Engineering and a PhD in Bioengineering. The focus of her graduate research was investigating the role of TGF-β and Smad signaling in the mechanoregulation of chondrocytes and chondroprogenitors. Dr. Mouw joined Dr. Weaver's lab as a postdoctoral fellow in 2006, where her project focused on elucidating how changes in the mechanical environment and extracellular matrix during breast cancer progression modulate the expression of various homeobox genes. Her project was funded by a multidisciplinary postdoctoral grant through the Department of Defense. Major interests outside of biology: Mexican food, quirky indie films, singing and dancing for her fellow co-workers.
Education
- Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, Ph.D.,Bioengineering, 2005.
- Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, M.S., Mechanical Engineering, 2003.
- Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, B.S., Mechanical Engineering with Honors, 1998.
Research Interests
Janna's current research focuses on how the extracellular matrix (ECM) modulates tumor suppression, initiation and progression. Her research investigates the molecular pathways through which tissue mechanics drive malignant transformation of mammary tissue in culture and in vivo through the interplay between ECM stiffness and microRNA signaling via integrin activation. Her work combines tissue culture and animal models, with analyses of human clinical specimens, to understand how ECM mechanics are clinically relevant for breast cancer patients.