Marc Kantorow, Ph.D.

Biography

The Kantorow laboratory seeks to identify and functionally define those molecular and genetic mechanisms required for cellular differentiation, organ development and disease resistance. A major question in the field is what biological programs guide immature cell populations during embryogenesis and throughout life to form and maintain functional mature tissues? To answer this question the Kantorow laboratory employs genetic, genomic and cellular approaches to identify these pathways with a specific focus on understand eye lens differentiation and transparency. The form and transparent function of the lens is dependent on the continuous conversion of undifferentiated lens epithelial cells into mature organelle-free and elongated lens fiber cells. Failure of lens epithelial cells to differentiate into fiber cells results in cataract formation that is a leading cause of world-wide blindness despite recent advances in cataract surgery.  Using an integrated approach combining molecular genetics, high-throughput genomic and epigenetic analysis and gene functional analysis in both cellular and organismal models, the Kantorow lab has discovered that hypoxia regulates lens differentiation through activation of key transcription factors and changes in chromatin confirmations that in turn regulate a wide-range of cellular processes from autophagy through cellular remodeling. The results provide insight into those fundamental biological mechanisms that control cellular differentiation of more complex tissues and they provide insight into how regenerative and other therapies could be developed to treat age-onset and degenerative diseases.

Education

• 1985: B.S., (Cum Laude), Biology, Towson State University, Towson, MD
• 1991: Ph.D., Genetics, George Washington University, Washington, DC

Work History

• 2020-Present: Associate Dean of Graduate Programs, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL
• 2016-2020: Assistant Dean of Graduate Programs, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL
• 2013-2016: Director of Graduate Programs, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL
• 2007-Present: Professor (tenured,) Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL
• 2003-2007: Associate Professor, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL
• 2004-2006: Associate Chair, Department of Biomedical Science, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL
• 1999-2003: Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV
• 1997-1999: Assistant Research Professor, The Jules Stein Eye Institute, UCLA Medical School, Los Angeles, CA
• 1996-1997: Senior Staff Fellow, National Eye Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD

Scholarly Activity

Selected Peer-Reviewed Publications

Representative Publications

• Brennan L, Disatham J, Menko AS, Kantorow M. Multiomic analysis implicates FOXO4 in genetic regulation of chick lens fiber cell differentiation. Dev Biol. 2023 Dec; 504:25-37. doi: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2023.09.005. Epub 2023 Sep 16. PMID: 37722500; PMCID: PMC10843493.
• Disatham J, Brennan L, Cvekl A, Kantorow M. Multiomics Analysis Reveals Novel Genetic Determinants for Lens Differentiation, Structure, and Transparency. Biomolecules. 2023 Apr 19;13(4):693. doi: 10.3390/biom13040693. PMID: 37189439.

• Brennan L, Costello MJ, Hejtmancik JF, Menko AS, Riazuddin SA, Shiels A, Kantorow M. Autophagy Requirements for Eye Lens Differentiation and Transparency. Cells. 2023 Feb 1;12(3):475. doi: 10.3390/cells12030475. PMID: 36766820; PMCID: PMC9914699.

• Disatham J, Brennan L, Jiao X, Ma Z, Hejtmancik JF, Kantorow M. Changes in DNA methylation hallmark alterations in chromatin accessibility and gene expression for eye lens differentiation. Epigenetics Chromatin. 2022 Mar 5;15(1):8. doi: 10.1186/s13072-022-00440-z. PMID: 35246225; PMCID: PMC8897925.
• Disatham J, Brennan L, Chauss D, Kantorow J, Afzali B, Kantorow M. A functional map of genomic HIF1α-DNA complexes in the eye lens revealed through multiomics analysis. BMC Genomics. 2021 Jul 3;22(1):497. doi: 10.1186/s12864-021-07795-9. PMID: 34215186

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Editorial Boards

• Molecular Vision
• Investigating Ophthalmology and Visual Science

Funding

• NIH R01 EY026478 2020-2025 (18 percentile) $2,926,200.00 (as PI) with Sue Menko (MPI) “Regulatory role of P13K signaling pathways in lens differentiation” Florida Atlantic University and Jefferson University MPI Grant
• NIH R01 EY029708 2019-2024 (2 percentile) $1,738,565.00 EY (as PI) “Hypoxia Regulation of the Eye Lens” Florida Atlantic University

Professional Memberships and Committees

• Association of Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO)
• International Society for Eye Research (ISER)

Awards and Fellowships

• 2018: Florida Atlantic University Researcher of the Year (Professor)
• 2016: Charles E. Schmitt College of Medicine Teacher of the Year
• 2014: Fellow Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology Gold
• 2012: Fellow Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology Silver
• 2005: Florida Atlantic University Researcher of the Year (Associate Professor)
• 2003: West Virginia University, Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, Outstanding Researcher Award
• 2002: National Foundation For Eye Research Cataract Research Award