Jessica Schwartz

Jessica Schwartz, PhD

Professor Emeritus, Molecular & Integrative Physiology

6815 MS II
1137 E. Catherine St.
Ann Arbor, MI  48109-5622

Areas of Interest

We study cellular, molecular and integrative mechanisms of growth regulation.  A major focus has been growth hormone (GH) signaling to the nucleus.  We analyze signaling mechanisms for modifying transcription regulatory proteins including STATs and C/EBP beta (eg phosphorylation, acetylation), and dissect transcription regulatory complexes on target genes.  Recent work has probed reciprocal regulation by GH of the transcriptional repressor BCL6 and activator STAT5, and ChIP-Sequencing (ChIP-Seq) is identifying their roles in regulating new gene targets for GH.  Since GH can induce insulin resistance and diabetes, we combine computational and physiological approaches to identify a potential genetic program for insulin resistance.  We are also examining human growth regulation through integrative and genetic studies of a population with short stature in Papua New Guinea.

Credentials

Ph.D., Harvard, 1974

Published Articles or Reviews

Chen Y*, Lin G*, Huo JS, Barney D, Wang Z, Livshiz T, States DJ, Qin Z, Schwartz J. Computational and functional analysis of growth hormone-regulated genes identifies the transcriptional repressor Bcl6 as a participant in GH-regulated transcription.  Endocrinology, 150:3645-54, 2009   (* contributed equally). 

Adhikari A, Sen A, Brumbaugh RC, Schwartz J.  Altered growth patterns of a Mountain Ok people of Papua New Guinea over 25 years of change.  Amer J Hum Biol 23:325-32, 2011. 

Cui TX, Lin G, LaPensee CR, Calinescu A, Rathore M, Streeter C, Piwien-Pilipuk G, Lanning N, Jin H, Carter-Su C, Qin ZS, Schwartz J. C/EBPb mediates Growth Hormone-regulated expression of multiple target genes.  Molec Endocrinol, 25:681-693, 2011 .

LaPensee CR, Lin G, Dent AL, Schwartz J. Deficiency of the transcriptional repressor B Cell Lymphoma 6 (Bcl6) is accompanied by dysregulated lipid metabolism.  PLoS One, 9:e97090, 2014.

Lin G, LaPensee CR, Qin ZS, Schwartz J.  Reciprocal occupancy of BCL6 and STAT5 on Growth Hormone target genes: contrasting transcriptional outcomes and promoter-specific roles of p300 and HDAC3.  Molec Cell Endocrinol, 395:19-31, 2014.