Elaine Emmerson
RCUK/UKRI Innovation Fellow and Chancellor’s Fellow

- Centre for Regenerative Medicine
- Institute for Regeneration and Repair
Contact details
- Tel: 0131 651 9504
- Email: Elaine.Emmerson@ed.ac.uk
Address
- Street
-
Centre for Regenerative Medicine,
Institute for Regeneration and Repair,
The University of Edinburgh,
Edinburgh BioQuarter,
5 Little France Drive, - City
- Edinburgh
- Post code
- EH16 4UU
Background
- 2017-present: Chancellor’s Fellow, MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, The University of Edinburgh
- 2013-2016: California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) Postdoctoral Research Fellow with Dr. Sarah Knox, Program in Craniofacial Biology, University of California San Francisco, USA
- 2010-2012: The David Hammond Charitable Foundation Postdoctoral Research Associate with Dr. Matthew Hardman, The Healing Foundation Centre, The University of Manchester
- 2006-2010: Ph.D. Cell Biology with Prof. Gillian Ashcroft, The University of Manchester
- 2001-2004: B.Sc. Genetics (Hons), The University of Liverpool
Research summary
Manipulating the stem cell niche to promote regeneration
Radiotherapy is a life-saving treatment for those with cancer; the majority of those with head and neck cancer will receive radiotherapy. Although radiotherapy, in the main, succeeds in treating the cancer, a severe side-effect is damage, including scarring or fibrosis, to healthy tissue. Cells which produce saliva can be destroyed, resulting in a multitude of oral problems, such as a difficulty in eating and speaking, all of which can adversely affect a patient’s quality of life. Existing treatments concentrate only on short-term relief of such side-effects. My group aim to develop a regenerative strategy to restore salivary function.
We have previously demonstrated that nerves surround the salivary glands and interact with stem cells, unspecialised cells that can develop into mature cells following injury, to promote regeneration. Importantly, both the gland and the nerves surrounding it are damaged by radiotherapy. My research group are working to develop technologies to mimic these nerve signals to control stem cells, inflammatory cells and senescent cells, to promote organ regeneration and greatly improve patient quality of life.
Aims and areas of interest
In the field of regenerative medicine, significant progress has been made in cell-based therapies, while the manipulation of the stem cell niche to promote tissue regeneration has received less attention. A major component of the niche is peripheral nerves, which also provide a range of essential signals to the organs of the body, controlling functions such as heart rate and digestion. There is evidence that peripheral nerves are essential for the development, function and replacement of cells in numerous tissues and furthermore that neuronal signals are themselves vital within all three of these areas.
The mechanistic role of stem/progenitor cells particularly interests me, particularly the reactivation and manipulation of resident progenitor cells to maintain tissue homeostasis and promote repair. Using the acini-ductal network of the developing and adult human and murine salivary gland as models of epithelial organogenesis and homeostasis, I have previously demonstrated that parasympathetic nerves preferentially establish, maintain and replenish functional saliva-producing acinar cells via progenitor cells marked by the transcription factor SOX2. My group is working to regenerate salivary gland epithelial tissue, injured by radiation therapy, by combining an exogenous progenitor cell transplant system with an endogenous reactivation method. This will allow a more targeted approach to reinnervating injured organs and as such improving organ function and regeneration.
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Neuronal-epithelial cross-talk drives acinar specification via NRG1-ERBB3-mTORC2 signaling
In:
Developmental Cell, vol. 57, pp. 2550-2565.e5
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.devcel.2022.10.011
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
From hormone replacement therapy to regenerative scaffolds: A review of current and novel primary hypothyroidism therapeutics
(15 pages)
In:
Frontiers in Endocrinology, vol. 13
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2022.997288
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Review article (Published) -
The role of salivary gland macrophages in infection, disease and repair
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.ircmb.2022.02.001
Research output: › Chapter (peer-reviewed) (Published) -
Senescent cells and macrophages: key players for regeneration?
In:
Open Biology
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1098/rsob.200309
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Mouth-watering results: clinical need, current approaches and future directions for salivary gland regeneration
In:
Trends in Molecular Medicine, vol. 26, pp. P649-669
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molmed.2020.03.009
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Review article (Published) -
Diverse progenitor cells preserve salivary gland ductal architecture after radiation-induced damage
In:
Development, vol. 145
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1242/dev.166363
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Salivary gland stem cells: A review of development, regeneration and cancer
In:
genesis: The Journal of Genetics and Development, vol. 56, pp. e23211
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/dvg.23211
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Review article (E-pub ahead of print) -
Salivary glands regenerate after radiation injury through SOX2-mediated secretory cell replacement
(18 pages)
In:
EMBO Molecular Medicine, vol. 10
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15252/emmm.201708051
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
SOX2 regulates acinar cell development in the salivary gland
(22 pages)
In:
eLIFE, vol. 6
DOI: https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.26620
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Defining epithelial cell dynamics and lineage relationships in the developing lacrimal gland
(12 pages)
In:
Development, vol. 144, pp. 2517-2528
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1242/dev.150789
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Identification and characterization of a rich population of CD34mesenchymal stem/stromal cells in human parotid, sublingual and submandibular glands
In:
Scientific Reports, vol. 7, pp. 3484
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-03681-1
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Manipulating the murine lacrimal gland
In:
Journal of Visualized Experiments (JoVE), pp. e51970
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3791/51970
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Estrogen receptor-alpha promotes alternative macrophage activation during cutaneous repair
(11 pages)
In:
Journal of Investigative Dermatology, vol. 134, pp. 2447-2457
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/jid.2014.175
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Parasympathetic innervation regulates tubulogenesis in the developing salivary gland
(14 pages)
In:
Developmental Cell, vol. 30, pp. 449-62
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.devcel.2014.06.012
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Estrogen receptor-mediated signalling in female mice is locally activated in response to wounding
(8 pages)
In:
Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology, vol. 375, pp. 149-56
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mce.2013.05.015
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Insulin-like growth factor-1 promotes wound healing in estrogen-deprived mice: new insights into cutaneous IGF-1R/ERα cross talk
(11 pages)
In:
Journal of Investigative Dermatology, vol. 132, pp. 2838-48
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/jid.2012.228
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
The role of estrogen deficiency in skin ageing and wound healing
(18 pages)
In:
Biogerontology, vol. 13, pp. 3-20
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10522-011-9322-y
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Review article (Published) -
MIF: a key player in cutaneous biology and wound healing
(6 pages)
In:
Experimental Dermatology, vol. 20, pp. 1-6
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0625.2010.01194.x
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Review article (Published) -
Estrogen promotes cutaneous wound healing via estrogen receptor beta independent of its antiinflammatory activities
(9 pages)
In:
Journal of Experimental Medicine, vol. 207, pp. 1825-33
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1084/jem.20100500
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
The phytoestrogen genistein promotes wound healing by multiple independent mechanisms
(10 pages)
In:
Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology, vol. 321, pp. 184-93
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mce.2010.02.026
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published)
UKRI/MRC Neuroimmunology Data Generation Award (2021-date)
The University of Edinburgh/Wellcome Trust Institutional Strategic Support Funds (2020-date)
Royal Society Research Grant (2019-2020)
Tenovus Scotland, Pilot Grant (2019-2020)
RCUK/UKRI Innovation Fund Fellowship, UK Regenerative Medicine Platform (2018-2021)
The University of Edinburgh/Wellcome Trust Institutional Strategic Support Funds (2017-2019)
The University of Edinburgh Chancellor’s Fellowship (2017-2022)
Calum Bain, Centre for Inflammation Research
Anthony Callanan, School of Engineering, The University of Edinburgh
Iain Nixon, Head and Neck Surgeon, NHS Lothian
UKRMP2 Engineered Cell Environment Hub
Asier Unciti-Broceta, Institute of Genetics and Molecule Medicine, The University of Edinburgh