Erin investigates the role of endothelial progenitor cells in diabetes. Her other interests are in aceytilation of microtubules of DNA in movement.
Researcher in
Cell Biology, autologus cell therapy for the treatment of vascular disease. Erin's research has focused on the modification of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) for the treatment of peripheral artery disease in diabetic patients. Erin has identified an angiogenic protein, osteopontin (OPN), which is under-expressed in diabetic patients’ EPCs. I have shown that exposure to OPN restores the angiogenic potential of EPCs. Further, using an OPN KO Mouse model I have determined that OPN acts in an autocrine manner to induce the secretion of additional angiogenic proteins. In addition, we have demonstrated in a murine hindlimb ischaemia model that treatment with EPCs exposed to OPN results in improved blood flow to the ischemia areas.
2009 - Present Teaching Assistant, M.Sc in Regenerative Medicine, NUIG
2008 - Present
Postdoctoral Researcher, REMEDI, NUI Galway. The role of endothelial progenitor cells in diabetes
2002 - 2007
Ph.D Integrated Graduate Program, Feinburg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA. DNA trafficking in non-viral gene therapy
2000 - 2002
Researcher, University of Chicago, Illinois, USA. Electrophysiological characterization of mutations associated with Long Q T Syndrome
2010 European Association for the Study of Diabetes Travel Award
2004-2006
American Heart Association Fellowship
2006
American Society of Gene Therapy Travel Award
2006
Centre for Genetic Medicine Travel Award
2005
American Society of Cell Biology Travel Award
Kealy B, Liew A, McMahon JM, Ritter T, O'Doherty A, Hoare M, Greiser U, Vaughan EE, Maenz M, O'Shea C, Barry F, O'Brien T. 2009. Comparison of viral and nonviral vectors for gene transfer to human endothelial progenitor cells. Tissue Eng Part C Methods. Jun; 15 (2):223-31.
Vaughan EE, Geiger RC, Miller AM, Loh-Marley PL, Suzuki T, Miyata N, Dean DA. 2008. Microtubule acetylation through HDAC6 inhibition results in increased transfection efficiency. Mol Ther Nov; 16 (11):1841-7.
Vaughan EE, DeGiulio JV, Dean DA. 2006. Intracellular trafficking of plasmids for gene therapy: mechanisms of cytoplasmic movement and nuclear import. Curr Gene Ther. Dec;6 (6): 671-81.
Vaughan EE, Dean DA. 2006. Intracellular trafficking of plasmids during transfection is mediated by microtubules. Mol Ther. Feb;13(2):422-8.
Zaya NE, Vaughan EE, Shah SK, Castignetti D. 2002. Bacitracin: substantiation and elimination of contaminating proteolytic activity and use as an affinity chromatography ligand to purify a siderophore-degrading enzyme. Curr Microbiol. 44(1):71-4.
Intracellular trafficking of plasmids for gene therapy: mechanisms of cytoplasmic movement and nuclear import. Vaughan EE, DeGiulio JV, Dean DA
PMID: 17168698
Intracellular trafficking of plasmids during transfection is mediated by microtubules. Vaughan EE, Dean DA
PMID: 16301002
Selected Abstracts
Vaughan EE, Duffy A, O’Brien T. 2010 The role of osteopontin in endothelial progenitor cell function. European Association for the Study of Diabetes Annual Meeting 2010
Vaughan EE, Duffy A, O’Brien T. 2010 Osteopontin Enhances the Angiogenic Potential of Endothelial Progenitor Cells. Mol Ther May 12(1)
Vaughan EE, Duffy A, O’Brien T. 2009 Osteopontin Stimulates Secretion of Angiogenic Proteins in Endothelial Progenitor Cells. Circulation 120, (18) s1093
Vaughan EE, Duffy A, O’Brien T. 2009 Osteopontin Enhances the Angiogenic Response in Endothelial Progenitor Cells. Irish Society of Gene Therapy Annual Meeting 2009
Vaughan EE, O’Brien T. 2008 Role of Osteopontin in Angiogenesis. Conference
On Cardiovascular Cell and Gene Therapy
Vaughan EE, Badding MA , Miller AM, Geiger RC, Dean DA. 2008 Acetylation of Microtubules Leads to Greater Cytoplasmic Plasmid Trafficking and Enhanced
Transfection Efficiency. Mol Ther May 12 (1)
Vaughan EE, Dean DA. 2007. Sequence Specificity of Microtubule-DNA Interactions. Mol Ther May 13 (1)
Vaughan EE, Dean DA, 2006. Requirements for Microtubule-DNA Interactions During Cytoplasmic Trafficking of Plasmids. Mol Ther May 12(1):S297
Vaughan EE, Dean DA. 2005. Plasmids Traffic Along Microtubules During Transfections. American Society of Cell Biology Annual Meeting 2005
Vaughan EE, Dean DA. 2005. Role of the Cytoskeleton in Intracellular Plasmid Movement. Mol Ther May 11(1):S297
