Gender	Female
E-mail	sandra.masur@mssm.edu
Education and Training	Ph.D., Columbia University
	B.A., The City College of New York
	Postdoctoral Training, Columbia University
Awards	2008 Jacobi Medallion Mount Sinai Alumni Association
	2001 Women in Medicine Silver Achievement Award Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC)
	1997 Lew R. Wasserman Merit Award Research to Prevent Blindness
	1997 Outstanding Woman Scientist Association for Women in Science NYC Chapter
	1978 Brotherhood Education Award National Conference of Christians and Jews

Education and Training	Ph.D., Columbia University
	B.A., The City College of New York
	Postdoctoral Training, Columbia University

Research Topics
Cell adhesion and extracellular matrix
Cell biology
Extracellular matrix
Proteases
Receptors
Signal transduction

As cell biologists, we have been exploring questions of wound healing in a model system for the corneal stroma. We view cell biology in a larger context that includes extracellular matrix and cell-cell interaction. Interactions of cells with matrix regulate cell differentiation, normal wound healing and cell migration in cancer. Cell-matrix interactions are complex: Cells synthesize and degrade the matrix in which they live and the matrix in turn presents the cells with growth factors and substrate, signals which regulate the cells. We have been exploring the dynamic equilibrium between cells and their extracellular matrix (ECM) in cultured cells derived from the cornea. In these studies we have recapitulated in culture, inter-conversions between activated fibroblasts and myofibroblasts found after wounding.

Our current working hypothesis is that the fibroblast to myofibroblast differentiation is reversible and that myofibroblast differentiation during wounding and healing is controlled by the interplay of three dominant factors: the loss of cell-cell contact, the presence of a growth factor (TGF-beta), and the alteration of cell-matrix interaction. We propose that

1. the disconnection of one corneal fibroblast from another that occurs after wounding initiates a series of biochemical/molecular events that allow fibroblasts to respond to TGF- beta and to differentiate into myofibroblasts;
2. the re-establishment of cell- cell contact attenuates the cellular response to TGF-beta; and
3. integrin and matrix interaction initiate signals that are additional essential modulators of fibroblast differentiation and function and response to growth factors.

The cultured corneal cells provide a microcosm for testing hypotheses of reciprocal regulation by cells and matrix - an exciting area in cell biology currently.

Schmid S, Masur SK. Women in Cell Biology: Seize the Time! Better Time Management for More Productivity. American Society for Cell Biology Newsletter 2008 July;.

Schmid S, Masur SK. Women in Cell Biology: How to Have a Successful Postdoc Experience and Get a Good Job. American Society for Cell Biology Newsletter 2007 September;.

Bernstein AM, Twining SS, Warejcka DJ, Tall E, Masur SK. Urokinase receptor cleavage: a crucial step in fibroblast to myofibroblast differentiation. Mol Biol Cell 2007 Jul; 18(7): 2716-2727.

Benezra M, Greenberg RS, Masur SK. Localization of ZO-1in the nucleolus of corneal fibroblasts. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2007; 48(5): 2043-2049.

Greenberg RS, Bernstein AM, Benezra M, Gelman IH, Taliana L, Masur SK. FAK-dependent regulation of myofibroblast differentiation. FASEB J 2006; 20(9): 1006-1008.

Schuster VL, Masur SK. Women in Cell Biology: How to Ask your Chair for a Raise. American Society for Cell Biology Newsletter 2006 July; 29(7): 20-21.

Zhao Z, Ho L, Wang J, Qin W, Festa ED, Mobbs C, Hof P, Rocher A, Masur S, Haroutunian V, Pasinetti GM. Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) expression in the brain is a downstream effector of insulin resistance-associated promotion of Alzheimer's disease &[beta]-amyloid neuropathology. FASEB J 2005 Sep 26;.

Taliana L, Benezra M, Greenberg RS, Masur SK, Bernstein AM. ZO-1: Lamellipodial localization in a corneal fibroblast wound model. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci 2005; 46: 96-103.

Bernstein AM, Greenberg RS, Taliana L, Masur SK. Urokinase anchors uPAR to the actin cytoskeleton. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2004; 45(9): 2967-2977.

Folger PA, Zakaria D, Grotendorst G, Masur SK. Transforming Growth Factor-B Increases Connective Tissue Growth Factor Expression During Corneal Myofibroblast Differentiation. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci 2001; 42(11): 2534-2541.