George Christ
- Email: gjc8w@virginia.edu
Primary Appointment
Professor, Biomedical Engineering
Research Interests
Functional Genomics
Research Description
Dr. Christ's research interests are in the area of Functional Genomics, that is, establishing a verifiable link between changes in gene expression and alterations in cell/organ/tissue function/dysfunction, and then using this information to improve the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of smooth muscle diseases/disorders. To this end, Dr. Christ has developed a multidisciplinary approach that utilizes various visceral and vascular smooth muscle tissues/organs to attempt to establish "cause and effect" relationships between molecular/genetic alterations and measurable changes in organ function, namely, contraction and relaxation of smooth muscle cells. Animal vascular and visceral tissues are studied both in vitro and in vivo. Molecular, biochemical, electrophysiological, pharmacological, immunochemical, and whole animal techniques (rat and mouse transgenics and knockouts) are all used to study the mechanistic basis for integrative tissue physiology. Parallel in vitro studies are conducted on corresponding human tissues for target validation whenever possible.
The overall goal of his work is to translate scientific discoveries into technologies that can improve human health (i.e., translational research). In this regard, Dr. Christ is a co-inventor on more than 20 patents issued or applied for related to gene therapy treatments for smooth muscle disorders/diseases, and is the Co-Founder and Directing Member of Ion Channel Innovations, LLC., a development stage biotechnology company pioneering the use of gene therapy for the treatment of human smooth muscle disorders. Recently, Dr. Christ has also focused on the fields of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. In particular, he is interested in developing in vitro protocols and bioreactor systems for the accelerated maturation of engineered tissues; in order to further enhance their applications in regenerative medicine.
Training
- Basic Cardiovascular Research Training Grant
- Biotechnology Training Grant
- Training in the Pharmacological Sciences
Selected Publications
2024
Bour, R. K., Garner, G. T., Peirce, S. M., & Christ, G. J. (2024). Optimized Biomanufacturing for Treatment of Volumetric Muscle Loss Enables Physiomimetic Recovery. TISSUE ENGINEERING PART A. doi:10.1089/ten.tea.2023.0315
2022
Basurto, I. M., Muhammad, S. A., Gardner, G. M., Christ, G. J., & Caliari, S. R. (2022). Controlling scaffold conductivity and pore size to direct myogenic cell alignment and differentiation. JOURNAL OF BIOMEDICAL MATERIALS RESEARCH PART A, 110(10), 1681-1694. doi:10.1002/jbm.a.37418
Dyer, S. E., Remer, J. D., Hannifin, K. E., Hombal, A., Wenke, J. C., Walters, T. J., & Christ, G. J. (2022). Administration of particulate oxygen generators improves skeletal muscle contractile function after ischemia-reperfusion injury in the rat hindlimb. JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY, 132(2), 541-552. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00259.2021
Basurto, I. M., Passipieri, J. A., Gardner, G. M., Smith, K. K., Amacher, A. R., Hansrisuk, A. I., . . . Caliari, S. R. (2022). Photoreactive Hydrogel Stiffness Influences Volumetric Muscle Loss Repair. TISSUE ENGINEERING PART A, 28(7-8), 312-329. doi:10.1089/ten.tea.2021.0137
2021
Christensen, K. W., Turner, J., Coughenour, K., Maghdouri-White, Y., Bulysheva, A. A., Sergeant, O., . . . Francis, M. P. (2022). Assembled Cell-Decorated Collagen (AC-DC) Fiber Bioprinted Implants with Musculoskeletal Tissue Properties Promote Functional Recovery in Volumetric Muscle Loss. ADVANCED HEALTHCARE MATERIALS, 11(3). doi:10.1002/adhm.202101357
Drake, J. C., Wilson, R. J., Laker, R. C., Guan, Y., Spaulding, H. R., Nichenko, A. S., . . . Yan, Z. (2021). Mitochondria-localized AMPK responds to local energetics and contributes to exercise and energetic stress-induced mitophagy. PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 118(37). doi:10.1073/pnas.2025932118
Westman, A. M., Peirce, S. M., Christ, G. J., & Blemker, S. S. (2021). Agent-based model provides insight into the mechanisms behind failed regeneration following volumetric muscle loss injury. PLOS COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY, 17(5). doi:10.1371/journal.pcbi.1008937
Dienes, J., Browne, S., Farjun, B., Passipieri, J. A., Mintz, E. L., Killian, G., . . . Christ, G. J. (2021). Semisynthetic Hyaluronic Acid-Based Hydrogel Promotes Recovery of the Injured Tibialis Anterior Skeletal Muscle Form and Function. ACS BIOMATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING, 7(4), 1587-1599. doi:10.1021/acsbiomaterials.0c01751
Andersson, K. -E., Christ, G. J., Davies, K. P., Rovner, E. S., & Melman, A. (2021). Gene Therapy for Overactive Bladder: A Review of BK-Channel α-Subunit Gene Transfer. THERAPEUTICS AND CLINICAL RISK MANAGEMENT, 17, 589-599. doi:10.2147/TCRM.S291798
Basurto, I. M., Mora, M. T., Gardner, G. M., Christ, G. J., & Caliari, S. R. (2021). Aligned and electrically conductive 3D collagen scaffolds for skeletal muscle tissue engineering. BIOMATERIALS SCIENCE, 9(11), 4040-4053. doi:10.1039/d1bm00147g
2020
Mintz, E. L., Passipieri, J. A., Franklin, I. R., Toscano, V. M., Afferton, E. C., Sharma, P. R., & Christ, G. J. (2020). Long-Term Evaluation of Functional Outcomes Following Rat Volumetric Muscle Loss Injury and Repair. TISSUE ENGINEERING PART A, 26(3-4), 140-156. doi:10.1089/ten.tea.2019.0126
Bour, R. K., Sharma, P. R., Turner, J. S., Hess, W. E., Mintz, E. L., Latvis, C. R., . . . Christ, G. J. (2020). Bioprinting on sheet-based scaffolds applied to the creation of implantable tissue-engineered constructs with potentially diverse clinical applications: Tissue-Engineered Muscle Repair (TEMR) as a representative testbed. CONNECTIVE TISSUE RESEARCH, 61(2), 216-228. doi:10.1080/03008207.2019.1679800
2019
Passipieri, J. A., Dienes, J., Frank, J., Glazier, J., Portell, A., Venkatesh, K. P., . . . Christ, G. J. (2021). Adipose Stem Cells Enhance Nerve Regeneration and Muscle Function in a Peroneal Nerve Ablation Model. TISSUE ENGINEERING PART A, 27(5-6), 297-310. doi:10.1089/ten.tea.2018.0244
Passipieri, J. A., Hu, X., Mintz, E., Dienes, J., Baker, H. B., Wallace, C. H., . . . Christ, G. J. (2019). In Silico and In Vivo Studies Detect Functional Repair Mechanisms in a Volumetric Muscle Loss Injury. TISSUE ENGINEERING PART A, 25(17-18), 1272-1288. doi:10.1089/ten.tea.2018.0280
Schilling, B. K., Schusterman, M. A. I. I., Kim, D. -Y., Repko, A. J., Klett, K. C., Christ, G. J., & Marra, K. G. (2019). Adipose-derived stem cells delay muscle atrophy after peripheral nerve injury in the rodent model. MUSCLE & NERVE, 59(5), 603-610. doi:10.1002/mus.26432
Westman, A. M., Dyer, S. E., Remer, J. D., Hu, X., Christ, G. J., & Blemker, S. S. (2019). A coupled framework of in situ and in silico analysis reveals the role of lateral force transmission in force production in volumetric muscle loss injuries. JOURNAL OF BIOMECHANICS, 85, 118-125. doi:10.1016/j.jbiomech.2019.01.025
Dienes, J. A., Hu, X., Janson, K. D., Slater, C., Dooley, E. A., Christ, G. J., & Russell, S. D. (2019). Analysis and Modeling of Rat Gait Biomechanical Deficits in Response to Volumetric Muscle Loss Injury. FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY, 7. doi:10.3389/fbioe.2019.00146
2017
Passipieri, J. A., Baker, H. B., Siriwardane, M., Ellenburg, M. D., Vadhavkar, M., Saul, J. M., . . . Christ, G. J. (2017). Keratin Hydrogel Enhances In Vivo Skeletal Muscle Function in a Rat Model of Volumetric Muscle Loss. TISSUE ENGINEERING PART A, 23(11-12), 556-+. doi:10.1089/ten.tea.2016.0458
Baker, H. B., Passipieri, J. A., Siriwardane, M., Ellenburg, M. D., Vadhavkar, M., Bergman, C. R., . . . Christ, G. J. (2017). Cell and Growth Factor-Loaded Keratin Hydrogels for Treatment of Volumetric Muscle Loss in a Mouse Model. TISSUE ENGINEERING PART A, 23(11-12), 572-+. doi:10.1089/ten.tea.2016.0457
Zarifpour, M., Andersson, K. -E., Kelkar, S. S., Mohs, A., Mendelsohn, C., Schneider, K., . . . Christ, G. J. (2017). Characterization of a Murine Model of Bioequivalent Bladder Wound Healing and Repair Following Subtotal Cystectomy. BIORESEARCH OPEN ACCESS, 6(1), 35-45. doi:10.1089/biores.2017.0011
2016
Mintz, E., Passipieri, J., Lovell, D., & Christ, G. (2016). Applications of In Vivo Functional Testing of the Rat Tibialis Anterior for Evaluating Tissue Engineered Skeletal Muscle Repair. JOVE-JOURNAL OF VISUALIZED EXPERIMENTS, (116). doi:10.3791/54487
Martin, K. S., Kegelman, C. D., Virgilio, K. M., Passipieri, J. A., Christ, G. J., Blemker, S. S., & Peirce, S. M. (2017). In Silico and In Vivo Experiments Reveal M-CSF Injections Accelerate Regeneration Following Muscle Laceration. ANNALS OF BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING, 45(3), 747-760. doi:10.1007/s10439-016-1707-2
Christ, G. J. (2015). Muscle Tissue Engineering, Regeneration and Repair Introduction. CELLS TISSUES ORGANS, 202(3-4), 141-142. doi:10.1159/000446975
Passipieri, J. A., & Christ, G. J. (2015). The Potential of Combination Therapeutics for More Complete Repair of Volumetric Muscle Loss Injuries: The Role of Exogenous Growth Factors and/or Progenitor Cells in Implantable Skeletal Muscle Tissue Engineering Technologies. CELLS TISSUES ORGANS, 202(3-4), 202-213. doi:10.1159/000447323
Scott, J. B., Ward, C. L., Corona, B. T., Deschenes, M. R., Harrison, B. S., Saul, J. M., & Christ, G. J. (2017). Achieving Acetylcholine Receptor Clustering in Tissue-Engineered Skeletal Muscle Constructs In vitro through a Materials-Directed Agrin Delivery Approach. FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY, 7. doi:10.3389/fphar.2016.00508
2015
Burmeister, D., Bishwokarma, B., AbouShwareb, T., Olson, J., Herco, M., Tan, J., . . . Christ, G. (2015). The potential utility of non-invasive imaging to monitor restoration of bladder structure and function following subtotal cystectomy (STC). BMC UROLOGY, 15. doi:10.1186/s12894-015-0094-6
Christ, G. J., Siriwardane, M. L., & de Coppi, P. (2015). Engineering muscle tissue for the fetus: getting ready for a strong life. FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY, 6. doi:10.3389/fphar.2015.00053
2012
Criswell, T. L., Corona, B. T., Wang, Z., Zhou, Y., Niu, G., Xu, Y., . . . Soker, S. (2013). The role of endothelial cells in myofiber differentiation and the vascularization and innervation of bioengineered muscle tissue in vivo. BIOMATERIALS, 34(1), 140-149. doi:10.1016/j.biomaterials.2012.09.045
2011
Machingal, M. A., Corona, B. T., Walters, T. J., Kesireddy, V., Koval, C. N., Dannahower, A., . . . Christ, G. J. (2011). A Tissue-Engineered Muscle Repair Construct for Functional Restoration of an Irrecoverable Muscle Injury in a Murine Model. TISSUE ENGINEERING PART A, 17(17-18), 2291-2303. doi:10.1089/ten.tea.2010.0682