Kim Mansky, PhD

Dr. Mansky earned her Bachelor's degree in biology from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill in 1991. She worked as a technician at the University of North Carolina from 1991-1992. She completed her Ph.D. degree at University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1997 with a focus on oncology with the study of papillomaviruses. She then moved to The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio to pursue a postdoctoral fellowship in bone biology with an emphasis on osteoclast differentiation. Dr. Mansky accepted a faculty position at the University of Minnesota in 2003, and she continues to further her efforts in trying to understand osteoclast differentiation.

Bone biology and bone cancer; Osteoimmunology; Bone metabolic disorders associated with HIV infection and antiretroviral therapy

Bone is often thought to be a tissue that does not change once it is formed. However, bone is very dynamic and is constantly being remodeled. In healthy individuals, bone formation and resorption are in balance. Osteoporosis, which affects ten million people in the United States and puts at risk another thirty-four million Americans, is a result of the uncoupling of bone formation and resorption. Other diseases such as breast and prostate cancer or multiple myeloma cause changes in bone density indirectly through the action of tumor cells. Women with advanced breast cancer almost always develop bone metastases. Bone metastases are usually associated with bone pain and an increase in the susceptibility to fractures thought to be a result of the breakdown of bone caused by the presence of tumor cells. Other diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis can also result in bone loss. Our lab has general interests in the cell signaling between the two types of bone cells that are involved in bone remodeling – osteoblasts (i.e., cells that form bone) and osteoclasts (i.e., cells that resorb bone) – and how perturbation of this signaling can lead to bone or bone-associated disease.

Osteoimmunology studies the interface and crosstalk between the skeletal and immune systems. In particular, osteoimmunology studies the shared components and mechanisms between the two systems, which include the ligands, receptors, signaling molecules and transcription factors. The bone marrow is important for the proper development of the immune system, and has important stem cells that maintain the immune system. Cytokines produced by immune cells (e.g., RANKL, M-CSF, TNFa, interleukins and interferons) can also have important effects on regulating bone homeostasis. The balance between bone modeling and remodeling can be perturbed during chronic inflammation, which can lead to bone metabolic disorders as well as bone pain. We have a particular interest in osteoimmunology as it relates to rheumatoid arthritis, HIV infection, and periodontal disease.

Metabolic disorders associated with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) regimens are becoming increasingly important in the chronically HIV-infected population that has access to therapy. Clinical observations have revealed a strong correlation of bone density loss in HIV-infected individuals during HAART, particularly in conjunction with the antiretroviral drug tenofovir – a nucleotide analog that inhibits HIV reverse transcriptase. We are interested in understanding how tenofovir affects bone mineral density and to apply this knowledge for the identification of biomarkers and for developing adjuvant therapies to reduce bone mineral density loss during HAART.

Award: ISS: Chip-Based in vitro Modeling of Endocortical Microenvironment with Reduced Mechanical Loading
Principal Investigator: Hammer, Bruce E
Sponsoring Organization: THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Award Dates: 2021 - 2021

Award: ISS: Chip-Based in vitro Modeling of Endocortical Microenvironment with Reduced Mechanical Loading
Principal Investigator: Hammer, Bruce E
Sponsoring Organization: THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Award Dates: 2021 - 2023

Award: Minnesota Craniofacial Research Training Program
Principal Investigator: Mansky, Kim
Sponsoring Organization: NIH NIDCR NATL INST OF DENTAL
Award Dates: 2017 - 2022

Award: Minnesota Craniofacial Research Training Program - R90
Principal Investigator: Mansky, Kim
Sponsoring Organization: NIH NIDCR NATL INST OF DENTAL
Award Dates: 2017 - 2022

Award: Open-Label Phase 2 Pilot Study of Interferon Gamma-1b
Principal Investigator: Orchard, Paul John
Sponsoring Organization: LUNDQUIST INSTITUTE FOR BIOMEDICAL INNO
Award Dates: 2017 - 2019

Award: Musculoskeletal Training Grant
Principal Investigator: Clohisy, Denis R
Sponsoring Organization: NIH NIAMS NATL INST OF ARTHRIT
Award Dates: 2016 - 2022

Award: Role of HDAC7 in Osteoclast Differentiation
Principal Investigator: Mansky, Kim
Sponsoring Organization: NIH NIAMS NATL INST OF ARTHRIT
Award Dates: 2016 - 2019

Award: Role of HDAC7 in Osteoclast Differentiation
Principal Investigator: Mansky, Kim
Sponsoring Organization: NIH NIAMS NATL INST OF ARTHRIT
Award Dates: 2015 - 2016

Award: Role of HDAC7 in Osteoclast Differentiation
Principal Investigator: Mansky, Kim
Sponsoring Organization: NIH NIAMS NATL INST OF ARTHRIT
Award Dates: 2013 - 2016

Award: Gravitational Regulation of Osteoblast Genomics and Metabolism
Principal Investigator: Hammer, Bruce E
Sponsoring Organization: NIH NATL INST OF BIOMEDICAL IM
Award Dates: 2011 - 2017

Award: Regulating MITF's activation of osteoclast target genes
Principal Investigator: Mansky, Kim
Sponsoring Organization: NIH NIAMS NATL INST OF ARTHRIT
Award Dates: 2006 - 2009