Pathology

Alexandra F. Lerch-Gaggl, PhD

Assistant Professor of Pathology, Pediatric Pathology
Medical College of Wisconsin
Scientific Director of the Pediatric BioBank & Analytical Tissue Core
Children's Research Institute

Dr. Lerch-Gaggl is involved in translational research efforts with investigators at the Medical College, the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. As the Scientific Director of the Pediatric BioBank & Analytical Tissue Core she directs, coordinates, and manages the operations of the biorepository, which provides banked specimens for research studies as well as analytical services for basic and clinical researchers of the Medical College and its affiliates. These service include nucleic acid extraction, generation of tissue micro arrays (TMAs), high-resolution microscope slide scanning and quantitative image analyses.

Dr. Lerch-Gaggl is also involved in educational efforts in the specimen banking community, where she organizes regional and international workshops on banking-related topics and participates in an international task force that works on establishing a certification program for repository technicians.

Research Interests

• Biospecimen science
• Pediatric vascular anomalies and cancers
• Molecular mechanisms of circadian rhythm and metabolism
• Molecular basics of ribosomal synthesis in regard to cancer formation
• Advanced microscopy techniques and digital image analysis

Professional Background

• Vice-Chair, Education and Training Committee, International Society for Biological and Environmental Repositories (ISBER) (2012 – present)
• Assistant Professor of Pathology, Department of Pathology, Division of Pediatric Pathology, Medical College of Wisconsin (2009 - present)
• Assistant Professor, Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology, and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin (2006 - 2009)
• Instructor, Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology, and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin (2005 - 2006)
• Scientific Director, Pediatric BioBank & Analytical Tissue Core, Children's Research Institute, Medical College of Wisconsin (2009 - present)
• Director, Bryant Imaging Core, Medical College of Wisconsin (2005 - 2009)
• Chair, Women's Faculty Council, Medical College of Wisconsin (2010 - 2011)

Educational Background

• Mag. rer. nat. (Master of Life Sciences), Paris Lodron University of Salzburg, Austria (1996)
• Dr. rer. nat. (PhD), Paris Lodron University of Salzburg, Austria (2000)
• Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology, and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin (2000 - 2005)

Selected Publications

• Lerch-Gaggl, A., Haque, J., Li, J., Ning, G., Traktman, P., and Duncan, S. A.: Pescadillo is essential for nucleolar assembly, ribosome biogenesis, and mammalian cell proliferation. J Biol Chem 277: 45347-45355, 2002.
• Battle, M., Konopka, G., Parviz, F., Lerch-Gaggl, A., Yang, C., Sladek, F.M., and Duncan, S.A.: Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4a orchestrates expression of cell adhesion proteins during the epithelial transformation of the developing liver. PNAS 103 (22): 8419-8424, 2006.
• Liang, H.L., Whelan, H.T., Eells, J.T., Meng, H., Buchmann, E., Lerch-Gaggl, A., and Wong-Riley, M.: Photobiomodulation partially rescues visual cortical neurons from cyanide-induced apoptosis. Neuroscience 139 (2): 639-649, 2006.
• Lerch-Gaggl, A., Sun, K., and Duncan, S.A.: Light chain 1 of microtubule associated protein 1B can negatively regulate the action of Pes1. J Biol Chem 282 (15): 11308-16, 2007.
• Popper, P., Winkler, J.P., Erbe, C.B., Lerch-Gaggl, A., Siebenreich, W., Wackym, P.A.: Distribution of two-pore-domain potassium channels in the adult rat vestibular periphery. Hearing Research 246: 18-8, 2008
• Leonardo, S.M., Harnett, M. M., Lerch-Gaggl, A.F., Gauld, S.B.: Fluorescence-based assays as tools for understanding immunologic processes. Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology 102 (1): 84-90, 2009.
• Douris, N., Kojima, S., Pan, X., Lerch-Gaggl, A., Duong^, S.Q., Hussain M.M., Green, C.B. Nocturnin regulates circadian trafficking of dietary lipid in intestinal enterocytes. Current Biology 21(16):1347-55, 2011
• Stelloh, C., Allen, K.P., Mattson, D.L., Lerch-Gaggl, A., Reddy, S., and El-Meanawy, A. Prematurity in Mice Leads to Reduction in Nephron Number, Hypertension, and Proteinuria. Translational Research 159 (2), A1-A6, 80-89, 2011
• Regner, K.R., Harmon, A., Williams, J.M., Stelloh, C., Johnson, A., Kyle, P., Lerch-Gaggl, A., White, S.M., and Garrett, M.R.: Increased Susceptibility to Kidney Injury by Transfer of Genomic Segment from SHR onto Dahl S Genetic Background. Physiological Genomics 44(12), 629-37, 2012
• Kwon, M., Nozu, K., Pavlov, S., Lerch-Gaggl, A., Qian, F., Sweeney, Jr, W.E., Avner, E.D., Blumer, J.B., Lanier, S.M., Staruschenko, A., and Park, F.: G-Protein Signaling Modulator 1 Deficiency Accelerates Cyst Progression on an Orthologous Mouse Model of ADPKD. PNAS, 2012