Majka Laboratory Search Clinical Trials Find a Researcher Order a Test Our lab studies how mesenchymal progenitor cells (MPC) regulate lung microvascular function and dysregulated angiogenesis as well as how these processes contribute to the development or severity of chronic lung diseases (including fibrosis, emphysema as well as pulmonary hypertension). Lab Resources and Services The Majka lab has identified and characterized a novel population of lung mesenchymal progenitor cells (MPC) as a regulator of microvascular function, structure and homeostasis. Her lab has developed techniques to isolate, differentiate and analyze murine and human mesenchymal stem cell phenotype, proliferation, inflammation, migration and matrix synthesis both in vitro and in vivo. To complement in vivo models of disease the laboratory has developed a method for mesenchymal, endothelial and smooth muscle differentiation of murine and human iPS cells. Current Projects Role of Lung MSC in Emphysema Lung MSC regulate Angiogenesis and Repair during Fibrosis Adult Mesenchymal Progenitor (MPC) Regulation of Early Pathogenesis in TSC , + × , Susan M. Majka, PhD, is a researcher at National Jewish Health. Dr. Majka is in the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine and the Department of Immunology and Genomic Medicine. View Full Profile Personnel Principal Investigator Susan Majka, PhD Professor of Medicine Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine Department of Biomedicl Research National Jewish Health, Denver CO Professor of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary & Critical Care Gates Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Biology University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Aurora CO Opportunities Motivated students and postdoctoral researchers are always welcome! Publications View all Publications Summers ME, Richmond BW, Kropski JA, Majka SA, Bastarache JA, Hatzopoulos AK, Bylund J, Ghosh M, Petrache I, Foronjy RF, Geraghty P, Majka SM. Balanced Wnt/Dickkopf-1 signaling by mesenchymal vascular progenitor cells in the microvascular niche maintains distal lung structure and function. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2021 Jan 1;320(1):C119-C131. doi: 10.1152/ajpcell.00277.2020. Epub 2020 Oct 21. PubMed PMID: 33085496; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7846975. Railwah C, Lora A, Zahid K, Goldenberg H, Campos M, Wyman A, Jundi B, Ploszaj M, Rivas M, Dabo A, Majka SM, Foronjy R, El Gazzar M, Geraghty P. Cigarette smoke induction of S100A9 contributes to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2020 Dec 1;319(6):L1021-L1035. doi: 10.1152/ajplung.00207.2020. Epub 2020 Sep 23. PubMed PMID: 32964723; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7938777.