Vicky L. Funanage

Director
Department of Biomedical Research, Nemours, A.I. DuPont Hospital for Children
1600 Rockland Road
Wilmington, DE 19803
(302) 651-6779
vfunanag@nemours.org

Research Interests

Ongoing research conducted in Dr. Funanage's laboratory (Musculoskeletal Inherited Disease Laboratory [MID]) involves projects designed to provide benefit to children afflicted with neuromuscular diseases such as muscular dystrophy, spinal muscular atrophy, and myotonic dystrophy. In addition, Dr. Funanage is involved in a number of collaborative efforts including the study of leptin, an important hormone that regulates energy metabolism and utilization and its importance in fetal and neonatal growth and development; and investigation of the genetic and biochemical basis of hypoplastic left heart syndrome.

Education/Certification

• Ph.D., Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19711
  Dissertation: Mutants of Chinese hamster ovary cells resistant to 5, 6-dichloro-1-β-D-ribofuranosylbenzimidazole; Advisor, Dr. Arnold M. Clark, 1981
• M.S., Genetics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 Thesis: Mutant of Salmonella typhimurium with altered activity or regulation of glutamine synthetase; Advisor, Dr. Jean E. Brenchley, 1977
• B.S., Biology, with Distinction, The Pennsylvania University, 1975

Professional Experience

• Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Thomas Jefferson University, 2004-present
• Director of Biomedical Research of the Nemours Foundation
  The Nemours Foundation, Jacksonville, FL, 2000-present
• Director of Medical Research, A. I. duPont Hospital, 1998-present
• Senior Research Scientist, A. I. duPont Hospital, 1996-present
• Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, 1990-2004
• Director, Musculoskeletal DNA Diagnostic Lab (CLIA-certified since 1993), A.I. duPont Hospital, 1990-present
• Director, Musculoskeletal DNA Diagnostic Lab (CLIA-certified since 1993), A.I. duPont Hospital, 1990-present
• Chief, Musculoskeletal Inherited Disease Research Program, Department of Medical Research, A.I. duPont Hospital, 1987-present
• Research Scientist, Alfred I. duPont Hospital, 1986-1995
• Jr. Research Associate, Alfred I. duPont Hospital, Wilmington, DE, 1981-1985
• Graduate Research Assistant, University of Delaware, 1979-1981
• Graduate Teaching Assistant, University of Delaware, 1977-1979
• Graduate Research Assistant, The Pennsylvania State University, 1976-1977

Recent Publications/Books & Publications

• Balagopal, P.B., Gidding, S.S., Buckloh, L.M., Yarandi, H.N., Sylvester, J.E., George, D.E., Funanage, V.L. Changes in circulating satiety hormones in obese children: a radomized controlled physical activity-based intervention study. Obsesity (Silver Spring), Sep. 18(9):1747-53, Epub 2010 Jan. 21.

• Wu, C-Y., Gomez-Curet, I., Funanage, V.L., Scavina, M., and Wang, W. Increased susceptibility of apinal muscular atrophy fibroblasts to camptothecin is p53-independent. BMC Cell Biology, 10(1):40, 2009.

• Wolfson, M., Funanage, V.L., Kirwin, S.M., Pilon, A.L., Shashikant, B.N., Miller, T.L., and Shaffer, T.H. Recombinant human CC10 treatment increases lung mRNA expression of surfactant proteins and VEGF in a premature lamb model of respiratory lung deficiency. Am. J. Perinatol. 25:637-645, Epub, 2008.

• Gomez-Curet I, Robinson KG, Funanage VL, Crawford TO, Scavina M, Wang W. Robust quantification of the SMN gene copy number by real-time TaqMan PCR. Neurogenetics 8: 271-278, 2007.

• Balagopal, P., Graham, T.E., Kahn, B.B., Altomare, A., Funanage, V., and George, D. Reduction of elevated serum retinol binding protein (RBP4) in obese children by lifestyle intervention: association with sub-clinical inflammation. J. Clin. Endo. Metab. 92: 1971-1974, 2007.

• Kirwin, S.M., Vinette, K.M., Schwartz, S.B., Funanage, V.L., and Gonzalez, I.L. Multiple transmissionsof Barth Syndrome through an oocyte donor with a novel TAZ mutation (Case Report). Fertility and Sterility, Res. 87: e5-7. Epub, 2007.

Grants

Active

• 9/30/2001-2/28/14
  Sponsor: NIH 2P20RR016472-09
  Title: “Delaware INBRE”
  Principal Investigator for Nemours: Vicky L. Funanage, Ph.D.
  Award: $1.7 million

Past

• 1/1/95-12/31/97
  Sponsor: Muscular Dystrophy Association
  Title: “Reduced DMPK Gene Expression in Adult and Congenital Myotonic Dystrophy”
  Principal Investigator: Vicky L. Funanage, Ph.D.
  Award: $134,861
• 1/1/97-12/31/98
  Sponsor: Find-a-Cure with Duchenne, Inc. ($80,564)
  Sponsor: Nemours ($32,788)
  Title: “Hemin Treatment of Muscular Dystrophy in the Canine Model”
  Principal Investigator: Vicky L. Funanage, Ph.D.
  Total Award: $113,564
• 7/1/94-6/30/99
  Sponsor: National Institutes of Health (R01)
  Title: “Endochondral Bone Growth and Creatine Kinase”
  Principal Investigator: Rocky Tuan, Ph.D.
  Collaborator: Vicky L. Funanage, Ph.D.
  Award: $1,302,512

Honors & Awards

• National Honor Society
• Phi Sigma Biological Honor Society
• Invited participant, High School Program, Annual Meeting of the American Society for Cell Biology, St. Louis, MO, November 17, 1987
• Employee of the Month, July 1998, A.I. duPont Hospital for Children
• Distinguished Alumnus Award, Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, May 2005

Professional Membership

• 1988-present American Society for Cell Biology
• 1986-present American Society of Human Genetics
• 1982-1993 American Society for Microbiology
• 1985-1987 New York Academy of Sciences
• 1993-present American Association for the Advancement of Science
• 1994-2009 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research
• 2000-present International Society for Heart Research
• 2000-present Alliance of Independent Academic Medical Centers