at the Interface of Cell and Molecular Biology, Biophysics, Bioengineering and Clinical Research.
Dr. Boris Hinz
Dr. Boris Hinz, PhD
Laboratory of Tissue Repair and Regeneration
Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science
St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health
209 Victoria Street, room #608
Toronto, ON M5B 1T8, Canada
Research Interests
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Pathobiology and biophysics of fibroblasts
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Fibrocontractive diseases, wound healing, tissue remodeling, repair and regeneration
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Cell biology, bioengineering, cell ciophysics and biomechanics, experimental pathology, experimental dermatology, theoretical biology, biomedical imaging
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The cytoskeleton: cell contraction and motility; actin isoforms and actin-associated proteins; cell-cell and cell-matrix contacts, mechano-transduction
Science Chat with Dr. Chris McCulloch
Current Positions
since 09/2021
Keenan Chair in Fibrosis Research,
St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health, Toronto, Canada
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since 09/2021
Professor, primary status appointment
Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Canada
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Recognition
07/2016 - 07/2021
Distinguished Professor of Tissue Repair and Regeneration
University of Toronto, Canada
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Cross-Appointments
since 11/2022
Professor, cross-appointed
Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Canada
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since 06/2009
Professor, cross-appointed
Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
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since 06/2009
Professor, cross-appointed
Faculty of Medicine, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
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Faculty Positions
07/2014 – 08/2021
Professor
Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
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07/2011 – 06/2014
Associate Professor (tenured)
Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
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01/2009 – 06/2011
Associate Professor (tenure track)
Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
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03/2006 - 12/2008
Maître d'enseignement et de recherche (MER),
Laboratory of Cell Biophysics, School of Basic Sciences,
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL),
Lausanne, Switzerland
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Professional Training and Post-Graduate Education
06/2002 - 02/2006
Senior Research Scientist
Laboratory of Cell Biophysics, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland
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1999 - 2002
Post-Doctoral Assistant of Prof. Giulio Gabbiani, MD, PhD
Department of Pathology, CMU,
University of Geneva, Switzerland
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1986 - 1989
Duty as Officer of the German Air Force, reserve rank: Major
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Degrees and Diplomas Obtained
1995 - 1998
PhD thesis Cell Biology / Theoretical Biology,
University of Bonn, Germany
1994
Diploma (Master) thesis in Cell Biology,
University of Bonn, Germany
1989 - 1994
Studies in Biology at the University of Bonn, Germany
2024 - and where to meet me next
Close encounters of the first kind: When fibroblasts and macrophages meet. Innovations in Wound Healing Conference, December 4-7, 2024, Florida Keys, FL, USA.
Myofibroblast-macrophage communications: A touchy subject. Cardiac Science Talks, Translational Biology and Engineering Program (TBEP), November 20, 2024, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
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​The stressed relationship between macrophages and fibroblasts. 4th International conference on tissue repair, regeneration, and fibrosis, October 22-27, 2024, Heraklion, Greece.
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Myofibroblasts* (*But Were Too Afraid to Ask). 31st Annual Meeting of the European Tissue Repair Society (ETRS), September 25-27, 2024, Amersfoort, The Netherlands (Keynote, Charles Lapière Memorial Lecture)
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Intercepting myofibroblast communication to control fibrosis. Novartis, BioMedical Research, Disease Area Exploratory, June 6, 2024, Webinar
Mechanical conditioning of mesenchymal stromal cells for wound healing therapies. Wound Healing Society (WHS) Annual Meeting, May 14–17, 2024, Orlando, FL, USA
Cancer-associated but not cancer-specific: activated fibroblasts. Stromal Mutations: Cause & Consequence in Cancer Biology Workshop sponsored by the Division of Cancer Biology, National Cancer Institute, May 2-3, 2024, virtual.
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You need to have some guts to study myofibroblasts. Crohn's Disease Program Workshop on Fibrosis, March 12, 2024, New York, NY, USA
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Is mechanical memory an in vitro artifact? Penn Achilles Tendinopathy Center of Research Translation (PAT-CORT), 24 January 2024, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Mechanical control of pro-fibrotic exosome formation by mesenchymal stromal cells. ECM Pharmacology Conference Series, February 5, 2024, Copenhagen, Denmark (virtual)