Þórarinn Guðjónsson

Thorarinn finished his BSc. in Biology from the University of Iceland in 1992 and MSc. in Human Biology from the University of Copenhagen 1998. He finished his PhD. thesis entitled „The Myoepithelial Cell: Cellular origin and heterotypic signalling in breast morphogenesis and neoplasia" from the University of Copenhagen in 2002. Thorarinn was a postdoctoral fellow at the Icelandic Cancer Society from 2001-2003. Thorarinn was employed as group leader at the Medical Faculty, University Iceland From 2003-2007. He held an adjunct position at the faculty of Odontology at the same time. Thorarinn is now in joint position as an Associate Professor at the Department of Medical Anatomy, University of Iceland and as a head of Stem Cell Research Unit at the Department of Laboratory hematology, Landspitali - University Hospital.

The main research interest is cellular and molecular mechanism behind branching morphogenesis in the human breast and lung. Thorarinn has established a number of cell lines that have been highly useful for studying the cellular context in these organs. Some of these cell lines harbour stem cell characteristics making them an important tool for recapitulation of tissue structures in vitro. The laboratory uses three dimensional cell culture models to generate organotypic breast and lung structures. We are using these in vitro settings to study the molecular mechanism behind branching. In that regard we are focusing on a receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) protein family and their downstream signaling pathways. Of special interest is the sprout protein family. Sprout proteins regulate the functions of various RTK and are believed to be important proteins in branching morphogenesis and a possible tumor suppressor.

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