Faculty A-Z

Robert Gendron

Professor of Cancer/Cardiovascular Biology, and Cross Appointment with Oncology Ph.D., McGill University

BioMedical Sciences Oncology

Phone:
709-864-3359 / 709-864-6005



Address:
Email: rgendron@mun.ca
BioMedical Sciences Faculty of Medicine Memorial University of Newfoundland 300 Prince Philip Drive St. John's, NL, Canada A1B 3V6

With a diverse background in immunology, developmental biology, cancer biology, vascular biology and visual science, I have sustained a number of research programs in basic biomedical studies of health and disease for over 25 years. Much of this work would not be possible without a number of expert collaborators in the biomedical and clinical sciences. Most recently, in work funded by Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada, my research has focused on unique anatomical and functional features of the visual systems of North Atlantic marine teleosts. Knowledge of how these systems might be important to the health and survival of these animals is relevant to vision biology in general and to ocean health on a broader scale. Collaboration has been critically important to this multidisciplinary work and I am fortunate to have access to the infrastructure, resources and expert teams at Department of Ocean Science and the Dr. Joe Brown Aquatic Research Building of Memorial University. Finally, the training and career development of new young scientists through graduate training programs remains a key aspect of my research programs.

Over more than two decades at Memorial University, I have led or participated in a number of research infrastructure grant awards from Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and Canada Foundation for Innovation. 

In addition to graduate teaching and training in the Bioscience of Health and Disease Group, I teach in the Undergraduate Medical Education Program of Faculty of Medicine, in the subspecialty training program in Medical Oncology which is accredited by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and in the Faculty of Medicine’s 310A Human Physiology Course for Non-Medical Students at Memorial University. I currently serve as Co-Coordinator of the Bioscience of Health and Disease Graduate Training Program, as the Undergraduate Content Lead (UCL) for Histology and as the UCL for Ophthalmology in the Undergraduate Medical Education Program in the Faculty of Medicine.

Publications:

CD45 in ocular tissues during larval and juvenile stages and early stages of V. anguillarum infection in young lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus).

Gendron RL, Hyde T, Paradis H, Cao T, Machimbirike VI, Segovia C, Vasquez I, Ghasemieshkaftaki M, Scapigliati G, Boyce D, Santander J.

Fish Shellfish Immunol. 2022 Sep;128:523-535. doi: 10.1016/j.fsi.2022.08.023. Epub 2022 Aug 23.

PMID: 35998868

Use of three-dimensional printing for adapting and optimizing smartphone ophthalmoscopy to existing SD-OCT instrumentation for rodent and teleost ocular research.

McDonald J, Paradis H, Bartellas M, Gendron RL.

Mol Vis. 2021 Mar 31;27:117-124. eCollection 2021.

PMID: 33907367 Free PMC article.

CD10+ Cells and IgM in Pathogen Response in Lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus) Eye Tissues.

Gendron RL, Paradis H, Ahmad R, Kao K, Boyce D, Good WV, Kumar S, Vasquez I, Cao T, Hossain A, Chakraborty S, Valderrama K, Santander J.

Front Immunol. 2020 Nov 20;11:576897. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.576897. eCollection 2020.

PMID: 33329544 Free PMC article.

Ocular tissue changes associated with anterior segment opacity in lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus L) eye.

Paradis H, Ahmad R, McDonald J, Boyce D, Gendron RL.

J Fish Dis. 2019 Oct;42(10):1401-1408. doi: 10.1111/jfd.13065. Epub 2019 Aug 8.

PMID: 31393016

Novel characteristics of the cultured Lumpfish Cyclopterus lumpus eye during post-hatch larval and juvenile developmental stages.

Ahmad R, Paradis H, Boyce D, McDonald J, Gendron RL.

J Fish Biol. 2019 Feb;94(2):297-312. doi: 10.1111/jfb.13892. Epub 2019 Jan 21.

PMID: 30565257

High rates of glucose utilization in the gas gland of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) are supported by GLUT1 and HK1b.

Clow KA, Short CE, Hall JR, Gendron RL, Paradis H, Ralhan A, Driedzic WR.

J Exp Biol. 2016 Sep 1;219(Pt 17):2763-73. doi: 10.1242/jeb.141721. Epub 2016 Jul 8.

PMID: 27401755

Tubedown regulation of retinal endothelial permeability signaling pathways.

Ho N, Gendron RL, Grozinger K, Whelan MA, Hicks EA, Tennakoon B, Gardiner D, Good WV, Paradis H.

Biol Open. 2015 Jul 3;4(8):970-9. doi: 10.1242/bio.010496.

PMID: 26142315 Free PMC article.

Osmotic pressure-adaptive responses in the eye tissues of rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax).

Gendron RL, Armstrong E, Paradis H, Haines L, Desjardins M, Short CE, Clow KA, Driedzic WR.

Mol Vis. 2011;17:2596-604. Epub 2011 Oct 5.

PMID: 22025894 Free PMC article.

Loss of tubedown expression as a contributing factor in the development of age-related retinopathy.

Gendron RL, Laver NV, Good WV, Grossniklaus HE, Miskiewicz E, Whelan MA, Walker J, Paradis H.

Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2010 Oct;51(10):5267-77. doi: 10.1167/iovs.09-4527. Epub 2010 May 12.

PMID: 20463314

Tubedown associates with cortactin and controls permeability of retinal endothelial cells to albumin.

Paradis H, Islam T, Tucker S, Tao L, Koubi S, Gendron RL.

J Cell Sci. 2008 Jun 15;121(Pt 12):1965-72. doi: 10.1242/jcs.028597. Epub 2008 May 21.

PMID: 18495841

Genomics and proteomics of retinopathy of prematurity: DNA-based prevention and treatment.

Good WV, Gendron RL.

Br J Ophthalmol. 2007 Dec;91(12):1577. doi: 10.1136/bjo.2007.124404.

PMID: 18024806 Free PMC article.

Tubedown expression correlates with the differentiation status and aggressiveness of neuroblastic tumors.

Martin DT, Gendron RL, Jarzembowski JA, Perry A, Collins MH, Pushpanathan C, Miskiewicz E, Castle VP, Paradis H.

Clin Cancer Res. 2007 Mar 1;13(5):1480-7. doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-06-1716.

PMID: 17332292

Tubedown-1 (Tbdn-1) suppression in oxygen-induced retinopathy and in retinopathy of prematurity.

Gendron RL, Good WV, Miskiewicz E, Tucker S, Phelps DL, Paradis H.

Mol Vis. 2006 Feb 22;12:108-16.

PMID: 16518308

Retinopathy of prematurity: gone today, here tomorrow?

Good WV, Gendron RL.

Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2005 Aug;33(4):339-40. doi: 10.1111/j.1442-9071.2005.01057.x.

PMID: 16033340 No abstract available.

Retinopathy of prematurity's turning point.

Good WV, Gendron RL.

Br J Ophthalmol. 2005 Feb;89(2):127-8. doi: 10.1136/bjo.2004.058560.

PMID: 15665336 Free PMC article. No abstract available.

Conditional knockdown of tubedown-1 in endothelial cells leads to neovascular retinopathy.

Wall DS, Gendron RL, Good WV, Miskiewicz E, Woodland M, Leblanc K, Paradis H.

Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2004 Oct;45(10):3704-12. doi: 10.1167/iovs.03-1410.

PMID: 15452080

Role of Cys41 in the N-terminal domain of lumican in ex vivo collagen fibrillogenesis by cultured corneal stromal cells.

Carlson EC, Mamiya K, Liu CY, Gendron RL, Birk DE, Funderburgh JL, Kao WW.

Biochem J. 2003 Feb 1;369(Pt 3):461-8. doi: 10.1042/BJ20020593.

PMID: 12381269 Free PMC article.

Tubedown-1 in remodeling of the developing vitreal vasculature in vivo and regulation of capillary outgrowth in vitro.

Paradis H, Liu CY, Saika S, Azhar M, Doetschman T, Good WV, Nayak R, Laver N, Kao CW, Kao WW, Gendron RL.

Dev Biol. 2002 Sep 1;249(1):140-55. doi: 10.1006/dbio.2002.0757.

PMID: 12217325

TGFbeta2 in corneal morphogenesis during mouse embryonic development.

Saika S, Saika S, Liu CY, Azhar M, Sanford LP, Doetschman T, Gendron RL, Kao CW, Kao WW.

Dev Biol. 2001 Dec 15;240(2):419-32. doi: 10.1006/dbio.2001.0480.

PMID: 11784073

Retinopathy of prematurity.

Good WV, Gendron RL.

Ophthalmol Clin North Am. 2001 Sep;14(3):513-9. doi: 10.1016/s0896-1549(05)70249-2.

PMID: 11705151 Review.

Suppressed expression of tubedown-1 in retinal neovascularization of proliferative diabetic retinopathy.

Gendron RL, Good WV, Adams LC, Paradis H.

Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2001 Nov;42(12):3000-7.

PMID: 11687548

Gene therapy for retinopathy of prematurity: the eye is a window to the future.

Good WV, Gendron RL.

Br J Ophthalmol. 2001 Aug;85(8):891-2. doi: 10.1136/bjo.85.8.891.

PMID: 11466236 Free PMC article. No abstract available.

MK/T-1, an immortalized fibroblast cell line derived using cultures of mouse corneal stroma.

Gendron RL, Liu CY, Paradis H, Adams LC, Kao WW.

Mol Vis. 2001 May 8;7:107-13.

PMID: 11344338

LIF transduces contradictory signals on capillary outgrowth through induction of stat3 and (P41/43)MAP kinase.

Paradis H, Gendron RL.

J Cell Sci. 2000 Dec;113 Pt 23:4331-9. doi: 10.1242/jcs.113.23.4331.

PMID: 11069777

Tubedown-1, a novel acetyltransferase associated with blood vessel development.

Gendron RL, Adams LC, Paradis H.

Dev Dyn. 2000 Jun;218(2):300-15. doi: 10.1002/(SICI)1097-0177(200006)218:2<300::AID-DVDY5>3.0.CO;2-K.

PMID: 10842358

Embryonic vasculogenesis by endothelial precursor cells derived from lung mesenchyme.

Akeson AL, Wetzel B, Thompson FY, Brooks SK, Paradis H, Gendron RL, Greenberg JM.

Dev Dyn. 2000 Jan;217(1):11-23. doi: 10.1002/(SICI)1097-0177(200001)217:1<11::AID-DVDY2>3.0.CO;2-L.

PMID: 10679926

A plasticity for blood vessel remodeling is defined by pericyte coverage of the preformed endothelial network and is regulated by PDGF-B and VEGF.

Gendron RL.

Surv Ophthalmol. 1999 Sep-Oct;44(2):184-5.

PMID: 10541158 Review. No abstract available.

Differentiation responses of embryonic endothelium to leukemia inhibitory factor.

Paradis H, Arceci RJ, Adams LC, Gendron RL.

Exp Cell Res. 1998 Apr 10;240(1):7-15. doi: 10.1006/excr.1998.4006.

PMID: 9570916

Abnormal uterine stromal and glandular function associated with maternal reproductive defects in Hoxa-11 null mice.

Gendron RL, Paradis H, Hsieh-Li HM, Lee DW, Potter SS, Markoff E.

Biol Reprod. 1997 May;56(5):1097-105. doi: 10.1095/biolreprod56.5.1097.

PMID: 9160706

Induction of embryonic vasculogenesis by bFGF and LIF in vitro and in vivo.

Gendron RL, Tsai FY, Paradis H, Arceci RJ.

Dev Biol. 1996 Jul 10;177(1):332-46. doi: 10.1006/dbio.1996.0167.

PMID: 8660899

P-glycoprotein is expressed in the mineralizing regions of the skeleton.

Mangham DC, Cannon A, Komiya S, Gendron RL, Dunussi K, Gebhardt MC, Mankin HJ, Arceci RJ.

Calcif Tissue Int. 1996 Mar;58(3):186-91. doi: 10.1007/BF02526885.

PMID: 8852574

Immunological prevention of spontaneous early embryo resorption is mediated by non-specific immunosimulation.

Baines MG, Duclos AJ, de Fougerolles AR, Gendron RL.

Am J Reprod Immunol. 1996 Jan;35(1):34-42. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0897.1996.tb00006.x.

PMID: 8789558

Evaluation of the role of exogenous pathogens on the incidence of embryo loss during early pregnancy in mice.

Baines MG, Billingsley KA, De Fougerolles AR, Duclos AJ, Olney HJ, Pomerantz DK, Gendron RL.

J Reprod Immunol. 1994 Jan;26(1):17-30. doi: 10.1016/0165-0378(93)00863-o.

PMID: 8040834 Free PMC article.

Murine pregnancies predisposed to spontaneous resorption show alterations in the concentrations of leukotriene B4 and prostaglandin E2.

Gendron RL, Farookhi R, Baines MG.

Biol Reprod. 1992 Jul;47(1):72-5. doi: 10.1095/biolreprod47.1.72.

PMID: 1322197

Expression of tumor necrosis factor alpha in the developing nervous system.

Gendron RL, Nestel FP, Lapp WS, Baines MG.

Int J Neurosci. 1991 Sep;60(1-2):129-36. doi: 10.3109/00207459109082043.

PMID: 1774144

Lipopolysaccharide-induced fetal resorption in mice is associated with the intrauterine production of tumour necrosis factor-alpha.

Gendron RL, Nestel FP, Lapp WS, Baines MG.

J Reprod Fertil. 1990 Nov;90(2):395-402. doi: 10.1530/jrf.0.0900395.

PMID: 2250238

Resorption of CBA/J x DBA/2 mouse conceptuses in CBA/J uteri correlates with failure of the feto-placental unit to suppress natural killer cell activity.

Gendron RL, Farookhi R, Baines MG.

J Reprod Fertil. 1990 May;89(1):277-84. doi: 10.1530/jrf.0.0890277.

PMID: 2374121

Are both endogenous and exogenous factors involved in spontaneous foetal abortion?

Baines MG, Gendron RL.

Res Immunol. 1990 Feb;141(2):154-8. doi: 10.1016/0923-2494(90)90135-l.

PMID: 2202028 Review. No abstract available.

Morphometric analysis of the histology of spontaneous fetal resorption in a murine pregnancy.

Gendron RL, Baines MG.

Placenta. 1989 May-Jun;10(3):309-18. doi: 10.1016/0143-4004(89)90031-3.

PMID: 2771899

Infiltrating decidual natural killer cells are associated with spontaneous abortion in mice.

Gendron RL, Baines MG.

Cell Immunol. 1988 May;113(2):261-7. doi: 10.1016/0008-8749(88)90025-1.

PMID: 3282676