Megan Dunn

Position

MD/PhD Student
Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology

Kansas Training Program in Neurological and Rehabilitation Sciences Trainee

Personal

Hometown: Sylvania, Ohio
Pets: 1 cat, Kimble

Education

• 2006, B.S. with Honors in Biological Sciences
  Minors in Religious Studies and Political Science
  University of Iowa
  Iowa City, IA

Research Project

Diabetic neuropathy (DN) is a common complication of diabetes affecting over half of all diabetic patients. Patients with DN develop painful or insensate neuropathy to mechanical and thermal stimuli due primarily to small diameter sensory nerve fiber loss. However, the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms leading to the development of either positive or negative symptoms are not well understood. My current project is to characterize the expression of glyoxalase I (GloI) in mouse models of painful and insensate DN. We hypothesize differential GloI expression levels in the peripheral nervous system may lead to differences in AGE formation and modulate the development of painful versus insensate neuropathy.

Honors and Awards

• Paul B. Freeburg Cell Biology Award, University of Kansas Medical Center, 2009
• Student Research Forum Neuroscience I Award, University of Kansas Medical Center, 2009
• Service to KUMC Award, University of Kansas Medical Center, 2009

Presentations

• MM Dunn, JM Ryals, DE Wright (2008) “Characterization of Glyoxalase I in Streptozocin-Induced Diabetes Mouse Models of Painful and Insensate Neuropathy.” Peripheral Nerve Society Biennial Meeting: Wurzburg, Germany (Poster Presentation)
• MM Dunn, JM Ryals, DE Wright (2008)  “Characterization of Glyoxalase I in Streptozocin-Induced Diabetes Mouse Models of Painful and Insensate Neuropathy.” Student Research Forum 2008, University of Kansas Medical Center. (Oral Presentation)