Christopher M. Overall
B.D.S., B.Sc. (Dent.)(Hons.), M.D.S. Ph.D.
Professor
Canada Research Chair in Metalloproteinase Proteomics & Systems Biology
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Office:
Rm: Life Sciences Institute 4.401
2350 Health Sciences Mall
Tel: 604-822-2958
Fax: 604-822-3562
Lab:
Rm: JBM 398
Tel: 604-822-3561/ 822-8233
Fax: 604-822-8233
Research Areas:
Matrix metalloproteinase degradomics, biochemistry and function.
Teaching Areas:
Connective tissue biochemistry and molecular biology,
Professor Christopher Overall completed his undergraduate, Honours Science and Masters Degrees at the University of Adelaide, South Australia before moving to Canada in 1984 to undertake Ph.D. training in Biochemistry at the University of Toronto. In 1989 he commenced post-doctoral training in the Protein Engineering Network of Centers of Excellence in the laboratory of Dr Michael Smith, Nobel Laureate, at the University of British Columbia. During his time in Canada, he has been continuously sponsored by the Medical Research Council holding MRC Fellowship, Centennial Fellowship, and Clinician Scientist Awards. Most recently he resigned his Canadian Institutes of Health Scientist Award to accept a CRC Chair in Metalloproteinase Biology as part of the new “Canada Research Chairs” program. His Ph.D. research received widespread attention and is still highly cited today, with several of his papers cited over 400 times—particularly his work on the regulation of MMPs by transforming growth factor beta and the discovery that the lectin ConA induces the endogenous cellular activation of MMP-2 (matrix metalloproteinase-2). Since establishing his laboratory in late 1995, his group has grown to 12 people and has been continuously funded by MRC, NCIC, and CIHR Grants. More recently his laboratory is part of the Canadian Arthritis Network of Centers of Excellence, the Protein Engineering Network of Centers of Excellence, and the Vancouver General Hospital Prostate Centre with annual grant support of over $630,000. His lab’s interests focus on protein:protein interactions of MMPs with substrates and their natural inhibitors termed TIMPs, the cellular activation mechanisms of MMPs, and more recently on developing “degradomics” approaches to discover novel substrates on a proteome-wide scale. He has published over 53 scientific papers and 10 book chapters with several notable recent contributions to the MMP field. His group recently published in the highly prestigious Journal “Science” the results of a degradomics screen presenting the discovery that chemokines are MMP substrates, converting chemokine agonists to antagonists that profoundly suppresses inflammation in vivo. He has won numerous awards, receives regular invitations to speak at different Universities and Conferences, and was elected Chair of the 2003 MMP Gordon Research Conference.
