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CURRICULUM VITAE

Melanie Gartz PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy

OFFICE ADDRESS:
Basic Science Building
8701 Watertown Plank Rd
Milwaukee, WI 53226

EDUCATION:
08/2005 - 05/2009 BS, Clinical Laboratory Science, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee
08/2010 - 05/2011 MHS, Molecular Microbiology and Immunology Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
08/2012 - 05/2014 MS, Cell Biology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
08/2017 - 06/2020 PhD, Cell Biology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee

POSTGRADUATE TRAINING AND FELLOWSHIP APPOINTMENTS:
07/01/2020 - 06/30/2022 Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
07/01/2020 - 06/30/2022 Anatomy Education Trainee, Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
07/2021 - 06/2022 KINETIC3 Scholar, Medical Educator Track, Kern Institute, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI

AWARDS AND HONORS:
09/2005 - 05/2009 Dean's List, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, College of Health Sciences
09/2008 - Present Honors Science Scholar, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, College of Health Sciences
03/2016 - Present Best Poster, Department of Medicine Research Retreat
09/2017 - Present Best Poster, Graduate Student Poster Session
11/2017 - Present Outstanding Medical Student Teacher
03/2018 - Present Best Poster, Graduate Student Research Symposium
09/2018 - Present Graduate Student Award, Women in Science Committee
09/2018 - Present Best Poster, Graduate Student Poster Session
11/2018 - Present Outstanding Medical Student Teacher
03/2019 - Present Best Presentation, Graduate Student Research Symposium
09/2019 - Present Best Poster, Graduate Student Poster Session
11/2019 - Present Outstanding Medical Student Teacher
11/2019 - Present Outstanding Medical Student Teacher
11/2021 - Present Outstanding Medical Student Teacher
06/2022 - Present Karen Marcdante Bravery in Teaching Award

MEMBERSHIPS IN HONORARY AND PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES:
09/2017 - 07/2020 American Heart Association
09/2018 - 07/2020 International Society for Extracellular Vesicles
01/2020 - Present present (American Association of Clinical Anatomists)
01/2020 - Present present (American Association for Anatomy)

INVITED LECTURES/WORKSHOPS/PRESENTATIONS:
Local
Myocyte-derived exosomes acutely protect DMD-human cardiomyocytes against stress-induced injury through a surface protein and ERK1/2-p38/MAPK signaling. Froedtert Hospital, Department of Cardiology Grand Rounds, Milwaukee, - 08/2017
Long-term DMD cardiac exosome exposure fails to protect DMD cardiomyocytes against the effects of oxidative stress. Medical College of Wisconsin Department of Medicine Conference, Milwaukee, - 03/2019
Long-term DMD cardiac exosome exposure fails to protect DMD cardiomyocytes against the effects of oxidative stress. Graduate Student Research Symposium, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, - 03/2019
 

PEER REVIEWED WORKSHOPS/PRESENTATIONS:
International
Dystrophic iPSC-derived Cardiomyocytes have Mislocalization of eNOS and Increased Susceptibility to Cell Death which is reversed by the Nitrate-like Properties of Nicorandil. American Heart Association Basic Cardiovascular Sciences Scientific Sessions, Las Vegas, - 07/2014
Myocyte-derived exosomes acutely protect DMD-human cardiomyocytes against stress-induced injury through a surface protein and ERK1/2-p38/MAPK signaling. American Heart Association Scientific Sessions, Anaheim, - 11/2017
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Cardiac Exosomes Contribute to the Pathogenesis of Dystrophin-deficient Cardiomyopathy. American Heart Association Basic Cardiovascular Sciences Scientific Sessions, Boston, - 07/2019
 
National
Exosome treatment shows protection against stress in dystrophin-deficient human-iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes." New Directions in Biology and Disease of Skeletal Muscle Conference, Orlando, - 06/2016
Nicorandil protects against oxidative stress in dystrophic iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes. New Directions in Biology and Disease of Skeletal Muscle Conference, Chicago, - 06/2014
 
Regional
Divergent Paracrine Effects of Acute vs. Chronic Cardiac Exosome Exposure in DMD iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes. Harmony 4 Hope Rare Storytellers Series, Milwaukee, - 09/2018
 
Local
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Cardiac Exosomes Contribute to the Pathogenesis of Dystrophin-deficient Cardiomyopathy. Medical College of Wisconsin Cardiovascular Center Research Retreat, 10/2019; Medical College of Wisconsin Graduate Student Poster Day, Milwaukee, - 11/2019
cardiomyocytes. Medical College of Wisconsin Graduate Student Poster Day, Milwaukee, - 10/2013
Long-term DMD cardiac exosome exposure fails to protect DMD cardiomyocytes against the effects of oxidative stress. March 2019 - Medical College of Wisconsin Department of Medicine Conference, Milwaukee, - 03/2019
Nicorandil protects against oxidative stress in dystrophic iPSC-derived
Myocyte-derived exosomes acutely protect DMD-human cardiomyocytes against stress-induced injury through a surface protein and ERK1/2-p38/MAPK signaling. Medical College of Wisconsin Graduate Student Poster Day, Milwaukee, WI. 11/2017; Medical College of Wisconsin Graduate Student Research Symposium, Milwaukee, WI. 03/2018; Medical College of Wisconsin Cardiovascular Center Research Retreat, Milwaukee, - 10/2018
Divergent Paracrine Effects of Acute vs. Chronic Cardiac Exosome Exposure in DMD iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes. November 2018 - Medical College of Wisconsin Graduate Student Poster Day, Milwaukee, - 11/2018
Dystrophic iPSC-derived Cardiomyocytes have Mislocalization of eNOS and Increased Susceptibility to Cell Death which is reversed by the Nitrate-like Properties of Nicorandil. Medical College of Wisconsin Redox Biology Symposium, Milwaukee, - 03/2015
Exosome treatment shows protection against stress in dystrophin-deficient human-iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes. Medical College of Wisconsin Department of Medicine Research Retreat, Milwaukee, WI. 03/2016; Medical College of Wisconsin Research Day, Milwaukee, - 09/2016
Exosome treatment confers protection against stress in dystrophin-deficient human-iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes through ERK1/2-p38/MAPK signaling. Medical College of Wisconsin Dept of Medicine Research Retreat, Milwaukee, WI. 03/2017; Medical College of Wisconsin Cardiovascular Center Research Retreat, Milwaukee, - 04/2017
 

MCW TEACHING ACTIVITIES:
Medical Student Education
02/2017 - Present present, Lecturer and Small Group Facilitator, Molecular and Cellular
08/2020 - Present present, Lecturer in Foundations of Pathological Processes -
08/2020 - Present present, Lecturer in Clinical Human Anatomy I & II
07/2021 - Present present, Lecturer for 500 Stars summer program, Cadavers as
09/2021 - Present present, Small Group Facilitator for Interprofessional Education
07/2022 - Present present, Director of Musculoskeletal Skin block (new curriculum)
Educators sessions
Sessions and Professionalism in Clerkships
Research Pathway
Musculoskeletal Skin
 
Community/Lay Public
02/2020 - Present Anatomy Nights: Educating the public on heart structure, function and
02/2020 - Present Anatomy Nights: Educating the public on heart structure, function and
04/2022 - Present Life in Medical School: A Discussion on How to Plan and What to
07/2022 - Present Career Chats: My Journey into Science and Medical Education. Medical
07/2022 - Present Anatomy Lab Tour and Sheep Heart Dissection, Medical College of
Expect in the Early Years and Beyond. University of Wisconsin Milwaukee,
College of Wisconsin SPUR Program.
disease. Milwaukee, WI.
AMSA Student Group, Milwaukee, WI.
Wisconsin Latino Medical Student Association, AIM Program.
 

EXTRAMURAL STUDENTS, FACULTY, RESIDENTS, AND CLINICAL/RESEARCH FELLOWS MENTORED:
High School Students
500 - Present Daeleon Brown-Williams, Stars Summer Program, 06/2017-08/2017
Aashay Mardikar, High School Intern, 06/2021-08/2021
Elizabeth Cinquegrani, High School Intern, 06/2018-08/2018
 
Undergraduate Students
500 - Present Claire Piehowski, Stars Summer Program, 06/2018-08/2018
Ceshae Harding, DSHREP Summer Program, 06/2014-08/2014
 
Medical Students
Pathways Program
Ashley Darlington, MCW, MD, 06/2015-05/2016. Physician Scientist Research
 

COMMUNITY SERVICE ACTIVITIES:
01/2017 - 12/2019 Assisted with journal reviews (Dr. Jennifer Strande, Main
05/2018 - 05/2019 Cardiovascular Center Research Retreat Abstract Review
04/2019 - Present STEaM Girls Summit - Engaging girls to pursue jobs in the STEM fields.
07/2020 - 07/2021 Spotlight on Science preparation committee - Inviting and
planning for seminar speakers to engage with graduate students and postdoctoral fellows contemplating their careers. Milwaukee, WI.
Committee Medical College of Wisconsin, Cardiovascular Research Center
invite school-aged kids and community members to learn about the human brain. Milwaukee, WI.
DNA Breakout session facilitator, Milwaukee, WI.
invite school-aged kids and community members to learn about the human brain. Milwaukee, WI.
- 04/2020
Reviewer), various journals.
 


BIBLIOGRAPHY
Refereed Journal Publications/Original Papers
1. (Maiden name: Reiter)
2. Melanie Gartz; Margaret Haberman; Mariah J. Prom; Margaret J. Beatka; Jennifer L. Strande; Michael W. Lawlor. A long-term study evaluating the effects of nicorandil treatment on Duchenne muscular dystrophy-associated cardiomyopathy in mdx mice. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol Ther. 2022 Jan-Dec;27: 10742484221088655..
3. Melanie Gartz and Jennifer L. Strande. Optimizing the Differentiation of Cardiomyocytes from Human Induced Pluripotent-Derived Stem Cells. Methods Mol Biol. 2021;2319:51-60.
4. Melanie Gartz; Margaret Beatka; Mariah J. Prom; Jennifer L. Strande; Michael W. Lawlor. Cardiomyocyte-produced miR-339-5p mediates pathology in Duchenne muscular dystrophy cardiomyopathy. Hum Mol Genet. 2021 Nov 16;30(23):2347-2361.
5. Melanie Gartz; Chien-Wei Lin; Mark Sussman; Michael Lawlor and Jennifer L. Strande. Duchenne muscular dystrophy cardiomyocyte-secreted exosomes promote the pathogenesis of DMD-associated cardiomyopathy. Disease Models and Mechanisms, 2020 Nov 13;13(11):dmm045559.
6. Melanie Gartz; Ashley Darlington; Zeeshan Afzal and Jennifer L. Strande. Exosomes exert cardioprotection in dystrophin-deficient cardiomyocytes via ERK1/2-p38/MAPK signaling. Scientific Reports, 2018 Jun 5; 7(11): e007954.
7. Zeeshan Afzal; Melanie Gartz; Ekaterina A Klyachko; Sadiya S Khan; Sanjiv J Shah; Sweta Gupta; Amy D Shapiro; Douglas E Vaughan Jennifer L Strande. Generation of Human iPSCs from Urine Derived Cells of Patient with a Novel Heterozygous PAI-1 Mutation. Stem Cell Research, 2017 Jan;18:41-44.
8. Zeeshan Afzal; Melanie Gartz; Ekaterina A Klyachko; Sadiya S Khan; Sanjiv J Shah; Sweta Gupta; Amy D Shapiro; Douglas E Vaughan Jennifer L Strande. Generation of Human iPSCs from Urine Derived Cells of Patient from a non-affected control subject. Stem Cell Research, 2017 Jan;18:33-36.
9. Alison J. Kriegel; Melanie Gartz; Zeeshan Afzal; Willem J. De Lange; J. Carter Ralphe and Jennifer L. Strande. Molecular approaches to precision medicine in HFpEF: MicroRNAs and iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes. Journal of Cardiovasc Translational Research, 2016 Dec 28, 10:295-304.
10. Zeeshan Afzal; Melanie Gartz; Ekaterina A Klyachko; Sadiya S Khan; Sanjiv J Shah; Sweta Gupta; Amy D Shapiro; Douglas E Vaughan and Jennifer L Strande. Generation of Human iPSCs from Urine Derived Cells of Patient with a Novel Homozygous PAI-1 Mutation. Stem Cell Research, 2016 Nov;17(3):657-660.
11. Zeeshan Afzal*; Melanie Reiter*; Courtney Gastonguay,; Jered V. McGivern; Xuan Guan; Zhi-Dong Ge; David L. Mack; Martin K. Childers; Allison D. Ebert and Jennifer L. Strande. Nicorandil, a Nitric Oxide Donor and ATP-Sensitive Potassium Channel Opener, Protects Against Dystrophin-Deficient Cardiomyopathy. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol Ther. 2016 Nov;21(6):549-562.
12. *Denotes co-first authorship
13. (Maiden name: Reiter)
14. Melanie Gartz; Margaret Haberman; Mariah J. Prom; Margaret J. Beatka; Jennifer L. Strande; Michael W. Lawlor. A long-term study evaluating the effects of nicorandil treatment on Duchenne muscular dystrophy-associated cardiomyopathy in mdx mice. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol Ther. 2022 Jan-Dec;27: 10742484221088655..
15. Melanie Gartz and Jennifer L. Strande. Optimizing the Differentiation of Cardiomyocytes from Human Induced Pluripotent-Derived Stem Cells. Methods Mol Biol. 2021;2319:51-60.
16. Melanie Gartz; Margaret Beatka; Mariah J. Prom; Jennifer L. Strande; Michael W. Lawlor. Cardiomyocyte-produced miR-339-5p mediates pathology in Duchenne muscular dystrophy cardiomyopathy. Hum Mol Genet. 2021 Nov 16;30(23):2347-2361.
17. Melanie Gartz; Chien-Wei Lin; Mark Sussman; Michael Lawlor and Jennifer L. Strande. Duchenne muscular dystrophy cardiomyocyte-secreted exosomes promote the pathogenesis of DMD-associated cardiomyopathy. Disease Models and Mechanisms, 2020 Nov 13;13(11):dmm045559.
18. Melanie Gartz; Ashley Darlington; Zeeshan Afzal and Jennifer L. Strande. Exosomes exert cardioprotection in dystrophin-deficient cardiomyocytes via ERK1/2-p38/MAPK signaling. Scientific Reports, 2018 Jun 5; 7(11): e007954.
19. Zeeshan Afzal; Melanie Gartz; Ekaterina A Klyachko; Sadiya S Khan; Sanjiv J Shah; Sweta Gupta; Amy D Shapiro; Douglas E Vaughan Jennifer L Strande. Generation of Human iPSCs from Urine Derived Cells of Patient with a Novel Heterozygous PAI-1 Mutation. Stem Cell Research, 2017 Jan;18:41-44.
20. Zeeshan Afzal; Melanie Gartz; Ekaterina A Klyachko; Sadiya S Khan; Sanjiv J Shah; Sweta Gupta; Amy D Shapiro; Douglas E Vaughan Jennifer L Strande. Generation of Human iPSCs from Urine Derived Cells of Patient from a non-affected control subject. Stem Cell Research, 2017 Jan;18:33-36.
21. Alison J. Kriegel; Melanie Gartz; Zeeshan Afzal; Willem J. De Lange; J. Carter Ralphe and Jennifer L. Strande. Molecular approaches to precision medicine in HFpEF: MicroRNAs and iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes. Journal of Cardiovasc Translational Research, 2016 Dec 28, 10:295-304.
22. Zeeshan Afzal; Melanie Gartz; Ekaterina A Klyachko; Sadiya S Khan; Sanjiv J Shah; Sweta Gupta; Amy D Shapiro; Douglas E Vaughan and Jennifer L Strande. Generation of Human iPSCs from Urine Derived Cells of Patient with a Novel Homozygous PAI-1 Mutation. Stem Cell Research, 2016 Nov;17(3):657-660.
23. Zeeshan Afzal*; Melanie Reiter*; Courtney Gastonguay,; Jered V. McGivern; Xuan Guan; Zhi-Dong Ge; David L. Mack; Martin K. Childers; Allison D. Ebert and Jennifer L. Strande. Nicorandil, a Nitric Oxide Donor and ATP-Sensitive Potassium Channel Opener, Protects Against Dystrophin-Deficient Cardiomyopathy. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol Ther. 2016 Nov;21(6):549-562.
24. *Denotes co-first authorship
25. (Maiden name: Reiter)
26. Melanie Gartz; Margaret Haberman; Mariah J. Prom; Margaret J. Beatka; Jennifer L. Strande; Michael W. Lawlor. A long-term study evaluating the effects of nicorandil treatment on Duchenne muscular dystrophy-associated cardiomyopathy in mdx mice. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol Ther. 2022 Jan-Dec;27: 10742484221088655..
27. Melanie Gartz and Jennifer L. Strande. Optimizing the Differentiation of Cardiomyocytes from Human Induced Pluripotent-Derived Stem Cells. Methods Mol Biol. 2021;2319:51-60.
28. Melanie Gartz; Margaret Beatka; Mariah J. Prom; Jennifer L. Strande; Michael W. Lawlor. Cardiomyocyte-produced miR-339-5p mediates pathology in Duchenne muscular dystrophy cardiomyopathy. Hum Mol Genet. 2021 Nov 16;30(23):2347-2361.
29. Melanie Gartz; Chien-Wei Lin; Mark Sussman; Michael Lawlor and Jennifer L. Strande. Duchenne muscular dystrophy cardiomyocyte-secreted exosomes promote the pathogenesis of DMD-associated cardiomyopathy. Disease Models and Mechanisms, 2020 Nov 13;13(11):dmm045559.
30. Melanie Gartz; Ashley Darlington; Zeeshan Afzal and Jennifer L. Strande. Exosomes exert cardioprotection in dystrophin-deficient cardiomyocytes via ERK1/2-p38/MAPK signaling. Scientific Reports, 2018 Jun 5; 7(11): e007954.
31. Zeeshan Afzal; Melanie Gartz; Ekaterina A Klyachko; Sadiya S Khan; Sanjiv J Shah; Sweta Gupta; Amy D Shapiro; Douglas E Vaughan Jennifer L Strande. Generation of Human iPSCs from Urine Derived Cells of Patient with a Novel Heterozygous PAI-1 Mutation. Stem Cell Research, 2017 Jan;18:41-44.
32. Zeeshan Afzal; Melanie Gartz; Ekaterina A Klyachko; Sadiya S Khan; Sanjiv J Shah; Sweta Gupta; Amy D Shapiro; Douglas E Vaughan Jennifer L Strande. Generation of Human iPSCs from Urine Derived Cells of Patient from a non-affected control subject. Stem Cell Research, 2017 Jan;18:33-36.
33. Alison J. Kriegel; Melanie Gartz; Zeeshan Afzal; Willem J. De Lange; J. Carter Ralphe and Jennifer L. Strande. Molecular approaches to precision medicine in HFpEF: MicroRNAs and iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes. Journal of Cardiovasc Translational Research, 2016 Dec 28, 10:295-304.
34. Zeeshan Afzal; Melanie Gartz; Ekaterina A Klyachko; Sadiya S Khan; Sanjiv J Shah; Sweta Gupta; Amy D Shapiro; Douglas E Vaughan and Jennifer L Strande. Generation of Human iPSCs from Urine Derived Cells of Patient with a Novel Homozygous PAI-1 Mutation. Stem Cell Research, 2016 Nov;17(3):657-660.
35. Zeeshan Afzal*; Melanie Reiter*; Courtney Gastonguay,; Jered V. McGivern; Xuan Guan; Zhi-Dong Ge; David L. Mack; Martin K. Childers; Allison D. Ebert and Jennifer L. Strande. Nicorandil, a Nitric Oxide Donor and ATP-Sensitive Potassium Channel Opener, Protects Against Dystrophin-Deficient Cardiomyopathy. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol Ther. 2016 Nov;21(6):549-562.
36. *Denotes co-first authorship
 
Books, Chapters, and Reviews
1. Melanie Gartz and Jennifer L. Strande. Examining the paracrine effects of exosomes in cardiovascular disease and repair. J Am Heart Assoc. 2018 Jun 1;7(11):e007954.
2. Ngoc Lam; Melanie Gartz; Leah Thomas; Margaret Haberman; Jennifer L. Strande. Influence of microRNAs and exosomes in muscle health and disease. Journal of Muscle Research and Cell Motility, 2019 Sept;41(4):269-284.
3. Melanie Gartz and Jennifer L. Strande. Optimizing the Differentiation of Cardiomyocytes from Human Induced Pluripotent-Derived Stem Cells. Methods Mol Biol. 2021;2319:51-60.
4. Melanie Gartz and Jennifer L. Strande. Examining the paracrine effects of exosomes in cardiovascular disease and repair. J Am Heart Assoc. 2018 Jun 1;7(11):e007954.
5. Ngoc Lam; Melanie Gartz; Leah Thomas; Margaret Haberman; Jennifer L. Strande. Influence of microRNAs and exosomes in muscle health and disease. Journal of Muscle Research and Cell Motility, 2019 Sept;41(4):269-284.
6. Melanie Gartz and Jennifer L. Strande. Optimizing the Differentiation of Cardiomyocytes from Human Induced Pluripotent-Derived Stem Cells. Methods Mol Biol. 2021;2319:51-60.
7. Melanie Gartz and Jennifer L. Strande. Examining the paracrine effects of exosomes in cardiovascular disease and repair. J Am Heart Assoc. 2018 Jun 1;7(11):e007954.
8. Ngoc Lam; Melanie Gartz; Leah Thomas; Margaret Haberman; Jennifer L. Strande. Influence of microRNAs and exosomes in muscle health and disease. Journal of Muscle Research and Cell Motility, 2019 Sept;41(4):269-284.
9. Melanie Gartz and Jennifer L. Strande. Optimizing the Differentiation of Cardiomyocytes from Human Induced Pluripotent-Derived Stem Cells. Methods Mol Biol. 2021;2319:51-60.