Biography
Dr. Torry A. Tucker serves as the Associate Dean for Research in the UT Tyler School of Medicine. He is also an Associate Professor of Cellular and Molecular Biology. Dr. Tucker was trained as a cell biologist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. His training focused on cell types responsible for lung disease progression, specifically cystic fibrosis. He came to the University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler as a postdoctoral fellow in 2007 and joined the faculty in 2009. At UTHSCT, Dr. Tucker has focused on understanding the role of pleural mesothelial cells and lung fibroblasts in lung injury progression. He has developed several novel animal models which are critical to understanding disease etiology and evaluating diverse treatment strategies. His current research investigates the causes of pleural scarring and subsequent fibrosis. He also studies pathways involved in the development and progression of interstitial lung diseases such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
Education and Training
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Postdoctoral Fellowship, 2005 - 2007
University of Alabama at Birmingham
PhD, 1999 - 2004
University of Alabama
BS, 1995 - 1999
Courses Taught BIOT 6335 - Tissue Culture
BIOT 5211 - Advanced Biotechniques
BIOT 5140 - Emerging Techniques
BIOT 5132 - Critical Reading II
Research Interest • Identifying factors that contribute to the development and progression of lung injury and subsequent scarring (fibrosis).
• Development and refinement of models in which to study pleural fibrosis and pulmonary fibrosis.
• Understanding the role that diverse signaling pathways such as PI3K/mTORC2 and GSK-3β play in scarring of the lung surface and aggressive cellular phenotypes. Elucidating the role of myocardin and its downstream effectors in the progression of pleural injury and fibrosis.
Publication Highlights 1: Guo X, Adeyanju O, Sunil C, Mandlem V, Olajuyin A, Huang S, Chen SY, Idell S, Tucker TA, Qian G. DOCK2 contributes to pulmonary fibrosis by promoting lung fibroblast to myofibroblast transition. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2022 Jul 1;323(1):C133-C144. doi: 10.1152/ajpcell.00067.2022. Epub 2022 May 18. PMID: 35584329; PMCID: PMC9273279.
2: Sakai T, Choo YY, Sato O, Ikebe R, Jeffers A, Idell S, Tucker T, Ikebe M. Myo5b Transports Fibronectin-Containing Vesicles and Facilitates FN1 Secretion from Human Pleural Mesothelial Cells. Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Apr 27;23(9):4823. doi: 10.3390/ijms23094823. PMID: 35563212; PMCID: PMC9101030.
3: Tucker TA, Idell S. Update on Novel Targeted Therapy for Pleural Organization and Fibrosis. Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Jan 29;23(3):1587. doi: 10.3390/ijms23031587. PMID: 35163509; PMCID: PMC8835949.
4: Choo YY, Sakai T, Komatsu S, Ikebe R, Jeffers A, Singh KP, Idell S, Tucker TA, Ikebe M. Calponin 1 contributes to myofibroblast differentiation of human pleural mesothelial cells. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2022 Mar 1;322(3):L348-L364. doi: 0.1152/ajplung.00289.2021. Epub 2022 Jan 12. PMID:35018804; PMCID: PMC8858681.
5: Qian G, Adeyanju O, Roy S, Sunil C, Jeffers A, Guo X, Ikebe M, Idell S, Tucker TA. DOCK2 Promotes Pleural Fibrosis by Modulating Mesothelial to Mesenchymal Transition. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 2022 Feb;66(2):171-182. doi:10.1165/rcmb.2021-0175OC. PMID: 34710342; PMCID: PMC8845130.
6: Logan R, Jeffers A, Qin W, Owens S, Chauhan P, Komatsu S, Ikebe M, Idell S, Tucker TA. TGF-β regulation of the uPA/uPAR axis modulates mesothelial-mesenchymal transition (MesoMT). Sci Rep. 2021 Oct 27;11(1):21210. doi:10.1038/s41598-021-99520-5. PMID: 34707211; PMCID: PMC8551303.
7: Qin W, Jeffers A, Owens S, Chauhan P, Komatsu S, Qian G, Guo X, Ikebe M, Idell S, Tucker TA. NOX1 Promotes Mesothelial-Mesenchymal Transition through Modulation of Reactive Oxygen Species-mediated Signaling. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 2021 Apr;64(4):492-503. doi: 10.1165/rcmb.2020-0077OC. PMID: 33513310; PMCID: PMC8008807.
8: Tucker TA, Idell S. The Contribution of the Urokinase Plasminogen Activator and the Urokinase Receptor to Pleural and Parenchymal Lung Injury and Repair: A Narrative Review. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Feb 1;22(3):1437. doi: 10.3390/ijms22031437. PMID: 33535429; PMCID: PMC7867090.
Postdoctoral Fellowship, 2005 - 2007
University of Alabama at Birmingham
PhD, 1999 - 2004
University of Alabama
BS, 1995 - 1999
Courses Taught BIOT 6335 - Tissue Culture
BIOT 5211 - Advanced Biotechniques
BIOT 5140 - Emerging Techniques
BIOT 5132 - Critical Reading II
Research Interest • Identifying factors that contribute to the development and progression of lung injury and subsequent scarring (fibrosis).
• Development and refinement of models in which to study pleural fibrosis and pulmonary fibrosis.
• Understanding the role that diverse signaling pathways such as PI3K/mTORC2 and GSK-3β play in scarring of the lung surface and aggressive cellular phenotypes. Elucidating the role of myocardin and its downstream effectors in the progression of pleural injury and fibrosis.
Publication Highlights 1: Guo X, Adeyanju O, Sunil C, Mandlem V, Olajuyin A, Huang S, Chen SY, Idell S, Tucker TA, Qian G. DOCK2 contributes to pulmonary fibrosis by promoting lung fibroblast to myofibroblast transition. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2022 Jul 1;323(1):C133-C144. doi: 10.1152/ajpcell.00067.2022. Epub 2022 May 18. PMID: 35584329; PMCID: PMC9273279.
2: Sakai T, Choo YY, Sato O, Ikebe R, Jeffers A, Idell S, Tucker T, Ikebe M. Myo5b Transports Fibronectin-Containing Vesicles and Facilitates FN1 Secretion from Human Pleural Mesothelial Cells. Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Apr 27;23(9):4823. doi: 10.3390/ijms23094823. PMID: 35563212; PMCID: PMC9101030.
3: Tucker TA, Idell S. Update on Novel Targeted Therapy for Pleural Organization and Fibrosis. Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Jan 29;23(3):1587. doi: 10.3390/ijms23031587. PMID: 35163509; PMCID: PMC8835949.
4: Choo YY, Sakai T, Komatsu S, Ikebe R, Jeffers A, Singh KP, Idell S, Tucker TA, Ikebe M. Calponin 1 contributes to myofibroblast differentiation of human pleural mesothelial cells. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2022 Mar 1;322(3):L348-L364. doi: 0.1152/ajplung.00289.2021. Epub 2022 Jan 12. PMID:35018804; PMCID: PMC8858681.
5: Qian G, Adeyanju O, Roy S, Sunil C, Jeffers A, Guo X, Ikebe M, Idell S, Tucker TA. DOCK2 Promotes Pleural Fibrosis by Modulating Mesothelial to Mesenchymal Transition. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 2022 Feb;66(2):171-182. doi:10.1165/rcmb.2021-0175OC. PMID: 34710342; PMCID: PMC8845130.
6: Logan R, Jeffers A, Qin W, Owens S, Chauhan P, Komatsu S, Ikebe M, Idell S, Tucker TA. TGF-β regulation of the uPA/uPAR axis modulates mesothelial-mesenchymal transition (MesoMT). Sci Rep. 2021 Oct 27;11(1):21210. doi:10.1038/s41598-021-99520-5. PMID: 34707211; PMCID: PMC8551303.
7: Qin W, Jeffers A, Owens S, Chauhan P, Komatsu S, Qian G, Guo X, Ikebe M, Idell S, Tucker TA. NOX1 Promotes Mesothelial-Mesenchymal Transition through Modulation of Reactive Oxygen Species-mediated Signaling. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 2021 Apr;64(4):492-503. doi: 10.1165/rcmb.2020-0077OC. PMID: 33513310; PMCID: PMC8008807.
8: Tucker TA, Idell S. The Contribution of the Urokinase Plasminogen Activator and the Urokinase Receptor to Pleural and Parenchymal Lung Injury and Repair: A Narrative Review. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Feb 1;22(3):1437. doi: 10.3390/ijms22031437. PMID: 33535429; PMCID: PMC7867090.