Boris Hinz

PhD

Scientist, Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science

Biography

Boris Hinz is Keenan Research Chair in Fibrosis Research at St. Michael’s Hospital and University of Toronto Distinguished Professor in Tissue Repair and Regeneration. He is appointed with the Faculties of Dentistry, Medicine, and the Institute of Biomedical Engineering. Dr. Hinz holds a PhD degree (1998) in Cell Biology and Theoretical Biology from the University of Bonn, Germany. From 1999 to 2002, he was postdoctoral fellow with Dr. Giulio Gabbiani, Department of Experimental Pathology, University of Geneva, Switzerland. Dr. Hinz then moved to lead a research group at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland, joining Cell Biology, Biophysics, and Bioengineering. He was nominated Maître d’enseignement et de recherche (Assistant Professor level) in 2006 and moved to the University of Toronto in 2009 with Associate Professor appointment in the Faculty of Dentistry.

Dr. Hinz studies the role of contractile myofibroblasts in physiological tissue repair and in causing pathological tissue fibrosis. The findings of his lab are published in peer-reviewed journals with highest impact. His research led to the creation of two startup companies specialized on anti-fibrotic coatings for silicone implants and novel “soft” cell culture devices.

Dr. Hinz is secretary and inaugural board member of the Canadian Connective Tissue Society, board member of the International Dupuytren Society and the Canadian Dupuytren Society. He has been president and board member of the European Tissue Repair Society and was board member of the Wound Healing Society. He is Editor-in-Chief (basic science) of the journal “Wound Repair and Regeneration”, Section Editor of the “Journal of Investigative Dermatology”, Associate Editor of “Biochemistry and Cell Biology”, and editorial board member of “Matrix Biology”, and ‘Experimental Dermatology’. Dr. Hinz’ research is and has been funded by a multi-project Foundation Grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), CIHR operating funds, the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), the Ontario Research Foundation (ORF), and MITACS (Mathematics of Information Technology and Complex Systems).

Recent Publications

  1. Schuster, R, Younesi, F, Ezzo, M, Hinz, B. The Role of Myofibroblasts in Physiological and Pathological Tissue Repair. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol. 2023;15 (1):. doi: 10.1101/cshperspect.a041231. PubMed PMID:36123034 PubMed Central PMC9808581.
  2. Tavallaee, G, Lively, S, Rockel, JS, Ali, SA, Im, M, Sarda, C et al.. Contribution of MicroRNA-27b-3p to Synovial Fibrotic Responses in Knee Osteoarthritis. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2022;74 (12):1928-1942. doi: 10.1002/art.42285. PubMed PMID:35791923 .
  3. Pakshir, P, Younesi, F, Wootton, KA, Battiston, K, Whitton, G, Ilagan, B et al.. Controlled release of low-molecular weight, polymer-free corticosteroid coatings suppresses fibrotic encapsulation of implanted medical devices. Biomaterials. 2022;286 :121586. doi: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2022.121586. PubMed PMID:35635896 .
  4. Janmey, PA, Hinz, B, McCulloch, CA. Physics and Physiology of Cell Spreading in Two and Three Dimensions. Physiology (Bethesda). 2021;36 (6):382-391. doi: 10.1152/physiol.00020.2021. PubMed PMID:34704856 PubMed Central PMC8560373.
  5. Soliman, H, Theret, M, Scott, W, Hill, L, Underhill, TM, Hinz, B et al.. Multipotent stromal cells: One name, multiple identities. Cell Stem Cell. 2021;28 (10):1690-1707. doi: 10.1016/j.stem.2021.09.001. PubMed PMID:34624231 .
  6. Bernasconi, R, Thriene, K, Romero-Fernández, E, Gretzmeier, C, Kühl, T, Maler, M et al.. Pro-inflammatory immunity supports fibrosis advancement in epidermolysis bullosa: intervention with Ang-(1-7). EMBO Mol Med. 2021;13 (10):e14392. doi: 10.15252/emmm.202114392. PubMed PMID:34459121 PubMed Central PMC8495454.
  7. Noskovicova, N, Hinz, B, Pakshir, P. Implant Fibrosis and the Underappreciated Role of Myofibroblasts in the Foreign Body Reaction. Cells. 2021;10 (7):. doi: 10.3390/cells10071794. PubMed PMID:34359963 PubMed Central PMC8304203.
  8. Redha, O, Mazinanian, M, Nguyen, S, Son, DO, Lodyga, M, Hinz, B et al.. Compromised dental cells viability following teeth-whitening exposure. Sci Rep. 2021;11 (1):15547. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-94745-w. PubMed PMID:34330953 PubMed Central PMC8324915.
  9. Desmoulière, A, Hinz, B. The myofibroblast and Giulio Gabbiani: An inseparable couple celebrates their 50 years golden wedding anniversary. Wound Repair Regen. 2021;29 (4):511-514. doi: 10.1111/wrr.12942. PubMed PMID:34085354 .
  10. Sawant, M, Hinz, B, Schönborn, K, Zeinert, I, Eckes, B, Krieg, T et al.. A story of fibers and stress: Matrix-embedded signals for fibroblast activation in the skin. Wound Repair Regen. 2021;29 (4):515-530. doi: 10.1111/wrr.12950. PubMed PMID:34081361 .
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Affiliations & Other Activities

  • Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto
  • Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto
  • Department of Surgery, University of Toronto