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Shannon Dunn

PhD

Scientist, Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science

Email: Shannon.Dunn@unityhealth.to
Tel: 416-847-1750 x71750

Research Programs

Biography

Dr. Dunn is a basic scientist at the Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science at St. Michael’s Hospital. She is also an associate professor in the Department of Immunology at the University of Toronto and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Sex and Gender Science Chair in Immunity. She is interested in understanding the mechanisms of development of autoimmunity in multiple sclerosis. Her group is studying how various MS risk factors including female sex, obesity, and cigarette smoking enhance the autoimmune process to initiate MS.

A full list of Dr. Dunn’s publications can be found here.

Recent Publications

  1. Ucciferri, CC, Dunn, SE. Effect of puberty on the immune system: Relevance to multiple sclerosis. Front Pediatr. 2022;10 :1059083. doi: 10.3389/fped.2022.1059083. PubMed PMID:36533239 PubMed Central PMC9755749.
  2. Alvarez-Sanchez, N, Dunn, SE. Immune Cell Contributors to the Female Sex Bias in Multiple Sclerosis and Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis. Curr Top Behav Neurosci. 2023;62 :333-373. doi: 10.1007/7854_2022_324. PubMed PMID:35467295 .
  3. Nyirenda, MH, Fadda, G, Healy, LM, Mexhitaj, I, Poliquin-Lasnier, L, Hanwell, H et al.. Pro-inflammatory adiponectin in pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis. Mult Scler. 2021;27 (12):1948-1959. doi: 10.1177/1352458521989090. PubMed PMID:33522403 .
  4. Hoghooghi, V, Palmer, AL, Frederick, A, Jiang, Y, Merkens, JE, Balakrishnan, A et al.. Cystatin C Plays a Sex-Dependent Detrimental Role in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis. Cell Rep. 2020;33 (1):108236. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.108236. PubMed PMID:33027652 PubMed Central PMC8603395.
  5. Cahill, LS, Zhang, MA, Ramaglia, V, Whetstone, H, Sabbagh, MP, Yi, TJ et al.. Aged hind-limb clasping experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis models aspects of the neurodegenerative process seen in multiple sclerosis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2019;116 (45):22710-22720. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1915141116. PubMed PMID:31641069 PubMed Central PMC6842635.
  6. Mifflin, KA, Yousuf, MS, Thorburn, KC, Huang, J, Pérez-Muñoz, ME, Tenorio, G et al.. Voluntary wheel running reveals sex-specific nociceptive factors in murine experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Pain. 2019;160 (4):870-881. doi: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001465. PubMed PMID:30540622 .
  7. Tejeda, EJC, Bello, AM, Wasilewski, E, Koebel, A, Dunn, S, Kotra, LP et al.. Noncovalent Protein Arginine Deiminase (PAD) Inhibitors Are Efficacious in Animal Models of Multiple Sclerosis. J Med Chem. 2017;60 (21):8876-8887. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.7b01102. PubMed PMID:29045782 .
  8. Sarswat, A, Wasilewski, E, Chakka, SK, Bello, AM, Caprariello, AV, Muthuramu, CM et al.. Inhibitors of protein arginine deiminases and their efficacy in animal models of multiple sclerosis. Bioorg Med Chem. 2017;25 (9):2643-2656. doi: 10.1016/j.bmc.2017.03.006. PubMed PMID:28341402 .
  9. Dunn, SE, Lee, H, Pavri, FR, Zhang, MA. Sex-Based Differences in Multiple Sclerosis (Part I): Biology of Disease Incidence. Curr Top Behav Neurosci. 2015;26 :29-56. doi: 10.1007/7854_2015_371. PubMed PMID:25690593 .
  10. Dunn, SE, Gunde, E, Lee, H. Sex-Based Differences in Multiple Sclerosis (MS): Part II: Rising Incidence of Multiple Sclerosis in Women and the Vulnerability of Men to Progression of this Disease. Curr Top Behav Neurosci. 2015;26 :57-86. doi: 10.1007/7854_2015_370. PubMed PMID:25690592 .
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Affiliations & Other Activities

  • Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Immunology, University of Toronto
  • Affiliate Scientist, Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network