Matthew Salanga

Associate Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
Also associated with
College of the Environment, Forestry, and Natural Sciences

Contact

Building: Wettaw Biology and Biochemistry (88)
Room: 214

Degrees

B.S. Zoology
Northern Arizona University
M.S. Biology
Northern Arizona University
Ph.D. Cellular and Molecular Medicine
University Of Arizona

Experience

Assistant Professor of Cellular and Molecular Medicine
Northern Arizona University
2017 – Present
Postdoctoral Investigator
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
2015 – 2017
Postdoctoral Trainee
Boston University Superfund Research Program
2015 – 2017
Postdoctoral Scientist
Marine Biological Laboratory
2012 – 2015
Honorary Research Fellow
University of Auckland
2010 – 2010
Graduate Research Associate
The University of Arizona
2005 – 2011
Manager
Children's Hospital Boston
2002 – 2005
Technician
Northern Arizona University
2000 – 2002
Graduate Research Assistant
Northern Arizona University
2000 – 2002
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Northern Arizona University
1999 – 2000

Scholarship and Creative Activity

Journal Publication
Park, D. Propper, C. Wang, G., & Salanga, M. (2021). Synonymous single nucleotide polymorphism in arsenic (+3) methyltransferase of the Western mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) and its gene expression among field populations. ECOTOXICOLOGY, 30(4), 711-718.
Panlilio, J. Jones, I. Salanga, M. Aluru, N., & Hahn, M. (2021). Developmental Exposure to Domoic Acid Disrupts Startle Response Behavior and Circuitry in Zebrafish. TOXICOLOGICAL SCIENCES, 182(2), 310-326.
Brun, N. Salanga, M. Mora-Zamorano, F. Lamb, D. Goldstone, J., & Stegeman, J. (2021). Orphan cytochrome P450 20a1 CRISPR/Cas9 mutants and neurobehavioral phenotypes in zebrafish. SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, 11(1).
Cruz, N. Buscaglia, R. Salanga, M., & Kellar, R. (2021). Environmentally Relevant Levels of Depleted Uranium Impacts Dermal Fibroblast Proliferation, Viability, Metabolic Activity, and Scratch Closure. TOXICS, 9(9).
Kellar, R. S. Salanga, M. C. Buscaglia, R., & Cruz, N. D. (2021). Environmentally Relevant Levels of Depleted Uranium Impacts Dermal Fibroblast Proliferation, Viability, Metabolic Activity, and Scratch Closure. Toxics.
Salanga, M. Brun, N. Francolini, R. Stegeman, J., & Goldstone, J. (2020). CRISPR-Cas9-Mutated Pregnane X Receptor (pxr) Retains Pregnenolone-induced Expression of cyp3a65 in Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Larvae. TOXICOLOGICAL SCIENCES, 174(1), 51-62.
Salanga, M. C. Brun, N. Francolini, R. Stegeman, J. J., & Goldstone, J. V. (2019). CRISPR-Cas9 mutated pregnane x receptor (pxr) retains pregnenolone-induced expression of cytochrome p450 family 3, subfamily A, polypeptide 65 (cyp3a65) in zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae. BioRxiv, (BIORXIV/2019/652743).
BioRxiv is a prepress open access repository. This manuscript was also submitted to Toxicological Science for peer review.
DeLay, B. Corkins, M. Hanania, H. Salanga, M. Deng, J. Sudou, N. Taira, M. Horb, M., & Miller, R. (2018). Tissue-Specific Gene Inactivation in Xenopus laevis: Knockout of lhx1 in the Kidney with CRISPR/Cas9. GENETICS, 208(2), 673-686.
Ratzan, W. Falco, R. Salanga, C. Salanga, M., & Horb, M. (2017). Generation of a Xenopus laevis F1 albino J strain by genome editing and oocyte host-transfer. DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY, 426(2), 188-193.
Salanga, M. C., & Horb, M. E. (2015). Xenopus as a Model for GI/Pancreas Disease. Current Pathobiology Reports. CURRENT PATHOBIOLOGY REPORTS, 137-145.
Moran, C. Salanga, M., & Krieg, P. (2011). Hedgehog Signaling Regulates Size of the Dorsal Aortae and Density of the Plexus During Avian Vascular Development. DEVELOPMENTAL DYNAMICS, 240(6), 1354-1364.
Salanga, M. Meadows, S. Myers, C., & Krieg, P. (2010). ETS Family Protein ETV2 Is Required for Initiation of the Endothelial Lineage but not the Hematopoietic Lineage in the Xenopus Embryo. DEVELOPMENTAL DYNAMICS, 239(4), 1178-1187.
Meadows, S. Salanga, M., & Krieg, P. (2009). Kruppel-like factor 2 cooperates with the ETS family protein ERG to activate Flk1 expression during vascular development. DEVELOPMENT, 136(7), 1115-1125.
Meadows, S. Warkman, A. Salanga, M. Small, E., & Krieg, P. (2008). The myocardin-related transcription factor, MASTR, cooperates with MyoD to activate skeletal muscle gene expression. PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 105(5), 1545-1550.
Kumar, S. Maxwell, I. Heisterkamp, A. Polte, T. Lele, T. Salanga, M. Mazur, E., & Ingber, D. (2006). Viscoelastic retraction of single living stress fibers and its impact on cell shape, cytoskeletal organization, and extracellular matrix mechanics. BIOPHYSICAL JOURNAL, 90(10), 3762-3773.
Lele, T. Pendse, J. Kumar, S. Salanga, M. Karavitis, J., & Ingber, D. (2006). Mechanical forces alter zyxin unbinding kinetics within focal adhesions of living cells. JOURNAL OF CELLULAR PHYSIOLOGY, 207(1), 187-194.
Estrada, C. Salanga, M. Bielenberg, D. Harrell, W. Zurakowski, D. Zhu, X. Palmer, N. Freeman, M., & Adam, R. (2006). Behavioral profiling of human transitional cell carcinoma ex vivo. CANCER RESEARCH, 66(6), 3078-3086.
Review
Salanga, C., & Salanga, M. (2021). Genotype to Phenotype: CRISPR Gene Editing Reveals Genetic Compensation as a Mechanism for Phenotypic Disjunction of Morphants and Mutants : MDPI.

Grants and Contracts

  • The effects of depleted uranium shrapnel on mitochondrial cellular function., Funded by National Institutes of Health (January 12, 2022 - April 30, 2024) ($147,446.00), Funded - In Progress, Spring 2022, PI Matthew Salanga
  • Defining the genetic contexts for arsenic detoxifying activity using CRISPR-engineered zebrafish., Funded by Office of the Vice President for Research, Northern Arizona University (February 7, 2022 - February 28, 2023) ($19,992.00), Funded - In Progress, Spring 2022, PI Matthew Salanga
  • Pre-clinical testing of mathematical model prediction of RAF inhibitor effects in humanized zebrafish, Funded by Arizona Flinn Foundation (November 1, 2020 - April 30, 2021) ($100,000.00), Completed, Fall 2021, PI Matthew Salanga with PI Richard Posner
  • Combining the power of wild and model species to understand evolution in response to natural arsenic exposure, Funded by Jerry O Wolff Award, Department of Biological Sciences, NAU (July 1, 2020 - May 1, 2021) ($4,228.00), Completed, Summer 2021, PI Matthew Salanga with PI Catherine Propper
  • The effects of depleted uranium shrapnel on mitochondrial cellular function., Funded by National Institutes of Health (May 1, 2021 - April 30, 2024) ($427,264.00), Funded - In Progress, Spring 2021, PI Matthew Salanga
  • S-REAP award for Leica confocal objective lenses, Funded by Research equipment acquisition program, OVPR, NAU (March 17, 2020) ($23,997.00), Completed, Spring 2020, PI Matthew Salanga with CoPI Kiisa Nishikawa, CoPI Catherine Propper, CoPI Narendiran Rajasekaran
  • Synergistic toxicity of depleted uranium and UV radiation in a humanized zebrafish model of melanoma, Funded by Southwest Health Equity Research Collaborative (July 1, 2019 - June 30, 2020) ($30,000.00), Completed, Spring 2020, PI Matthew Salanga
  • SHERC Mentor/Collaborator Travel Award, Funded by Southwest Health Equity Research Collaborative, NAU (October 1, 2019) ($1,052.00), Funded - In Progress, Fall 2019, PI Matthew Salanga with CoPI Rebecca Helm
  • REAP award for Leica UC7 Ultramicrotome, Funded by Research equipment acquisition program, OVPR NAU (November 14, 2019) ($67,010.00), Completed, Fall 2019, CoPI Matthew Salanga with CoPI Kiisa Nishikawa, PI Robert Kellar, CoPI Narendiran Rajasekaran

Interests

Teaching
  • Molecular Genetics, Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Developmental Biology
Research
  • Ecotoxicology and developmental toxicology. Gene editing in vertebrates (primarily zebrafish). Cellular and molecular biology of vertebrate development.

Courses

Spring 2025
BIO 485: Undergraduate Research
BIO 599: Contemporary Developments
Cellular & Molecular Medicine
BIO 685: Graduate Research
BIO 699: Graduate Thesis
Fall 2024
BIO 350: Molecular Genetics
BIO 451C: Developmental Biology
BIO 485H: Undergraduate Research - Honors
BIO 485: Undergraduate Research
BIO 551: Developmental Biology
BIO 685: Graduate Research
BIO 699: Graduate Thesis
BIO 697: Independent Study