Irina Tourkova, PhD

Research Instructor

Irina L. Tourkova is a member of the Division of Clinical Chemistry.

Specialties

Bone metabolism and Tumor Immunology

Education & Training
MS - Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russia, 1983
PhD - Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Moscow, Russia, 1998
Research Interests

Dr. Tourkova is studying bone metabolism, the regulation of bone turnover, and the mechanisms by which bone is deposited and resorbed. She is also investigating the importance of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), and 17β-estradiol (E2) in bone maintenance. Additionally, Dr. Tourkova is participating in laboratory research of mechanisms of bone mineral deposition by regulation of pH.

Before that Dr. Tourkova was working on the studying of the immunological basis of cancer, including impaired DC generation, function, and survival in cancer.

Representative Publications

View Dr. Tourkova publications on PubMed:

  • Larrouture QC, Tourkova IL, Stolz DB, Riazanski V, Onwuka KM, Franks JM, Dobrowolski SF, Nelson DJ, Schlesinger PH, Blair HC. Growth and mineralization of osteoblasts from mesenchymal stem cells on microporous membranes: Epithelial-like growth with transmembrane resistance and pH gradient. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2021 Sep 29;580:14-19 doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2021.09.075. Online ahead of print.
  • Robinson LJ, Soboloff J, Tourkova IL, Larrouture QC, Witt MR, Gross S, Hooper R, Samakai E, Worley PF, Barnett JB, Blair HC. The function of the calcium channel Orai1 in osteoclast development. FASEB J. 2021 Jun;35(6):e21653
  • Dobrowolski SF, Tourkova IL, Sudano CR, Larrouture QC, Blair HC. A New View of Bone Loss in Phenylketonuria. Organogenesis. 2021 Aug 25;1-6. doi: 10.1080/15476278.2021.1949865. Online ahead of print.
  • Tourkova IL, Dobrowolski SF, Secunda C, Zaidi M, Papadimitriou-Olivgeri I, Papachristou DJ, Blair HC. The high-density lipoprotein receptor Scarb1 is required for normal bone differentiation in vivo and in vitro. Lab Invest. 99(12):1850-1860, 2019.
  • Tantikanlayaporn D, Tourkova IL, Larrouture Q, Luo J, Piyachaturawat P, Witt MR, Blair HC, Robinson LJ. Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Modulates the Effect of Estrogen in Human Osteoblasts. JBMR Plus. 2(4):217-226, 2018.
  • Tourkova IL, Liu L, Sutjarit N, Larrouture QC, Luo J, Robinson LJ, Blair HC. Adrenocorticotropic Hormone and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 Enhance Human Osteogenesis In Vitro by Synergistically Accelerating Expression of Bone-specific Genes. Lab Invest. 1-12, 2017.
  • Tourkova IL, Witt MR, Li L, Larrouture Q, Liu L, Luo J, Robinson LJ, Blair HC. Follicle Stimulating Hormone Receptor in Mesenchymal Stem Cells Integrates Effects of Glycoprotein Reproductive Hormones. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2015 Jan;1335:100-9.