Laura Bridgewater

Research Interests

One major focus of research in the Bridgewater Lab is the novel nuclear variant of BMP2, which we discovered in 2010 and named nBMP2. BMP2 has previously been recognized as a secreted growth factor that participates in bone and cartilage formation, limb formation, patterning, heart development, and apoptosis. We discovered another form of BMP2 that is translated from the same mRNA transcript but from an alternative downstream start codon, which eliminates the signal peptide and thus prevents trafficking through the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and Golgi. Instead, translation occurs in the cytoplasm and a nuclear localization signal directs translocation to the nucleus. We generated a “knock-in” mouse line in which nuclear translocation of nBMP2 is blocked while secreted BMP2 is produced normally, and we discovered in that model that nBMP2 affects skeletal muscle contractions, learning and memory, and immune response.

Our second area of emphasis is the gut microbiota and its effects on obesity, type 2 diabetes, anxiety, and depression. We have recently published evidence suggesting that stress can alter the composition of the gut microbiota in females much the same way a high fat diet does. We are testing the hypothesis that bacteriophages (viruses that target bacteria) can be used therapeutically to inhibit the growth of inflammation-causing bacteria in the gut.

Teaching Interests

Molecular Biology

Honors and Awards

• Expert Speaker, Gut-Brain Axis Summit, San Franciso, CA (2017 - 2017)
• Featured Speaker, 26th Annual Russell B. Clark Gerontology Conference, BYU (2016 - 2016)
• Featured Speaker, 26th Annual Russell B. Clark Gerontology Conference, BYU Gerontology Program (2016 - 2016)
• BYU New Graduate Student Dinner, Keynote Speaker, BYU Office of Graduate Studies (2015 - 2015)
• Keynote Speaker, Inauguration of the Richard G. Scott Science Scholarship, Utah Valley University (2012 - 2012)
• Science Symposium Series, Inaugural Speaker, Utah Valley University (2012 - 2012)
• Forum Speaker, Brigham Young University (2010 - 2010)
• Scholarship Award, BYU Faculty Women's Association (2009 - 2009)
• College Outstanding Mentor Award, BYU College of Life Sciences (2008 - 2008)
• Young Scholar Award, Brigham Young University (2004 - 2007)
• Alice Louise Reynolds Women-In-Scholarship Lecturer, BYU Harold B. Lee Library (2006 - 2006)
• College Creative Achievement Award, BYU College of Biology and Agriculture (2006 - 2006)
• Postdoctoral Fellowship Award, Damon Runyon-Walter Winchell Foundation (1997 - 1999)

Administrative Assignments

• Life Sciences: Dean (2022 - Present)
• BYU: Associate Vice President (2018 - 2022)
• College of Life Sciences: Associate Dean (2016 - 2018)
• Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology: Department Chair (2011 - 2014)

Memberships

• International Society for Microbial Ecology (2014 - Present)
• American Association for Cancer Research (1999 - Present)
• American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (1997 - Present)
• American Association for the Advancement of Science (1990 - Present)
• American Society for Cell and Gene Therapy (2013 - 2014)

Professional Citizenship

• Editorial Review Board Member, Scientific Reports (2018 - 2019)
• Grant Proposal Reviewer, External, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Rehabilitation Research and Development Service, Regenerative Medicine Panel (2018 - 2018)
• Grant Proposal Reviewer, External, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Rehabilitation Research and Development Service, Regenerative Medicine Panel (2017 - 2017)
• Conference-Related Role, LDS Life Sciences Research Symposium (2013 - 2016)
• Grant Proposal Reviewer, External, NIH Musculoskeletal, Oral, and Skin Sciences (MOSS) Integrated Review Group (2016 - 2016)
• Grant Proposal Reviewer, External, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Rehabilitation Research and Development Service, Regenerative Medicine Panel (2016 - 2016)
• Grant Proposal Reviewer, External, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Rehabilitation Research and Development Service, Regenerative Medicine Panel (2016 - 2016)
• Grant Proposal Reviewer, External, NIH Skeletal Biology Structure & Regeneration Study Section, Musculoskeletal, Oral, and Skin Sciences Integrated Review Group (2011 - 2011)
• Grant Proposal Reviewer, External, NSF Physiological & Structural Systems Cluster Proposal Review Panel of Symbiosis Defense and Self-Recognition (2011 - 2011)
• Grant Proposal Reviewer, External, NIH Skeletal Biology Structure and Regeneration Study Section, Musculoskeletal, Oral, and Skin Sciences Integrated Review Group (2010 - 2010)
• Grant Proposal Reviewer, External, NIH Skeletal Biology Structure and Regeneration Study Section, Musculoskeletal, Oral, & Skin Sciences Integrated Review Group Special Emphasis Panel (2010 - 2010)
• Grant Proposal Reviewer, External, NIH Musculoskeletal, Oral, & Skin Sciences, Challenge Grants in Health and Science Research Review Group (2009 - 2009)
• Grant Proposal Reviewer, External, NIH Skeletal Biology Structure & Regeneration Study Section, Musculoskeletal, Oral, and Skin Sciences Integrated Review Group (2007 - 2007)
• Grant Proposal Reviewer, External, NIH Skeletal Biology Structure & Regeneration Scientific Review Group (2006 - 2006)
• Grant Proposal Reviewer, External, NSF (2006 - 2006)
• Grant Proposal Reviewer, External, National Institute for Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, Centers of Research Translation Special Review Group (2006 - 2006)
• Grant Proposal Reviewer, External, NSF (2005 - 2005)
• Grant Proposal Reviewer, External, NIH Undergraduate Scholarship Program (2003 - 2004)
• Board Member, Board of Directors, Texas Society for Biomedical Research (1998 - 1999)

Courses Taught

Show Previous Years

Publications

Jeralyn J Franson Julianne H Grose Kaitlyn W Larson Laura Clarke Bridgewater Claudia Tellez Freitas Haley R Burrell Jonard C Valdoz Garrett J Hamblin Carlee M Raymond Tyler D Cox Deborah K Johnson Joshua L Andersen K Scott Weber Laura C Bridgewater Jenny A. Pape Colleen R. Newey Haley R. Burrell Audrey Workman Katelyn Perry Benjamin T. Bikman Laura C. Bridgewater Julianne House Grose Kelly Scott Weber Laura Clarke Bridgewater Jamie L Jensen Donald Philip Breakwell Brent Nielsen Steven M Johnson Laura Clarke Bridgewater Chenhong Zhang Yanqiu Wu Weiwei Hu Qianpeng Zhang Jing Wang Shengtian Li Liping Zhao Ryan Daniel Cordner Lindsey N Friend Jaime L Mayo Corinne Badgley Andrew Wallman Conrad N Stallings Peter L Young Darla R Miles Jeff Glen Edwards Laura Clarke Bridgewater Brandon J Rose Robert E Seegmiller Laura Clarke Bridgewater David Lee Kooyman Amanda Beatty Anton E Bowden Laura Clarke Bridgewater Wenmin Long Zhengsheng Xue Qianpeng Zhang Zhou Feng Laura Clarke Bridgewater Linghua Wang Liping Zhao Xiaoyan Pang Chenhong Zhang Aihu Yin Hongde Li Ruirui Wang Guojun Wu Jian Shen Menghui Zhan Linghua Wang Yaping Hou Haimei Ouyang Yan Zhang Yinan Zheng Jicheng Wang Xiaofei Lu Yulan Wang Feng Zhang Benhua Zhang Wenxia Li Feiyan Yan Yufeng Zhao Xiaoyan Pang Xiaojun Zhang Huaqing Fu Feng Chen Naisi Zhao Bruce R Hamaker Laura Clarke Bridgewater David Weinkove Karine Clement Joel Dore Elaine Holmes Huasheng Xiao Guoping Zhao Shengli Yang Peer Bork Jeremy K Nicholson Hong Wei Huiru Tang Xiaozhuang Zhang Liping Zhao Daniel S Olsen Wesley A Goar Brandt A Nichols Kimball Tyson Bailey S Loyd Christensen Kayla R Merriam Paul Rulon Reynolds Eric Wilson Kelly Scott Weber Laura Clarke Bridgewater Dean K Stolworthy Anton E Bowden Beverly L Roeder Todd Fergus Robinson Jacob G Holland S Lloyd Christensen Amanda M Beatty Laura Clarke Bridgewater Dennis Lee Eggett John D Wendel Susanne M Stieger-Vanegas Meredith D Taylor Zhengsheng Xue Wenping Zhang Linghua Wang Rong Hou Menghui Zhang Lisong Fei Xiaojun Zhang He Huang Laura Clarke Bridgewater Yi Jiang Chenglin Jiang Liping Zhao Xiaoyan Pang Zhihe Zhang Hui Chen Ying Liu Menghui Zhang Guoyang Wang Zhengnan Qi Laura Clarke Bridgewater Liping Zhao Zisheng Tang Xiaoyan Pang Dean K Stolworthy Rebecca A Fullwood Tyler M Merrell Laura Clarke Bridgewater Anton E Bowden Laura Clarke Bridgewater Jaime L Mayo Bradley G Evanson Megan E Whitt Spencer A Dean Joshua D Yates Devin N Holden Alina D Schmidt Christopher L Fox Saroj Dhunghel Kevin S Steed Michael M Adam Caitlin A Nichols Sampath K Loganathan Jeffery Richard Barrow Chad R Hancock Melissa L Ricks Jason T Farrell David J Falk David W Holt Matthew Rees Jillian Carr Tayloy Williams Brandt A Nichols Laura Clarke Bridgewater Paul Rulon Reynolds David Lee Kooyman Robert E Seegmiller David W Holt Michael L Henderson Chris E Stockdale Jason T Ferrell David Lee Kooyman Laura Clarke Bridgewater Robert E Seegmiller David W Holt Michael L Henderson C E Stockdale Jason T Farrell David Lee Kooyman Laura Clarke Bridgewater Robert E Seegmiller Jenny Erika Jalmbrant Felin Jaime L Mayo Trina J Loos J Daniel Jensen Daniel K Sperry Stephanie L Gaufin Christopher A Meinhart Jennie B Moss Laura Clarke Bridgewater Jaime L. Mayo Devin N. Holden Jeffery Richard Barrow Laura Clarke Bridgewater P. Muller Justin D. Crofts Ben S. Newman Laura Clarke Bridgewater Chin Yo Lin C. Y. Gustafsson A. Strom Robert E Seegmiller B. D. Bomsta Laura Clarke Bridgewater C. M. Niederhauser C. Montano Sterling N Sudweeks D. R. Eyre R. J. Fernades Laura Clarke Bridgewater Mary Ann Genzer B. D. Bomsta Laura Clarke Bridgewater Robert E Seegmiller Laura Clarke Bridgewater Elizabeth Jenkins Jennie B. Moss James M. Pace Laura Clarke Bridgewater Harukiko Akiyama Kamitani Tetsu Xiaohong Yang Roshini Kandy Marc Fellous Yuko Mori-Akiyama Benoit de Crombrugghe Laura Clarke Bridgewater R. R. Rodriguez Robert E Seegmiller Michael Robert Stark Laura Clarke Bridgewater M. D. Walker G. C. Miller T. A. Ellison L. D. Holsinger J. L. Potter T. L. Jackson R. K. Chen V. L. Winkel Z. Zhang S. McKinney B. de Crombrugghe J. E. Ricks V. M. Ryder Laura Clarke Bridgewater G Bruce Schaalje Robert E Seegmiller Laura Clarke Bridgewater F. C.R. Manning S. R. Patierno Laura Clarke Bridgewater V. Lefebvre B. de Crombrugghe Laura Clarke Bridgewater J. T. Singh S. R. Patierno Laura Clarke Bridgewater F. C. R. Manning S. R. Patierno Laura Clarke Bridgewater F. C. R. Manning E. S. Woo S. R. Patierno Laura Clarke Bridgewater F. C. R. Manning L. J. Blankenship J. P. Wise J. Xu S. R. Patierno Laura Clarke Bridgewater W. B. Hepworth J. C. Carey Robert E Seegmiller

Presentations