Paige C. Arneson-Wissink, PhD

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Discipline

Center for Genetic Diseases

Bio

Dr. Paige Arneson-Wissink grew up in Wisconsin and got her bachelor’s degree at University of Wisconsin-Superior (2016), before completing her PhD at Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (2021) in Rochester, Minnesota. She then completed postdoctoral training at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, Oregon. During her Postdoc, Dr. Arneson-Wissink was the recipient of a competitive National Cancer Institute K99 award. Her work is centered around understanding the molecular mechanisms of cachexia recovery, with specific focus on epigenetic control of liver metabolism and muscle homeostasis. Dr. Arneson-Wissink is a leader of the Cancer Cachexia Society’s Women in Cachexia Initiative and is passionate about mentoring trainees. 

Research

The 5-year survival for patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) increased to 12% for the first time in 2022, marking improvements in early detection and PDAC treatment. Survivors of PDAC report long-term symptoms, including unresolved fatigue, difficulty gaining and maintaining body mass, and cognitive impairments. In the absence of tractable preclinical models of survivorship, there remains a gap in understanding the mechanisms underlying these persistent symptoms. Cancer cachexia is a complex syndrome resulting in skeletal muscle loss, decreased quality of life, and increased mortality in patients diagnosed with cancer. Cachexia manipulates systemic metabolism by increasing proteolysis in the muscle, impairing nutritional intake due to anorexia, and suppressing hepatic lipid metabolism.

The Arneson-Wissink lab’s long-term scientific goal is to improve the quality of life of patients with and surviving cancer cachexia through a mechanistic understanding of inter-organ metabolic events. We are utilizing mouse models of PDAC recovery to better understand to understand the epigenetic, molecular, and metabolic changes that accompany cachexia development and recovery. We are also investigating the intersecting influences of cancer therapeutics, pre-existing disease, and the tumor on effective recovery of muscle mass and other aspects of cachexia. 

Publications

• Arneson-Wissink PC, Pelz K, Worley B, et al. Impaired Adipose Anabolism in Pancreatic Cancer Cachexia Is Reversed by HuR Inhibition. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2026;17(2):e70253. doi:10.1002/jcsm.70253
• Arneson-Wissink PC, Bartlett AQ, Mendez H, et al. Interleukin 6 drives durable T cell-mediated immunity to pancreatic cancer. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol. Published online March 16, 2026:101768. doi:10.1016/j.jcmgh.2026.101768
• Li X, Zhu X, Diba P, Shi X, Vrieling F, Jansen FAC, Balvers MG, de Bus I, Levasseur PR, Sattler A, Arneson-Wissink PC, et al. Tumor-derived cyclooxygenase-2 fuels hypothalamic inflammation. Tumor-derived cyclooxygenase-2 fuels hypothalamic inflammation. Brain Behav Immun. 2025;123:886-902.
• Arneson-Wissink PC, Mendez H, Pelz K, et al. Hepatic signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 signalling drives early-stage pancreatic cancer cachexia via suppressed ketogenesis. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2024;15(3):975-988. doi:10.1002/jcsm.13466
• Schmitt RE, Dasgupta A, Arneson‐Wissink PC, Datta S, Ducharme AM, Doles JD. Muscle stem cells contribute to long‐term tissue repletion following surgical sepsis. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2023;14(3):1424-1440.
• Dasgupta A, Gibbard DF, Schmitt RE, Arneson-Wissink PC, et al. A TGF-β/KLF10 signaling axis regulates atrophy-associated genes to induce muscle wasting in pancreatic cancer. Proc Natl Acad Sci. 2023;120(34):e2215095120.
• Arneson-Wissink PC, Doles JD. Quantification of Muscle Stem Cell Differentiation Using Live-Cell Imaging and Eccentricity Measures. Methods Mol Biol. 2022;2429:455-471. doi:10.1007/978-1-0716-1979-7_31
• Dasgupta A, Arneson-Wissink PC, Schmitt RE, et al. Anticachectic regulator analysis reveals Perp-dependent antitumorigenic properties of 3-methyladenine in pancreatic cancer. JCI Insight. 2022;7(2).
• Arneson-Wissink PC, Doles JD. Disrupted NOS2 metabolism drives myoblast response to wasting-associated cytokines. Exp Cell Res. 2021;407(1):112779.
• Arneson-Wissink PC, Ducharme AM, Doles JD. A novel transplantable model of lung cancer-associated tissue loss and disrupted muscle regeneration. Skelet Muscle. 2020;10(1):1-13.
• Arneson‐Wissink PC, Hogan KA, Ducharme AM, Samani A, Jatoi A, Doles JD. The wasting‐associated metabolite succinate disrupts myogenesis and impairs skeletal muscle regeneration. JCSM Rapid Commun. 2020;3(2):56-69.
• Arneson PC, Doles JD. Impaired muscle regeneration in cancer-associated cachexia. Trends Cancer. 2019;5(10):579-582.
• Hogan KA, Cho DS, Arneson PC, et al. Tumor-derived cytokines impair myogenesis and alter the skeletal muscle immune microenvironment. Cytokine. Published online November 11, 2017. doi:10.1016/j.cyto.2017.11.006