Divisions

Basic Research » Faculty & Research

James E. Trosko, Ph. D
  1. Mechanisms of the initiation, promotion and progression phases of human carcinogenesis.
  2. The shared roles of cell-cell communication in birth defects, tumor promotion, immuno-modulation, atherogenesis, diabetigenesis, reproductive- and neuro-toxicities.
  3. Interaction of genetic and environmental (dietary) factors in human childhood diseases.
  4. Development of new chemopreventive & chemotherapeutic strategies for disease prevention and treatment based on modulating adult human stem cells and cell–cell communication.
  5. Development of both in vitro & in vivo assays to detect either chemopreventive/chemotherapeutic agents or for toxicological testing.
  6. Isolation and characterization of human adult stem cells for mechanistic role in human cancer, for toxicity testing and for new drug development (Pancreas, prostate, breast, liver, brain).
  7. Theoretical basis of maternal modulation of embryonic/fetal adult stem cells by exposure to drugs, environmental agents and dietary factors that can influence health & diseases in offspring.
  8. Modulation of adult stem cell pool and quality of adult stem cells on aging and diseases of aging.
  9. Role of toxin/toxicant induced redox changes on intracellular signaling that affects homeostatic control of cell behavior in tissues.
  10. Chemical toxicants as epigenetic modulators rather than as mutagens.
  11. Concepts of human nature as they apply to ethical principles.

Chia-Cheng Chang, Ph. D.
  1. Human adult stem cells (liver, kidney) for toxicity screening (NIH-funded, 2005-2009).
  2. Development of human and animal stem cells (pancreatic, kidney, liver, mesenchymal, bone-marrow-derived stem cells, etc) for clinical applications.
  3. Chemical modification of adult stem cell cultures to enhance pluripotency and self-renewal ability.
Current visiting scholars: Drs.Te-Chuan Chen, Shao-Ju Chien; Graduate students: Manish Neupane, Sun Tae Kim, Kannika Siripattarapravat.

B.V. Mahdukar, Ph. D.
  1. Mechanisms of epigenetic effects of halogenated aromatics (NIH funded 2000-2007).
  2. Isolation and characterization of precursor cells from neonatal rat cerebellum.
  3. Pluripotent stem-like cells from adult human pancreatic tissue.
Brad Upham, Ph. D.
  1. Determining the molecular mechanisms of environmental and food borne toxicants at the epigenetic level using in vitro stem cell model systems.
  2. Development of new proteomic and metabolomic approaches in mapping out novel signal transduction pathways activated in a cell’s response to extracellular signals including environmental toxicants.
  3. Establishing the role of reactive oxygen in oxidative signaling controlling cell fate.
  4. Determining the mode of action of natural and synthetic chemopreventative agents.
  5. Development of novel nano- and micro-sensors for the analyses of metabolites.
  6. Design and assessment of environmental engineering remediation systems.
Karen Friderici Ph.D. (joint appointment with Microbiology and Molecular Genetics)
  1. Mapping and identification of hearing loss genes
  2. Pathophysiology of mutations in the gamma-actin gene
  3. Identification and definition of a region controlling the expression of the Connexin 26 gene and its role in congenital recessive hearing impairment
Collaborators:
  • Dr. Jill Elfenbein, Ph.D. Communicative Disorders
  • Dr. Rachel Fisher, M.B.,B.S., Ph.D. Pediatrics and Human Development
NIH funded

Identification of genes contributing to ADHD

Collaborators: 
  • Dr. Joel Nigg, Ph.D. Psychology
  • Dr. Marsha Rappley, M.D. Pediatrics and Human Development
NIH funded

Rachel Fisher, M.B.B.S., Ph.D
  1. Mapping and identification of hearing loss genes (see Dr. Friderici)
  2. Identification of precursors and pathways to cerebral palsy
Collaborative group led by Dr. Nigel Paneth, MD. Epidemiology

Development of novel methods to store biological samples and development of a Biotrust

Collaborators:
  • Dr. Nigel Paneth, MD. Epidemiology
  • Dr. Clark Radcliffe, Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering
  • Dr. Patricia Senacore, M.D. Physiology
  • Dr. Jon Sticklen, Ph.D., Computer Science
  • Dr. William Punch, Ph.D., Computer Science
Development of methods to tabulate and record large family/population isolate data

Collaborator:
  • Joseph Bonner, MS, Biomedical Research and Informatics Center