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Ph.D. program recently graduates three students

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This year has been an exceptional year in the BMS program for student graduates. The following students have recently successfully defended their Ph.D. dissertations:

J. Mike Brown, Ph.D.J. Mike Brown, Ph.D. – Mike was mentored by Dr. Monica Valentovic. His dissertation is entitled: “A Mechanistic Study of S-Adenosyl-L-methionine Protection Against Acetaminophen Hepatotoxicity.” He is currently a third-year pharmacy student at the University of Charleston School of Pharmacy.

 

 

 


Madhukar Kolli, Ph.D., D.V.M.

Madhukar Kolli, Ph.D., D.V.M. – Dr. Eric Blough mentored Madhukar. His dissertation title is: “The Use of Cerium Oxide and Curcumin Nanoparticles as Therapeutic Agents for the Treatment of Ventricular Hypertrophy Following Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension.” He is currently working as a Veterinarian in Barboursville, W.Va.

 

 

Siva Nalabotu, Ph.D.Siva Krishna Nalabotu, Ph.D., D.V.M. – Siva was mentored by Dr. Eric Blough. His dissertation is entitled: “Evaluation of the role of oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis in the pulmonary and the hepatic toxicity induced by cerium oxide nanoparticles following intratracheal instillation in male sprague-dawley rats.” Siva will next be working as an Assistant Veterinarian at Banfield Pet Hospital in Florence, Ky. He says that he will use his research skills to educate his clients about the toxicity of different substances and the precautionary measures that can be taken to avoid toxicity in pets.

In Siva’s own words, “The experience I got from the Ph.D. program was utmost in my life. They were the best days in my life. I had excellent committee members who were very knowledgeable and highly encouraging. My advisor, Dr. Blough, was wonderful in guiding me throughout the program, and his valuable suggestions will be invaluable for my future. I also would like to thank Dr. Valentovic, who was very caring and helpful in advising me regarding the crucial decisions in my career.”

Congratulations, Mike, Madhukar, and Siva!

We have recently had several other students defend dissertations, and we will update you on them as soon as their graduation status is official.

BMS Program celebrates Eighth Annual Biomedical Sciences Research Retreat

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Sarah Mathis, Ph.D. candidateOn August 24, the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program hosted is ninth annual research retreat. Every year, faculty, staff, and research students in the program gather to share their research, enjoy a speech by an alumni guest, and present awards for research and service. The event, which was organized by Dr. Beverly Delidow, and took place at the Pullman Plaza Hotel. According to Diana R. Maue, Graduate Recruitment Coordinator for the program, “Every year at this event, we celebrate the Marshall Biomedical Sciences family and biomedical research itself.”

The event kicked off with a luncheon and poster session. This portion of the retreat gives everyone a chance to socialize and catch up on research developments in the program. After the poster session, a member of each research cluster gave a short speech. The alumni guest speaker then presented.  

Nathan Head, Ph.D.The alumni guest speaker this year was Nathan Head, Ph.D. Dr. Head currently serves as a Supervisory Special Agent for the FBI Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate (WMDD). This agency was created in 2006 to coordinate federal resources with the goal of preventing attacks involving radiological, nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons. His talk was entitled: “The Road Not Taken: Leaving Academia to Explore an Alternative Career in the Sciences.” His experiences give a stunning example of the possibilities that await for graduates of our program.

 The alumni speaker was followed by the awards presentation. The following awards were presented at the retreat:

M. Allison Wolf and Richard Niles, Ph.D.M. Allison Wolf, President of the BMS Graduate Student Organization (GSO), won the award for Best Overall Performance as a Graduate Student plaque. The award includes a plaque and paid trip to an international meeting (up to $3500). Allison is a Ph.D. Candidate working in Dr. Claudio’s lab.

 

 

 

Johannes Fahrmann and Richard Niles, Ph.D.Johannes Fahrmann, Vice President of the BMS GSO, received the award for Best Research Performance as a Graduate Student. Johannes received a plaque and paid trip to a national meeting (up to $2,000). He is a Ph.D. Candidate in Dr. Hardman’s lab.

 

 

 

 

Saeed Keshavarzian and Richard Niles, Ph.D.

Saeed Keshavarzian was honored for being the Medical Sciences student with the highest first year g.p.a.

 

 

 

 

Stephanie Van Meter and Richard Niles, Ph.D.Stephanie Van Meter was awarded for being the Ph.D. student with the highest first year g.p.a.

 

 

 

 

M. Allison Wolf and Stephen RogersSteven Rogers, who is now a Ph.D. student in Dr. Blough’s lab, won the new GSO M.S. Student Scholarship.

 

 

 

 

M. Allison Wolf and Miranda CarperMiranda Carper, a Ph.D. Candidate in Dr. Claudio’s lab, won the new GSO Ph.D. Student Scholarship.

 

 

 

 

M. Allison Wolf and Margaret McFarlandMargaret McFarland and Connie Berk tied for the GSO Staff Appreciation Award.

 

 

 

 

M. Allison Wolf and Richard Egleton, Ph.D.

Dr. Richard Egleton won the GSO Faculty Appreciation Award.

 

 

 

 

Congratulations to the award winners, and thank you to the participants. We look forward to seeing everyone at the next gathering.

BMS Graduate Program completes orientation week for incoming students

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bms-picnic-2012-092The Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program recently welcomed a new group of incoming students. Each year, the program hosts an orientation for students entering the Ph.D., M.S. (Research Option), and M.S. (Medical Sciences) programs.

The program welcomed an impressive group from a wide variety of undergraduate institutions, including:

 

  • California Lutheran University
  • College of The Holy Cross
  • Glenville State College
  • Grambling State University
  • International (China)
  • Marshall University
  • Roanoke College
  • Seton Hill College
  • The Ohio State University
  • University of Kentucky
  • University of TN, Knoxville
  • University of South Florida
  • WV State University
  • West Virginia University

The first day of orientation included a campus tour, Biotechnology Science Center tour, posing for a class picture, lunch with faculty and fellow classmates, and learning about curricula and opportunities for growth. The Ph.D. and Research M.S. students also were introduced to the research within each cluster by respective faculty members, while the Medical Sciences’ students had the welcomed opportunity to meet with Cindy Warren from the medical school. 

bms-picnic-2012-107But, what would orientation be without the annual BMS Picnic! Later that day, incoming students gathered at Rotary Park for the fun and informal opportunity to meet their classmates, interact with current BMS students, and get to know faculty, staff and administrators. There were icebreaker games, as well as others, and great food. Check out the photo gallery to see the fun!

The program congratulates the new students on entering the program, and wishes them good luck in their first year!

To see all of the photos from the picnic, check out our Events Gallery.

JCE School of Medicine Faculty Present Research at the National IDeA Meeting

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Every two years the National IDeA Symposium of Biomedical Research Excellence (NISBRE) meeting is held in Washington D.C. to bring together faculty, fellows and students that participate in the National Institutes of Health’s Institutional Development Award (IDeA) programs. This year the NISBRE meeting was held June 25-27, 2012 at the Benja Lamyaithong Marshall INBRE studentOmni Shoreham Hotel and was attended by six faculty members from the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University in the West Virginia IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (WV-INBRE) program, three from West Virginia University and one each from Bluefield State College, Concord College, West Virginia State University, West Virginia Wesleyan College and the University of Charleston. Several of the Marshall University faculty presented research during the meeting including Drs. Monica Valentovic, Nalini Santanam Nalini Santanam, Ph.D./M.P.H.and Travis Salisbury from the Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Toxicology and Dr. Donald Primerano from the Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology. Also presenting research was Andre Benja Lamyaithong, an undergraduate student at Wheeling Jesuit University, who has been conducting research on antidotes for acetaminophen overdose with Dr. Valentovic for two summers as part of the West Virginia INBRE summer research program. Other JCE School of Medicine faculty members attending the meeting were: Dr. Jim Denvir, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, who co-authored the work with Dr. Primerano; and Dr. Gary Rankin, Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Toxicology, who is a member of the Executive Planning Committee for the NISBRE meeting. 

 

Monica Valentovic, Ph.D.Dr.Valentovic’s research on how a component of grapes and red wine (resveratrol) can reduce damage to the kidney caused by a commonly used drug (cisplatin) to treat cancer was presented in a regular research session and highlighted in a special session on clinical and translational research. In addition, Dr. Primerano’s research into the genetics of families with high blood cholesterol was highlighted in a special session on cardiovascular disease.

The IDeA program was started in 1993 to help increase the biomedical research competitiveness in states that receive only small amounts of research funding from the National Institutes of Health. The IDeA program is composed of two award programs, one (Centers Of Biomedical Research Excellence; COBRE) that is designed to create centers with a biomedical research focus at larger research schools and a second program (INBRE) designed to build the biomedical research infrastructure at smaller colleges and universities and provide biomedical research training primarily to undergraduate students.Travis Salisbury, Ph.D. Currently, 23 states and Puerto Rico are eligible to compete for COBRE or INBRE grants. Marshall University was awarded an INBRE grant as the lead institution in 2004 with West Virginia University serving as a partner lead institution.  Dr. Gary Rankin, Professor and Chair of the Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Toxicology at Marshall University is the Principal Investigator for the WV-INBRE program.

Dr. Piyali Dasgupta awarded NIH grant for lung cancer research

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Piyali Dagupta, Ph.D., and Monica Valentovic, Ph.D.HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Marshall University faculty member has been awarded a three-year, $426,000 grant by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to further her lung cancer research.
 
Dr. Piyali Dasgupta, associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Toxicology in the university’s Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, will use the grant to continue her work to determine if the nutritional agent capsaicin—the active ingredient in chili peppers—can improve the anti-cancer activity of the commonly used chemotherapy drug cisplatin in patients with small cell lung cancer.
 
Dasgupta received the funding through the National Cancer Institute’s Academic Research Enhancement Award program. The program supports research projects in the biomedical and behavioral sciences that strengthen the research environment of the institution and expose students to research. Her co-investigator is Dr. Monica Valentovic, a professor in the same department.
 
“Small cell lung cancer is characterized by a high rate of growth, early metastasis and a dismal survival rate,” said Dasgupta. “Although chemotherapy works well initially in these patients, they often relapse quickly and become unresponsive to chemotherapy. Since the preliminary data in our laboratory shows that capsaicin manifests anti-cancer activity in this type of cancer, we are hopeful our studies under this new grant may lead to new treatments.”
 
She continued, “I am thrilled to receive this funding and I am grateful to a lot of people who have been instrumental in our success to this point. My collaborator Dr. Valentovic is a fabulous scientist to work with. I am also grateful to all the members of my lab for their hard work and dedication.”
 
Dasgupta also acknowledged the support of the chairman of her department, Dr. Gary Rankin, and acknowledged Dr. Marcia Harrison and the MU-ADVANCE program, which she says made it possible for undergraduate students to work in her lab. MU-ADVANCE is a National Science Foundation-funded program to help increase the number of female science and engineering faculty at the university.
 
Dasgupta says she believes her proposal was selected for funding at least in part because the grant program’s focus on student research made it a good match for her lab. Undergraduates working in her lab have a track record of receiving research grants, authoring publications and presenting their findings at international conferences.
 
Dr. John M. Maher, Marshall’s vice president for research, congratulated the researchers, saying, “NIH grants are extraordinarily competitive, and I applaud Drs. Dasgupta and Valentovic for having a successful application. They are doing vital research that may very well have a positive impact on human health in the not-so-distant future. In addition, the grant will allow them to continue to give students hands-on, meaningful research opportunities in the lab.”
 
In addition to receiving the new NIH funding, Dasgupta recently was notified that her grant from the Flight Attendant Medical Research Institute has been renewed for an additional two years. The renewal, which extends the original three-year award, makes the total grant worth nearly $550,000. That grant is funding Dasgupta’s study of how nicotine, the active component in cigarette smoke, facilitates the progression of lung cancer. Valentovic is also the co-investigator on that award. 

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Dr. Vincent Sollars serves as guest editor of an ebook on epigenetics with Genetics Research International

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Cover image (links to full cover): The Role of Epigenetics in Evlotion

Dr. Vincent E. Sollars of the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program recently served as the guest editor of an ebook for Genetics Research International. The ebook is entitled The Role of Epigenetics in Evolution: The Extended Synthesis.

The purpose of the publication is to provide discourse on the ways in which epigenetics, or non-sequence-based changes in DNA, can be incorporated into evolutionary theory.  According to Dr. Sollars, “The traditional dogma of mutational change, leveraged by natural selection, leaves out the advancing field of epigenetics.  This book will assist in incorporating those ideas into evolutionary theory.”

Dr. Sollars is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. He researches within two research clusters: Cancer Biology and Infectious and Immunological Diseases.

Genetics Research International publishes articles covering many diverse areas of genetics. It is an open access, peer-reviewed journal featuring review articles, research articles, and clinical studies. The intended audience for this ebook includes researchers in the field of epigenetics and/or evolution.

Digital copies and hard copies can be procured online via the publisher, Hindawi, at the following link:

http://www.hindawi.com/journals/gri/2012/286164/ 

Drs. Claudio and Niles co-edit and publish an ebook on nutrition and cancer featuring BMS professors and students

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Cover of "Nutrition and Cancer: From Epidemiology to Biology"Pier Paolo Claudio, M.D./Ph.D., and Richard M. Niles, Ph.D., of the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program have co-edited and written articles in an ebook entitled “Nutrition and Cancer: From Epidemiology to Biology.” This ebook is one of the latest efforts of cancer researchers at the Marshall University Nutrition and Cancer Center, where the role of nutrition in cancer is actively and successfully investigated. The ebook contains a collection of scientific articles, written by researchers and students in the Marshall University Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program.  

The purpose of this publication is to educate and inform the public regarding the latest knowledge on nutrition and cancer. It focuses on the role of various nutritional components in cancer prevention, as well their present and future use in cancer therapy. According to Dr. Pier Paolo Claudio, “This e-book will be of interest to researchers in the nutrition and cancer field, physicians in family and community medicine, internal medicine and oncology, as well as dieticians providing counseling to cancer patients and cancer survivors.”

Dr. Niles says that the best description of the importance of this book can be found within the foreword, written by Dr. Gary Meadows of Washington State University:

“While we as individuals cannot modify our genetic makeup and may have little control over the multitude of carcinogens in our environment, we have the power to make healthy diet-based choices that can significantly modify cancer risk and progression. The authors have structured this book not only to review the epidemiological studies that support the roles of selected nutrients/phytochemicals in cancer control, but also they review the cellular and molecular pathways involved in their action as well as the clinical data related to their efficacy in cancer treatment. Consequently, this book has wide appeal not only to researchers in the nutrition and cancer field, but also to oncology practitioners, dieticians, as well as cancer survivors, who are interested learning how healthy dietary choices can enhance their quality of life.” 

According to Dr. Niles, editing the book involved reviewing each chapter and making suggestions for improvement of the content handwriting. He also co-wrote a chapter with Dr. Rankin on resveratrol, found in high concentration in red wine, and its ability to inhibit the development or progression of certain types of cancer. Dr. Claudio co-wrote an article with Ph.D. candidate M. Allison Wolf on isothiocyanates, phytochemicals found in cruciferous vegetables, which his lab found to target carcinogenesis during tumor initiation, promotion, and progression.

The following authors and articles are found within the ebook:

Richard M. Niles, Ph.D. and Gary O. Rankin, Ph.D.
Resveratrol, A Phytoalexin with a Multitude of Anti-Cancer Activities

Jamie K. Lau, Kathleen C. Brown, Aaron M. Dom and Piyali Dasgupta, Ph.D.
Capsaicin: Potential Applications in Cancer Therapy

W. Elaine Hardman, Ph.D.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids as an Adjuvant to Cancer Therapy

Richard Egleton, Ph.D.
Green Tea Catechins and Cancer

Kinsley Kelley Kiningham, Ph.D., and Anne Silvis
Receptor Independent Effects of Retinoids

Vincent E. Sollars, Ph.D.
Epigenetics as a Mechanism for Dietary Fatty Acids to Affect Hematopoietic Stem/Progenitor Cells And Leukemia – Royal Jelly for the Blood

Monica Valentovic, Ph.D. and Nalini Santanam, Ph.D./M.P.H.
Nutrition, Oxidative Stress and Cancer

John Wilkinson IV, Ph.D.
Is there an Etiologic Role for Dietary Iron and Red Meat in Breast Cancer Development?

M. Allison Wolf and Pier Paolo Claudio, M.D./Ph.D.
Isothiocyanates Target Carcinogenesis During Tumor Initiation, Promotion and Progression

The ebook can be ordered directly online through the Bentham Science website at the following link: http://198.247.95.142/ebooks/9781608054473/index.htm

First Annual Appalachian Regional Cell Conference to be held in October

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Appalachian Regional Cell Conference Posterby Allison Wolf

A collaborative effort between students at Marshall University, WVU, UK and OU has led to the organization of the first annual Appalachian Regional Cell Conference (ARCC). The goal of this scientific symposium is to foster interaction and future collaboration among students. Miranda Carper, former President of the GSO, calls the event a “a dynamic and interactive opportunity for research students to present their work to their peers.” The conference will host poster and oral presentations.

The event will be held on October 12, 2012 at the Charleston Area Medical Center in Charleston, WV. A grant received from the American Society for Cell Biology will provide the funding.

Dr. Vinay Pathak, who has worked with the National Cancer Institute since 1999 as a Senior Investigator, will deliver the keynote speech. Dr. Pathak’s lab focuses mostly on research projects relating to HIV drug resistance.

According to Graduate Student Organization (GSO) Vice President, Johannes Fahrmann, “one of the biggest advantages to a student run conference is the fact that it takes out some of the intimidation factor that may be involved with a larger scale meeting that is run by mostly established individuals.” GSO secretary Ben Owen adds that, “because this meeting is a smaller conference, as compared to national conferences sponsored by societies, students will have a better chance of networking with others in a more relaxed atmosphere.”

If you would like to receive an application, or have any questions about the ARCC conference, please contact Allison Wolf (teter6@marshall.edu).

Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine features dual-degree program with emphasis on research

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Joseph I. Shapiro, M.D., Dean of the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine at Marshall UniversityHUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Dr. Joseph I. Shapiro, dean of the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine at Marshall University, today announced revitalization of a research-focused dual-degree program at the School of Medicine.

The M.D./Ph.D. program has existed at Marshall since 1992, but operated on an ad hoc basis as students expressed interest.

The revised M.D./Ph.D. program is a seven-year commitment that allows students to graduate with both degrees, preparing them for careers in patient care and medical research.  

“The School of Medicine is positioned to offer students interested in medical research an enriching experience that combines traditional medical education with laboratory research in an effort to develop new treatments for their patients,” Shapiro said.   “The field of biomedical research is exploding with opportunity and we are thrilled to offer this degree option to our students.”

Dr. Richard Niles, senior associate dean for research and graduate education, says most of the students interested in the dual-degree program are interested in careers in academic medicine.

“Students exploring careers in research and medicine have historically found themselves having to choose one field or the other,” he said.  “This option allows them to pursue dual goals, combining their desire to help others through both clinical and research experiences.”

Niles says students interested in pursuing the combined degree will check off the corresponding box on their American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) application.  When Marshall receives the applications, they will be flagged for review by a subcommittee consisting of members of the medical school admission committee and the graduate studies committee which, in turn, will make admissions recommendations.

Additional application information is available at www.musom.marshall.edu/md-phd/

Marshall scientist awarded NIH grant for lung cancer research

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The following story from the Marshall University Research Corporation highlights two researchers within the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program: Piyali Dasgupta, Ph.D., and Monica Valentovic, Ph.D.

Piyali Dagupta, Ph.D., and Monica Valentovic, Ph.D.

 HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Marshall University faculty member has been awarded a three-year, $426,000 grant by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to further her lung cancer research.

Dr. Piyali Dasgupta, associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Toxicology in the university’s Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, will use the grant to continue her work to determine if the nutritional agent capsaicin—the active ingredient in chili peppers—can improve the anti-cancer activity of the commonly used chemotherapy drug cisplatin in patients with small cell lung cancer.

Dasgupta received the funding through the National Cancer Institute’s Academic Research Enhancement Award program. The program supports research projects in the biomedical and behavioral sciences that strengthen the research environment of the institution and expose students to research. Her co-investigator is Dr. Monica Valentovic, a professor in the same department.

“Small cell lung cancer is characterized by a high rate of growth, early metastasis and a dismal survival rate,” said Dasgupta. “Although chemotherapy works well initially in these patients, they often relapse quickly and become unresponsive to chemotherapy. Since the preliminary data in our laboratory shows that capsaicin manifests anti-cancer activity in this type of cancer, we are hopeful our studies under this new grant may lead to new treatments.”

She continued, “I am thrilled to receive this funding and I am grateful to a lot of people who have been instrumental in our success to this point. My collaborator Dr. Valentovic is a fabulous scientist to work with. I am also grateful to all the members of my lab for their hard work and dedication.”

Dasgupta also acknowledged the support of the chairman of her department, Dr. Gary Rankin, and acknowledged Dr. Marcia Harrison and the MU-ADVANCE program, which she says made it possible for undergraduate students to work in her lab. MU-ADVANCE is a National Science Foundation-funded program to help increase the number of female science and engineering faculty at the university.

Dasgupta says she believes her proposal was selected for funding at least in part because the grant program’s focus on student research made it a good match for her lab. Undergraduates working in her lab have a track record of receiving research grants, authoring publications and presenting their findings at international conferences.

Dr. John M. Maher, Marshall’s vice president for research, congratulated the researchers, saying, “NIH grants are extraordinarily competitive, and I applaud Drs. Dasgupta and Valentovic for having a successful application. They are doing vital research that may very well have a positive impact on human health in the not-so-distant future. In addition, the grant will allow them to continue to give students hands-on, meaningful research opportunities in the lab.”

In addition to receiving the new NIH funding, Dasgupta recently was notified that her grant from the Flight Attendant Medical Research Institute has been renewed for an additional two years. The renewal, which extends the original three-year award, makes the total grant worth nearly $550,000. That grant is funding Dasgupta’s study of how nicotine, the active component in cigarette smoke, facilitates the progression of lung cancer. Valentovic is also the co-investigator on that award.

Contact:  Ginny Painter, Communications Director, Marshall University Research Corporation, 304.746.1964

Marshall investigators to help lead Research Challenge Fund projects for energy, cancer studies

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The following story from the Marshall University Research Corporation highlights the cancer research of two professors from the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, Dr. Richard Niles and Dr. Donald Primerano. It also provides a spotlight on the WV Cancer Genomics Network,  which these two faculty members helped launch as Principal Investigators.

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Researchers at Marshall University are among the lead investigators on two projects to be funded through the state’s Research Challenge Fund, the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission announced today.

Photo of Dr. Thomas WilsonMarshall faculty members Drs. Thomas Wilson, Richard Niles and Donald Primerano will help direct the projects—one to develop better electronics and the other to learn more about cancers affecting West Virginians. The projects began this month and will be conducted in cooperation with researchers at West Virginia University (WVU). Each project will receive a total of $1,350,000 over the next five years.

The Research Challenge Fund was established by the state legislature in 2002 to provide seed money for new research. Projects funded through the program support the creation of research centers and start-up businesses, and foster economic development and work force advancement.

Announcing the awards, Dr. Paul L. Hill, the commission’s chancellor, said, “The primary goal of the Research Challenge Fund is to sponsor innovative research at our colleges and universities while improving the institutions’ ability to compete for federal and private funding on the national level.”

Dr. John M. Maher, Marshall’s vice president for research, said, “Marshall University is pleased to have been selected to receive funding through this important program. The Research Challenge Fund is one of the state’s largest investments in research and innovation, and the application process is always quite competitive. The fact that our investigators are integral to two of the projects announced today speaks volumes about the quality of research being done at Marshall. I look forward to watching these projects develop over the coming years.”

The funding to create a Center for Energy Efficient Electronics at Marshall and WVU will be used to investigate and develop devices that will lead to next-generation electronics that are smaller, faster and more energy efficient than current technology allows. The principal investigators on the project are Wilson, who is a professor of physics at Marshall; Dr. David Lederman, a professor of physics at WVU; and Drs. Alan Bristow, Mikel Holcomb and Tudor Stanescu, associate professors of physics at WVU.

According to the investigators, there is strong interest in the research community in the concepts of spintronics and magnonics, where spin degrees of freedom and magnetic excitations are used for information storage and processing. Spintronics and magnonics are expected to result in electronic devices that are faster and use substantially less power than current electronics because spin and magnetic excitation currents do not dissipate nearly as much energy as charge currents.

“In my lab at Marshall, I will be probing the effects of applying uniaxial stress to the magnonic devices to adjust their frequencies,” said Wilson. “This proof-of-concept experiment will permit us to determine whether it is feasible to use strain to fabricate THz magnonic devices for ultrafast communication applications.”

The second research project will further develop and expand the West Virginia Cancer Genomics Network to involve Marshall, WVU and Charleston Area Medical Center. Network partners will develop a genetic database for cancers with a higher incidence in West Virginia. Researchers will use the data in studies and clinical trials funded by federal and/or private grants and to help develop start-up biotechnology companies. Principal investigators for this study are Niles, who is a professor and chairman of Marshall’s Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology; Primerano, who is a professor of biochemistry and microbiology at Marshall and the director of the university’s Genomics Core Facility; Dr. William Petros, a professor of biochemistry at WVU; and Dr. Todd Kuenstner, the director of pathology at Charleston Area Medical Center.

Photo of Dr. Richard Niles

Niles said, “We started the Cancer Genomics Network several years ago with money from the federal stimulus, to collect genetic information about cancers that have a high prevalence in West Virginia—namely lung, colorectal and ovarian cancers, and acute myeloid leukemia. Through this award, along with our network partners at WVU and CAMC, we’ll be working to identify new diagnostic/prognostic markers and new targets for cancer therapy.”

 

Primerano added, “At our Genomics Core Facility, we will be sequencing and analyzing the tissue samples collected through the network, allowing us to gain information critical to understanding, preventing and treating cancer in future patients.”

Photo of Dr. Donald Primerano

The grants announced today are the third round of Research Challenge Fund awards made since the program began. According to the Higher Education Policy Commission, the first round—a state investment of $8.4 million—produced more than $20 million in external funding, helped create five startup companies and led to 10 patent applications. Results from the second round of grants, awarded in 2007, are being analyzed and will be reported to the governor and legislature by the end of the year.

More information about the Research Challenge Fund program and other research initiatives is available at www.wvresearch.org.

Contact:  Ginny Painter, Communications Director, Marshall University Research Corporation, 304.746.1964

WV-INBRE-Supported Research Project Awarded Top Prize at the American College of Cardiology National Conference

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Christopher Adams, M.D., and Nalini Santanam, Ph.D., M.P.H.Dr. Christopher Adams, first year Cardiology fellow, Marshall University, School of Medicine, Huntington WV, presented and won the top prize for the best poster presentation in both regional and national conferences held by the American College of Cardiology for his work on “Perivascular Fat Biomarkers and Corresponding Echocardiographic Evidence: WV‐Appalachian Heart Study”.

He was one of only twelve Cardiology clinical fellows from all the universities in the United States who was selected to present his work to the Board of Governors of the American College of Cardiology conference, held in Las Vegas, NV in February 2012. Dr. Nalini Santanam, Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Physiology & Toxicology, Marshall University School of Medicine was the PI of this project. The other investigators of this study included Dr. Todd Gress (Department of Internal Medicine), Dr. Paulette Wehner (Department of Cardiology) and Dr. Nepal Chowdhury (Department of Thoracic Surgery) at MUSOM. This study was supported by the supplemental funds from NIH funded WV-INBRE.

Free seminar to focus on intellectual property in health care and life sciences

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va.– The Marshall University Technology Transfer Office will present a free program about intellectual property and patent protection in the health care and life sciences setting from 10 a.m. to noon Friday, Aug. 10, in the Board Room of Cabell Huntington Hospital, 1340 Hal Greer Blvd., Huntington.

The program will begin with an overview of the main areas of intellectual property law (patent, trademark and copyright) and will continue with a focus specifically on patent protection in the health care and life sciences setting. The program will cover not only the requirements for obtaining a patent, but also will include discussions about ownership of inventions; the distinction between a patent application and publication of research; the differences between inventorship and authorship; preserving patent rights in health care and academic settings; and issues to consider when patenting surgical and diagnostic methods.

The seminar will be led by attorney Terry Wright of the firm Stites & Harbison PLLC in Louisville, Ky. He is one of 16 registered patent attorneys at the firm and is a member of the Intellectual Property and Technology Service Group. His practice focuses on patent‐related aspects of intellectual property, including patent drafting, patent prosecution, and counseling clients about infringement, validity and patentability.

Wright has a background in life sciences and experience with academic research in the areas of cardiovascular biology, molecular and cellular biology, pharmacology and biotechnology. He counsels companies and university technology transfer/licensing offices regarding strategies for protecting patent‐based intellectual property.

The program is free but reservations are requested. Send reservations totto@marshall.edu. For more information, contact Amy Melton at 304-696-4365.

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Dr. Eric Blough presents research at national pharmacy conference

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The following story from the Marshall University Research Corporation Website (MURC) features Dr. Eric Blough of the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program. He was a part of one of the interdiscplinary teams of researchers mentioned in the article. Dr. Blough researches within the Cardiovascular Disease, Obesity and Diabetes research cluster.

Eric Blough, Ph.D.HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Interdisciplinary teams of researchers representing four areas at Marshall University have had their abstracts accepted for the July 2012 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy’s annual meeting in Kissimmee, Fla.

The teams include faculty researchers and students from Marshall’s School of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, Department of Biological Sciences and Center for Diagnostic Nanosystems. Their research includes the following projects:

  • “Assessment of outcomes from use of a standardized behavioral interview within the candidate recruiting process.” Researchers include Robert Stanton, Ph.D.; Kimberly Broedel-Zaugg, Ph.D.; and H. Glenn Anderson, Ph.D. – all three faculty with the School of Pharmacy. The project reviews the validity of faculty scoring that occurs during a standard candidate interview.
  • “Reasons students choose pharmacy as a career.” The research team includes Broedel-Zaugg, and colleagues and students from Ohio Northern University and the University of Louisiana at Monroe. The goal of the research is to identify the factors that motivate students to choose pharmacy as a career and to determine if there are differences in factor choice between groups of students at different universities.
  • “Acetaminophen Reduces Lipid Accumulation and Improves Cardiac Function in Obese Zucker Rat.” The research team includes Eric Blough, Ph.D., faculty-School of Pharmacy; Paulette Wehner, M.D., faculty-School of Medicine; and Nandini Manne, a doctoral fellow in the School of Medicine. Additional team members include Miaozong Wu, Ph.D.; Ravi Arvapalli; Cuifen Wang, Ph.D.; and Satyanarayana Paturi,D.V.M, who are all with the Center for Diagnostic Nanosystems and the Department of Biological Sciences. The project looked at the effect of acetaminophen consumption on obesity-induced cardiac dysfunction.
  • “Protective Effect of Acetaminophen on Renal Dysfunction in Obese Zucker Rat.” Research team includes Wang, Blough, Arvapalli, Paturi, Manne and Wu. The study’s data suggests that chronic acetaminophen ingestion is associated with improved kidney structure and function in the obese Zucker rat.

The meeting is scheduled for July 14-18.

Dr. Eric Blough publishes a study on metabolic syndrome and skeletal muscle

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Dr. Eric Blough of the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program recently collaborated with another Marshall University researcher on a study published in Science & Sports. Dr. Blough researches within the Cardiovascular Disease, Obesity and Diabetes research cluster.

Eric Blough, Ph.D.HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Collaboration between two Marshall University associate professors resulted in findings that were published in Science & Sports, a publication of the French Society of Sports Medicine. The research was about the effects of metabolic syndrome on skeletal muscle adaptation.

Dr. Eric Arnold, from Marshall’s School of Physical Therapy, and Dr. Eric Blough, from the School of Pharmacy, worked together on the project.

Metabolic syndrome, also known as syndrome X or insulin resistance syndrome, is one of the fastest growing health problems in the United States with more than one of every three adults suffering from the disorder, according to Arnold and Blough.

They also said that over the next two decades, the incidence of metabolic syndrome is projected to increase to epidemic levels in both the industrialized and developing worlds. Patients with metabolic syndrome typically are obese, suffer from insulin resistance and exhibit elevations in blood sugar and lipid levels.

“It’s important to assemble a team of experts from various health professions and scientific disciplines, to address the complexity of type 2 diabetes,” Arnold said. “That’s what it is all about, working together to research and discover an optimal therapeutic strategy for this chronic disease. Collaboration is important.”

Marshall’s researchers have been using the obese Zucker rat (Leprfa) which models many of the characteristic features of metabolic syndrome seen in humans to examine how the disorder may affect the ability of their skeletal muscles to adapt to an exercise stimulus.

“Because exercise is almost always prescribed as a treatment modality for these patients, we need to understand how skeletal muscles of someone with metabolic syndrome may respond to exercise if we ever want to optimize the therapeutic treatment of this disease,” Arnold said.

Their research, titled “Insulin resistance does not inhibit the ability of the mechanical overload to induce hypertrophy in the Obese Zucker Rat (Leprfa) plantaris muscle,” was published in April.

Significant findings provided evidence that metabolic syndrome did not impair the ability of the rat fast twitch plantaris muscle to experience hypertrophy when exposed to muscle overload as reflected by increases in myofibrillar protein content and increases in muscle fiber cross-sectional area.

“This finding is pretty interesting given that previous work by our group has shown the muscle adaptation in the slow twitch soleus muscle is impaired with metabolic syndrome,” Blough said. “This study, along with our other work, suggests that metabolic syndrome may affect different muscle types differently. This adds a level of complexity that I don’t think others have shown in the past and may have important implications in the design of exercise intervention programs.”

For more information, call Arnold at 304-696-5615 or Blough at 304-696-2708.

Ph.D. student to present diabetes research at conference next week

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Aileen Marcello, Ph.D. candidateA Marshall University doctoral student will present her diabetes research next week at a conference focusing on the central nervous system.

Aileen Marcelo, a Ph.D. candidate in the university’s biomedical sciences program, will present a poster at the Barriers of the Central Nervous System Gordon Research Conference and will give a talk at the conference’s student seminar. The conference and seminar will be held June 16-22 at Colby-Sawyer College in New London, N.H.

The conference will bring together clinical and basic scientists who are at the forefront of research into the system of regulatory interfaces between the blood and brain. This system is essential to brain function and has a major impact on the course and treatment of many neurological conditions, including stroke, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease and epilepsy.

Although there is considerable scientific evidence implicating diabetes as a major risk factor for many central nervous system diseases, there have been few studies investigating the effects of diabetes on this blood-brain barrier. Marcelo’s research project, “The Role and Regulation of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) at the Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB) in a Rat Model of Diabetes,” explores this connection.

She works in the lab of Dr. Richard Egleton, assistant professor in the Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Toxicology at the university’s Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine.

Marcelo recently received one of eight Summer Thesis Research Grant Awards presented to outstanding graduate student researchers at Marshall. Each award provides $500 to cover the cost of expenses associated with thesis research. Award recipients were chosen on the basis of the quality and significance of their thesis research, the likelihood that the research will eventuate in a completed thesis and justification of the need for support. Funding for the awards was provided by the Marshall University Research Corporation.

Dr. Marcia A. Harrison publishes a book chapter

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Marcia A. Harrison, Ph.D.Marcia A. Harrison, Ph.D., recently had a chapter published in a 2012 release by Springer Science + Media. Dr. Harrison is a researcher within the Neuroscience and Developmental Biology research cluster in the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program.

The book, published by Springer Science + Business Media, is entitled Phytohormones and Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Plants. This publication summarizes what is currently known regarding phytohormones, which are chemicals that regulate plant growth, and how they are influenced by the environmental stresses that plants encounter. Dr. Harrison penned Chapter 2, “Cross-Talk Between Phytohormone Signaling Pathways Under Both Optimal and Stressful Environmental Conditions.”

Dr. Harrison is a professor in the Department of Biological Sciences. Her research focuses on the role of the plant hormone ethylene in regulating plant growth and growth movements. Ethylene often acts as a signal that triggers growth changes in response to changing environmental conditions.

Excellent work, Dr. Harrison!To learn more and to download the book, visit Springer’s website: http://www.springer.com/life+sciences/plant+sciences/book/978-3-642-25828-2.

Faculty Spotlight: Piyali Dasgupta, Ph.D.

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Piyali Dasgupta, Ph.D.This month’s faculty spotlight is on Piyali Dasgupta, Ph.D. Dr. Dasgupta has had a great year at the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, including being promoted to Associate Professor. She instructs within the Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Toxicology.

She has attended many conferences over the past year, including co-chairing a minisymposium at Experimental Biology 2012.

Dr. Dasgupta’s research examines how the components of tobacco can promote the progression of lung cancer. She researches within the Cancer Biology research cluster.

In 2011, she was recognized with the university’s “John and Frances Rucker Graduate Advisor Award.”

Congratulations, Dr. Dasgupta!

M. Allison Wolf, Ph.D. Candidate

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M. Allison Wolf, Ph.D. candidateThis month’s student spotlight focuses on M. Allison Wolf, a Ph.D. candidate in the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program. Allison currently serves as the President of the Graduate Student Organization and has actively been involved in disseminating her research over the past few years. Allison has been active in the GSO throughout her time as a student in the program.

Allison studies the anticancer effects of isothiocyanates—a natural compound extracted from cruciferous vegetables—on head and neck cancer. Her work shows that the compound both inhibits head and neck metastasis and greatly increases sensitivity to chemotherapy in therapy-resistant head and neck cancers. Allison works in the lab of Dr. Pier Paolo Claudio, an associate professor in the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program and the departments of Biochemistry and Microbiology and Surgery at the university’s Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine.

Allison presented this year at Experimental Biology in San Diego.

Congratulations, Allison, for being our Spotlight Student!

Marshall professor to share kidney research in China

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Gary O. Rankin, Ph.D.HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Marshall University professor will be in Beijing this week to present his research at BIT’s 5 World Cancer Congress and to meet with colleagues at a leading university.

Dr. Gary O. Rankin, professor and chairman of the Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Toxicology at the university’s Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, will be at the conference to give a talk about his work to study how a substance found naturally in red wine can reduce some of the harmful effects of a commonly used anti-cancer drug.

According to Rankin’s study conducted in cooperation with colleague Dr. Monica A. Valentovic, resveratrol, a natural component of red wine, grapes, blueberries and peanuts, can reduce toxicity to the kidney caused by the chemotherapy drug cisplatin. The work is funded by a grant from the National Institutes of Health.

“Dr. Valentovic and I are using a human kidney cell line to look into the protective effects of resveratrol,” said Rankin. “We have found that the compound’s powerful antioxidant properties may be important in helping to protect the kidney from cisplatin’s harmful effects.”

Also at the conference, Rankin will help lead a scientific session, “Cancer rehabilitation, nutrition and management of cancer related complications.”

Before the meeting in Beijing, Rankin has been invited to visit the School of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science at Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, China, to give a seminar about his work in the field of chemical-induced injury to the kidney. He will describe how an agricultural fungicide, dimetachlone, which was developed in Japan and manufactured in China, causes kidney damage. He also will be presenting some of the work he and Valentovic have done on the protective effects of resveratrol on cisplatin toxicity.

Rankin will be accompanied on the trip by Dr. Yi Charlie Chen, an associate professor of biology at Alderson-Broaddus College in Philippi.

Both Rankin and Chen are lead researchers in the West Virginia IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence—a federally funded program to help build biomedical research expertise across the state. Rankin is the principal investigator of the project and Chen is on the steering committee.

For more information, contact Rankin at 304-696-7313 or rankin@marshall.edu.

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