Over the past three years, I have worked on multiple projects in Dr. Propper's lab. Below is a brief description of projects I am or have been a part of, in addition to an attachment of my CV for my full career and academic accomplishments.
Arsenic and Breast Cancer (2017-Present): Many publications have made a correlation between arsenic exposure and breast cancer growth and development; however, the results are inconsistent. Currently, this project is looking at arsenic interaction with estrogen and the effects on human breast cancer MCF-7 cell growth and function both in vitro and in vivo using zebrafish as a model organism. Arsenic and Cancer Meta-Analysis (2017-present): We compiled data from hundreds of studies, selecting the most relevant, to determine how arsenic exposure dose-dependently affects growth and development of different estrogen receptor positive cancers. Among these cancers are breast, liver, lung, skin, uterus, and ovary. Geometric Morphometrics (2016-2017): As part of a fellow lab members Ph.D. project evaluating mosquitofish body shape in response to contamination, such as xenoestrogens. I used images and morphj to measure body shape variation and presented my findings at NAU undergraduate symposium. |
To aide in better understanding of the effects of arsenic and estrogen on breast cancer and the inconsistency of results, I have provided a few publications that are relevant to my project and have been helpful in my experimental design:
- W. Nakareangrit, A. Thiantanawat, D. Visitnonthachai et al. (February 2016). Sodium arsenite inhibited genomic estrogen signaling but induced pERa (Ser118) via MAPK pathway in Breast Cancer Cells. Environmental Toxicology, 31, 1133-1146. doi: 10.1002/tox.22122 - R. Ruiz-Ramos, L. Lopez-Carrillo, A. Rios-Perez, D., A. De Vizcaya-Ruiz, M. Cebrian, E. (March 2009). Sodium arsenite induces ROS generation, DNA oxidative damage, HO-1 and c-Myc proteins, NF-kB activation and cell proliferation in human breast cancer MCF-7 cells. Mutation Research, 674, 109-115. doi: 10.1016/j.mrgentox.2008.09.021 - E. Jablonska, K. Socha, E. Reszka, E. Wieczorek, J. Skokowski, L. Kalinowski, W. Fendler, B. Seroczynska, M. Wozniak, M.H. Borawka, W. Wasowicz (July 2017). Cadmium, arsenic, selenium, and iron- Implications for tumor progression in breast cancer. Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology, 53, 151-157. doi: 10.1016/j.etap.2017.05.014 - J. Davey, C., J. Bodwell, E., J. Gosse, A., J. Hamilton, W. (February 2007). Arsenic as an Endocrine Disruptor: Effects of Arsenic on Estrogen Receptor- Mediated Gene Expression in vivo and in Cell Culture. Toxicological Sciences, 98, 75-86. doi:10.1093/toxsci/kfm013 - F. Acconcia, R. Kumar (July 2006). Signaling regulation of genomic and nongenomic functions of estrogen receptors. Cancer Letters, 238, 1-14. doi:10.1016/j.canlet.2005.06.018 - K. Kitchin, T., K. Wallace (8 December 2004). Arsenite binding to synthetic peptides based on the Zn finger region and the estrogen binding region of the human estrogen receptor-a. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, 206, 66-72. doi:10.1016/j.taap.2004.12.010 - A. Stoica, E. Pentecost, M. Martin (February 2000). Effects of Arsenite on Estrogen Receptor-a Expression and Activity in MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells. Endocrinology, 141, 3595-3602. doi: 10.1210/endo.141.10.770 - D. Parodi, M. Greenfield, C. Evans, A. Chichura, A. Alpaugh, J. Williams, M. Martin (15 December 2014). Alteration of mammary gland development and gene expression by in utero exposure to arsenic. Reproductive Toxicology, 54, 66-75. doi:10.1016/j.reprotox.2014.12.011 |