Education

Ph.D., Molecular Biology and Pathology, Albany Medical College/Union University (1980)

Research Areas and Special Projects

The major interests of the laboratory are arsenic toxicology, DNA repair and development of mitosis disrupting drugs for cancer chemotherapy. Currently, the laboratory is investigating the role of miRNA dysregulation in arsenic induced skin carcinogenesis. The lab is determining miRNA profiles of arsenic-induced squamous and basal cell carcinomas and premalignant hyperkeratoses. In parallel, the lab is characterizing miRNA expression changes that occur during arsenic transformation of a human keratinocyte cell line. The interest in mitotic disruption includes investigation of miR-186 overexpression effects on chromatid separation and compounds that inhibit function of the anaphase promoting complex/cyclosome. Other interests include induction of chronic adult diseases by early life/in utero arsenic exposure and enhancement of cisplatin sensitivity by co-administration of arsenicals.