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Oregon Health & Science Univ
Molecular & Medical Genetics
Mail Code: L103
3181 SW Sam Jackson
Park Road
Portland, OR 97239
503-494-7703
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 The field of genetics is leading a dramatic change in medicine. The approach to disease diagnosis and treatment has been changed by completion of the human genome project, along with new techniques permitting analysis of individual genomic variation, gene transfer, improved identification of chromosomal, metabolic and molecular disorders, as well as construction of disease models. Examples of the changes include effective risk assessment for a patient to develop disease, such as breast cancer, tailoring of pharmacologic regimens to the individual, small molecular therapy for inherited disorders, and gene therapy. With the recognition of the interaction of life style and inheritance, along with the epigenetic effects influencing almost all disease, genetics is fundamental in the practice of medicine. The scope of impact has led attention to privacy and the rights of the individual with medical geneticists in the forefront of the studies.
The areas of research and teaching in the department include molecular genetics, molecular biology, somatic cell genetics, cytogenetics, molecular cytogenetics, population genetics, biochemical genetics, and stem cell function. Examples of ongoing projects include genome stability in cancer and inherited diseases, gene therapy, human genomics, and epigenetics in cancer. Clinical activities include children with defects, cancer genetics and practical genetics.
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Faculty Recruitment in Statistical Genetics The OHSU Human Genetics Initiative (HGI) and the Department of Molecular & Medical Genetics begins a search for the position of Assistant or Associate Professor in Statistical Genetics. This is an applied research position with focus on human genetics and disease. The position advertisement can be found in the February 29th issue of Science and the March 7th issue of the American Journal of Human Genetics.
New Cancer Genetics Services Outpatient clinics are now available to serve patients with various cancer diagnoses and those who may be at increased risk due to a family history of cancer. These clinics are staffed by Jone Sampson, MD, Board Certified Geneticist and Genetic Counselors. The Cancer Care Center is located at the new OHSU Center for Health and Healing at the South Waterfront Campus. This multidisciplinary center includes the Comprehensive Breast Cancer Clinic and the Colorectal Cancer Assessment and Risk Evaluation Clinic, which provide services to patients with breast, ovarian, and colon cancers, as well as those patients with a known hereditary predisposition to cancer. For Scheduling, please call 503-494-4800, option 2. The High Risk Breast and Ovarian Cancer Prevention Clinic is located in the Center for Women's Health, Kohler Pavilion. This clinic provides services to patients with a family history of breast and/or ovarian cancer. For scheduling please call 503-494-4800, option 2.
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Scholar Award Rosalie Sears, Ph.D., Associate Professor in the Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics is the recipient of a prestigious Scholar Award for her grant submission entitled "Phosphorylation sites that regulate c-Myc stability and oncogenic potential." The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society supports reserachers who work to provide a foundation for the understanding, diagnosis, and development of treatment and prevention options that will ultimately lead to cures for blood cancer patients. Dr. Sears' research focuses on novel post-translational regulation of the potent oncoprotein, c-Myc, which is involved in the generation of human cancers. Her research could provide new avenues to therapeutically target this key protein that is mis-regulated in most human cancers. c-Myc is reported by many prominent researchers in the area of cancer therapeutics to be one of the most important proteins to try and therapeutically target.
OSLER Fellowship Award The Oregon Clinical and Translational Research Institute has awarded Jennifer Redig a year long fellowship. Jennifer is a Graduate Research Assistant in the Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics and is pursuing translational research under the direction of Cheryl Maslen, Ph.D. The award is based on her proposal titled "A Functional Examination of a Potential CRELD1-VEGF Synergism and the Genetic Etiology of Antrioventricular Septal Defects"
Collins Medical Trust Award Sarah Byers, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Dr. Rosalie Sears is the recipient of a one year grant funded by the Collins Medical Trust to study Phosphorylation Sites that Regulate c-Myc's Proliferative and Apoptotic Functions.
PMCB Director's Award Raymond Hickey, graduate student in the Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics, has been awarded the PMCB Director's Award. This award is given yearly to a first year student for outstanding scholarship. Ray is working to understand the mechanisms of intrahepatic fusion following bone marrow transplantation in the lab of Markus Grompe, M.D.
Carrilho I, Santos M, Guimarães A, Teixeira J, Chorão R, Martins M, Dias C, Gregory A, Westaway S, Nguyen T, Hayflick S, Barbot C. Infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy: What's most important for the diagnosis? Epub 2008 Mar 20. Miller, A.J., Dudley, S.D., Tsao, J.-L., Shibata, D. and R.M. Liskay. Tractable Cre-lox system for stochastic alteration of genes in mice. Nature Methods, in press (2008). Hejna J, Holtorf M, Hines J, Mathewson L, Hemphill A, Al-Dhalimy M, Olson SB, Moses RE. Tip60 Is Required for DNA Interstrand Cross-link Repair in the Fanconi Anemia Pathway. J Biol Chem. 2008 Apr 11;283(15):9844-51. Epub 2008 Feb 8. Hemphill AW, Bruun D, Thrun L, Akkari Y, Torimaru Y, Hejna K, Jakobs PM, Hejna J, Jones S, Olson SB, Moses RE. Mammalian SNM1 is required for genome stability. Mol Genet Metab. Epub 2008 Jan 2. Arnold HK, Sears RC. A tumor suppressor role for PP2A-B56alpha through negative regulation of c-Myc and other key oncoproteins. Cancer Metastasis Rev. Epub 2008 Feb 2. Arnold GL, Koeberl DD, Matern D, Barshop B, Braverman N, Burton B, Cederbaum S, Feigenbaum A, Garganta C, Gibson J, Goodman SI, Harding C, Kahler S, Kronn D, Longo N. A. Delphi-based consensus clinical practice protocol for the diagnosis and management of 3-methylcrotonyl CoA carboxylase deficiency. Molec Genet Metab, in press, 2008. Ding Z, Harding CO, Rebuffat A, Elzaouk L, Wolff JA, Thöny B. Correction of murine PKU following AAV-mediated intramuscular expression of a complete phenylalanine hydroxylating system. Mol Ther. 2008 Apr;16(4):673-81. Epub 2008 Mar 11. Dighe, V., Clepper, L., Pedersen, D., Byrne, J., Ferguson, B., Gokhale, S., Penedo, C., Wolf, D., Mitalipov, S. 2008. Heterozygous stem cells derived from nonhuman primate parthenotes. Stem Cells (Jan 10 epub). Rinn JL, Wang JK, Allen N, Brugmann SA, Mikels AJ, Liu H, Ridky TW, Stadler HS, Nusse R, Helms JA, and Chang HY. A dermal HOX transcriptional program regulates site-specific epidermal fate. Genes Dev. 22 (3): 303-7, 2008. |
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