|
Oregon Health & Science Univ
Molecular & Medical Genetics
Mail Code: L103
3181 SW Sam Jackson
Park Road
Portland, OR 97239
503-494-7703
|
|
 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.
|
Welcome Dr. Vinson! The Department of Molecular & Medical Genetics and The OHSU Human Genetics Initiative (HGI) welcomes Amanda Vinson, PhD to OHSU! Dr. Vinson is a statistical geneticist who joined HGI and the Oregon National Primate Research Center in early October 2008. Dr. Vinson's research interests include genetics of inflammation in cardiovascular and other complex disease, nonhuman primate models for the genetics of complex traits, and genetics of adaptive traits in humans and nonhuman primates. Her research has focused on identifying quantitative trait loci (QTLs) with pleiotropic effects on biomarkers of inflammation and lipoprotein risk factors for cardiovascular disease, using a nonhuman primate model. She recently published two articles demonstrating genotype-by-diet effects and located diet-specific pleiotropic QTLs influencing Lp-PLA2 activity, a biomarker of inflammation, and LDL cholesterol levels.
Additionally, she has been using a multivariate variance component approach to identify pleiotropic QTLs that regulate inflammation in atherosclerosis. Vinson A, Mahaney MC, Diego V, Cox LA, Rogers J, VandeBerg JL, and Rainwater DL. Genotype-by-diet effects on co-variation in Lp-PLA2 activity and LDL cholesterol concentration in baboons fed an atherogenic diet. Journal of Lipid Research. 2008 Jun;49(6):1295-302. Vinson A, Mahaney MC, Cox LA, Rogers J, VandeBerg JL, and Rainwater DL.
A pleiotropic QTL on 2p influences serum Lp-PLA2 activity and LDL cholesterol concentration in a baboon model for the genetics of atherosclerosis risk factors. Atherosclerosis 196:667-673.
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.
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.
Cancer Genetic Services are provided at Salem Cancer Institute monthly. This clinic provides services to patients with breast, ovarian, and colon cancers, as well as those with a family history of cancer. Patients who have known or suspected inherited cancer syndromes may also be seen. For scheduling in any of the cancer genetics clinics please call 503-494-4800 or fax referrals to 503-494-5385.
2008 Medical Research Foundation Richard T. Jones New Investigator Award Congratulations to Dr. Rosalie Sears, Associate Professor, Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics, who has been named the recipient of the 2008 Medical Research Foundation Richard T. Jones New Investigator Award. The OHSU Foundation extends this Award to Dr. Sears in recognition of her outstanding contributions to biomedical research and to Oregon’s scientific reputation.
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. |
|
