Minority Predoctoral Fellowship Program

Emory University, Atlanta GA

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): My interest lies in the area of Cancer Biology, in particular, the factors (i.e. cell cycle regulators) involved in the transformation of normal cells to malignant cells. In addition, I am interested in the roles of tumor suppressors throughout the various checkpoints of the cell cycle. Cell cycle regulation ensures that normal cells divide only once during the cell cycle and cells that are "not normal" are subject to programmed cell death, or apoptosis. For example, p53, a tumor suppressor, is a protein involved in a number of regulatory steps within the cell cycle, including the G1/S phase checkpoint. It has a major responsibility in detecting DNA damage within cells and activating a cascade of events to ultimately induce apoptosis. One major question in the cancer field involves studying how a cell transitions itself from a normal cell to one that becomes either an aggressive or non-aggressive tumor. Understanding the differences in phenotype and what factors govern whether a particular cell will be benign or malignant is an important question that will help advance the study of pertinent biochemical pathways involved in cell cycle abnormalities and Cancer.