Undergraduate: University of Cincinnati

Medical School: University of Cincinnati - College of Medicine

Academic Development: ATDC gene over-expression in pancreatic cancer

Dr. Simeone's lab is investigating the role of ATDC in pancreatic tumorigenesis and the ATR-mediated DNA damage signaling cascade. Dr. Barnes specifically investigated the effects of ATDC expression on Gemcitabine susceptibility at the cellular level and the hope is that targeting ATDC for inactivation should have therapeutic value by increasing the susceptibility of pancreatic cancer cells to chemotherapeutic agents that utilize the ATR-mediated DNA damage signaling cascade (ie: Gemcitabine).

Mentor: Diane Simeone, MD - University of Michigan Department of Surgery