Date Completed: 2/25/09
Faculty Name: Etty (Tika) Benveniste, Ph.D.
UAB Department: Cell Biology
UAB School: Medicine
Campus Address: Tinsley Harrison 926
Campus Zip: 0006
Telephone: 934-7667
Email Address: tika@uab.edu
Office Fax: 975-6748
Research Program Area: Cancer Cell Biology
Project Title: Aberrant Signal Transduction Pathways in Brain Tumors
Project Status: Already up-and-running
Proposed Start Date: June 8
Proposed End Date: August 28
Number of Weeks of Internship: 12
Number of Interns: 1
Other faculty, staff, or graduate students who may help supervise intern: Dr. Susan Nozell, Assistant Professor; Dr. Braden McFarland, Postdoctoral Fellow
pected Number of Work Hours Per Week: 37.5 hours
Expected Work Schedule for Intern: Not very flexible, intern MUST be at work on certain days and times
Number of hours that preceptor will personally supervise or work with intern: 10
Category of Research: Laboratory and Animal Research
Cancer Research: Brain
Project Description: A number of signaling pathways are aberrantly activated in brain tumors, leading to the promotion of tumor growth, angiogenesis and inflammation. Our laboratory is focused on two such pathways: NF-?B and JAK/STAT. We are investigating the mechanisms that allow for hyper-activation of these pathways, focusing on loss of endogenous inhibitory proteins and/or overexpression of endogenous activators. We have identified four such proteins; ING4, PIAS3, Pin1 and SOCS-3. Both in vivo and in vitro experimentation will be conducted to elucidate the function of these proteins in promoting and/or inhibiting tumor cell growth, inflammation, angiogenesis and apoptosis. The intern will learn molecular biology, cloning, cell culture, RNA analysis, in vivo animal work, immunohistochemistry and statistical analysis.
Intern's Anticipated Duties:
Duty 1: Preparing reagents and cloning
Duty 2: Analyzing brain tumor cells grown in culture
Duty 3:Analyzing brain tumor cells grown in animal models
Preceptor will provide intern with access to the following: office or desk space, computer and printer; supplies neeeded to complete the project; equipment needed to complete the project; laboratory work bench space
Likelihood of authoring publications: Very Likely
Background, education, experience, or expertise preferred: Biochemistry; Scientific writing skills; Cell Biology,Basic knowledge of lab skills; Immunology; Literature Review Skills; Manuscript Preparation; Molecular Biology
This faculty member will be a CaRES Preceptor for the first time.
Intern 1: Shilpa Reddy