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Research

Findings on DNA Damage Repair Published By UAMS Cancer Researcher

Leung research team

A UAMS research team led by Justin Leung, Ph.D., (pictured front) was published in the journal Nature Communications. Co-authors of the study are Jessica Kelliher, B.S., (left) and Kirk West, Ph.D.

June 3, 2020 | LITTLE ROCK — A research team led by cancer researcher Justin Leung, Ph.D., at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) has uncovered the role of the protein RNF168 in DNA damage repair and shown how mutations of the protein affect people with a rare genetic condition.

The study titled “Histone H2A variants alpha1-extension helix directs RNF168-mediated ubiquitination” was published in the May 18 issue of the open-access journal Nature Communications.

“Every day our cells are subjected to environmental sources of DNA damage, such as ultraviolet radiation and toxic chemical exposure. If left unrepaired, these damages can accumulate, leaving mutations in our DNA and ultimately cause cells to become cancerous,” said Leung, assistant professor in the UAMS College of Medicine Department of Radiation Oncology.

In most cases, this damage is detected and repaired by a tightly regulated method involving many proteins. To develop better cancer therapies, researchers such as Leung strive to understand the regulation of DNA damage and repair by sensitizing cells to radiation therapy and chemotherapy drugs that target DNA.

“Our lab studies the repair of double stranded breaks, where both strands of DNA are broken apart completely. When a double strand break occurs, a cascade of protein activity is set off to try to resolve the damage,” Leung said.

Mutations in one of these proteins, RNF168, have been found in patients with RIDDLE syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that increases a person’s predisposition to blood cancer and is characterized by several attributes:

  • Susceptibility to DNA damaging agents
  • Immunodeficiency, or failure of the immune system to protect the body from infection
  • Developmental abnormalities
  • Learning disabilities

RNF168 adds a small signaling molecule called ubiquitin onto a subunit of chromatin, where we store our genetic information. The ubiquitin signal brings repair proteins to DNA double strand breaks. However, exactly how RNF168 recognizes the specific target remains unclear.

Using molecular and structural analysis methods, Leung’s team uncovered crucial components of RNF168 and chromatin required for the implementation of repair pathways in response to DNA damage. Their findings suggest that a recognition between RNF168 and chromatin is required to activate the downstream DNA repair processes.

“RNF168 is a central DNA damage response protein. Understanding the precise mechanisms by which it activates its targets is essential for understanding how the DNA damage response goes awry. Our results help demystify the role of RNF168 in proper DNA damage repair and understand the implications of RNF168 mutations such as those seen in RIDDLE syndrome,” Leung said.

UAMS authors for this study included Jessica Kelliher, B.S., research assistant, and Kirk West, Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow.

UAMS is the state's only health sciences university, with colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions and Public Health; a graduate school; hospital; a main campus in Little Rock; a Northwest Arkansas regional campus in Fayetteville; a statewide network of regional campuses; and seven institutes: the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, Psychiatric Research Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Translational Research Institute and Institute for Digital Health & Innovation. UAMS includes UAMS Health, a statewide health system that encompasses all of UAMS' clinical enterprise including its hospital, regional clinics and clinics it operates or staffs in cooperation with other providers. UAMS is the only adult Level 1 trauma center in the state. U.S. News & World Report recognized UAMS Medical Center as a Best Hospital for 2021-22; ranked its ear, nose and throat program among the top 50 nationwide for the third year; and named five areas as high performing — colon cancer surgery, diabetes, hip replacement, knee replacement and stroke. Forbes magazine ranked UAMS as seventh in the nation on its Best Employers for Diversity list. UAMS also ranked in the top 30% nationwide on Forbes’ Best Employers for Women list and was the only Arkansas employer included. UAMS has 2,876 students, 898 medical residents and six dental residents. It is the state's largest public employer with more than 10,000 employees, including 1,200 physicians who provide care to patients at UAMS, its regional campuses, Arkansas Children's, the VA Medical Center and Baptist Health. Visit www.uams.edu or www.uamshealth.com. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or Instagram.

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Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences Program Addresses Entire Cancer Continuum

The Cancer Prevention & Population Science (CPPS) program at the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute conducts research to define etiologic factors underlying health disparities in the urban-rural continuum. The program’s team-oriented and translationally based approach covers the entire cancer continuum — primary prevention, early detection, laboratory research, clinical trials and applications, diagnosis and treatment, quality of life, and survivorship.

Mayumi Nakagawa, M.D., Ph.D., and Joseph Su, Ph.D., M.P.H., have served as co-leaders of the program at the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute since its formation in 2015.

In terms of the Cancer Institute’s efforts to achieve NCI Designation, CPPS is a vital program to ensure statewide efforts related to cancer prevention and screening are being met.

“The title of our program describes its focus, which is cancer prevention on the population level. In Arkansas, we have high diagnosis, incidence and mortality rates of certain types of cancer, particularly lung, breast, prostate and colorectal cancers. We are looking at the varied reasons for this and how to combat it,” Nakagawa said.

Among the areas the program examines include lack of access to services, underutilization of cancer preventative measures and screenings, and genetic, lifestyle and environmental causes of cancer.

“Cancer disparities have a lot to do with behavior-related issues, such as smoking and obesity. In terms of preventative services, Arkansas has one of the lowest rates of people receiving the HPV vaccine and one of the highest rates of cervical cancer incidence and mortality. This is preventable and a place where we as a state need to improve,” Su said.

One of the major projects underway in the CPPS are the two ongoing clinical trials for a therapeutic HPV vaccine developed in Nakagawa’s lab. One of the trials, now in Phase 2, treats women with high-grade precancerous cervical lesions by enhancing their immune response. The second trial, now in Phase 1/2, is designed to prevent recurrence of head and neck cancer in previously diagnosed patients.

CPPS also is charged by the state Legislature to study the feasibility of a statewide cancer navigation program. The effort, which would include many stakeholders from across Arkansas, would serve as a resource to help patients find the most convenient services in their community, from cancer prevention through treatment and survivorship.

“For a lot of Arkansans, poverty is a major issue. Traveling to Little Rock for medical treatment can be a challenge, so we are hoping to direct people to services in their own communities that can serve their needs,” Su said.

UAMS Scientist Crooks Honored by Cancer Institute Auxiliary

Peter Crooks, Ph.D., D.Sc., was honored by the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute for his achievements in drug development.

Peter Crooks, Ph.D., D.Sc., was honored by the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute for his achievements in drug development.

May 25, 2018 | The process of creating new drug therapies is completely foreign to most people. But for UAMS’ Peter Crooks, Ph.D., D.Sc., it’s just another day at the office.

In honor of his many contributions to the field of drug discovery, Crooks was named the 2018 Distinguished Honoree by the volunteer auxiliary of the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute. The award was presented May 17 at a luncheon hosted at the home of auxiliary member Martha Murphy.

Crooks, who serves as chairman of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences in the UAMS College of Pharmacy, was presented the award by Laura Hutchins, M.D., professor of medicine in the UAMS College of Medicine and associate director of clinical research at the Cancer Institute.

Peter Crooks, Ph.D., D.Sc., (center) is joined by Interim UAMS Chancellor Stephanie Gardner, Pharm.D., Ed.D., (left) and Laura Hutchins, M.D., prior to his introduction as the 2018 UAMS Cancer Institute Auxiliary Distinguished Honoree.

Peter Crooks, Ph.D., D.Sc., (center) is joined by Interim UAMS Chancellor Stephanie Gardner, Pharm.D., Ed.D., (left) and Laura Hutchins, M.D., prior to his introduction as the 2018 UAMS Cancer Institute Auxiliary Distinguished Honoree.

“Dr. Crooks’ extensive career had led to improved therapies for patients with complex medical conditions, including cancer. We are privileged to have him and his research team at UAMS and to be witness to these extraordinary and life-changing discoveries,” Hutchins said.

Among Crooks’ most significant accomplishments is the fact that five drugs discovered in his lab have made it into clinical trials, a years-long, highly regulated process in which people participate as patients or healthy volunteers to determine the safety and effectiveness of new drugs.

“The stars aligned when we recruited Dr. Crooks to bring his drug development program to UAMS. Getting one new drug into clinical trials is a significant accomplishment for any scientist. Dr. Crooks has achieved this milestone five times, which truly deserves recognition and appreciation,” said Stephanie Gardner, Pharm.D., Ed.D., interim UAMS chancellor, senior vice chancellor for academic affairs and provost.

Hutchins described for the crowd of about 60 guests the five drugs Crooks’ team has translated into clinical trials or had approved by the FDA for widespread use:

• Valchor, an anticancer drug approved by the FDA in 2013 to treat early-stage cutaneous T-cell lymphoma
• A drug for treatment of acute myeloid leukemia, currently in phase 1 clinical trials
• Two drugs developed to treat methamphetamine abuse and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
• A drug for treatment of early onset Alzheimer’s disease

His lab is now working on a development of a drug to treat neuropathy, which is the weakness, numbness and pain often experienced by people undergoing cancer treatment.

“I am optimistic for the future. In the next few years, I believe you will find drugs developed at UAMS, patented by UAMS, and used clinically for UAMS patients,” said Crooks, who holds the Simmons Endowed Chair in Cancer Research.

In addition to his clinical trials, Crooks also is a fellow of the U.S. National Academy of Inventors, holds more than 80 issued drug discovery patents and has 103 patent applications pending. His entrepreneurial activities have led to the founding of seven start-up drug discovery companies during the past 30 years.

Crooks’ role as professor of pharmaceutical sciences also has had a significant influence on the future generation of scientists. During his career, he has mentored more than 90 graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.

“Dr. Crooks creates magic in the classroom and excites students in ways that no one else can,” Gardner said.

Crooks has authored more than 600 peer-reviewed research articles and 700 symposium abstracts. He serves on the editorial board of several prominent science journals, is a Fellow of the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and a Fellow of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain.

The Cancer Institute Auxiliary is one of Arkansas’ largest volunteer organizations with almost 500 members dedicated to providing information, service, compassion and hope to those whose lives are touched by cancer. Each year, the auxiliary selects a faculty or staff member at the Cancer Institute to honor for his or her dedication to the institute’s mission.

Janie Lowe serves as director of the UAMS Cancer Institute Department of Volunteer Services and Auxiliary. Tara Smith was the auxiliary’s 2017-2018 president.

BioVentures fastPace Course Helps Researchers Grasp Business Basics

Marie Burdine, Ph.D., left, makes her presentation to the judges, foreground, during the final class session of the fastPace course.

Marie Burdine, Ph.D., left, makes her presentation to the judges, foreground, during the final class session of the fastPace course.

May 15, 2018 | May 15, 2018 | Even a classroom full of experienced researchers with Ph.D. and medical degrees still found useful things to learn about business during the fastPace course organized by BioVentures.

Nancy Gray, Ph.D., left, and Hari Eswaran, center, visit with some of the judges and teams during a break in the last class session. Gray and Eswaran both were instructors in the fastPace course.

Nancy Gray, Ph.D., left, and Hari Eswaran, Ph.D., center, visit with some of the judges and teams during a break in the last class session. Gray and Eswaran both were instructors in the fastPace course.

“We enrolled in the class because we thought we had a good idea, but we didn’t really know how to take it to the next step,” said Marie Burdine, Ph.D. “We didn’t know the channels to take, what the patent process was like or if this was even a good idea. That’s why we took the course, to get more information about the process. We learned how to do market research and got great feedback on how to target more people to generate more revenue.”

Burdine is an assistant professor in the Division of Surgical Research in the UAMS College of Medicine’s Department of Surgery.

FastPace was developed by FastForward Medical Innovations at the University of Michigan and is designed for the busy medical academician with an early-stage project. It blends in-person and online education to help faculty researchers and clinicians learn the basic components of biomedical commercialization and prepare a successful business case for funding and developing partnerships.

FastPace is one of the newest courses offered by BioVentures and the researchers and clinicians who enrolled was the first class at UAMS to complete the course. Course sessions for the four-week course in biomedical commercialization started in late March.

Michael Owens, Ph.D., left takes notes while his fellow fastPace judges listen to a presentation.

Michael Owens, Ph.D., left takes notes while his fellow fastPace judges listen to a presentation.

Burdine teamed up with her husband, Lyle Burdine, M.D., an assistant professor in the College of Medicine’s Department of Surgery and a transplant surgeon, to develop a nanoparticle for treating clostridium difficile, a bacterial infection of the colon commonly referred to as C. diff. The nanoparticle binds to toxins caused by C. diff and removes them from the colon.

On April 27, there were 10 teams that finished the fastPace course.  Five were in the device/diagnostic track, three were in the therapeutics track and two were in the health information technology track. Seven teams were from the College of Medicine, two from hospital staff and one from University of Arkansas, Little Rock.  Nancy Gray, Ph.D., head of BioVentures, served as site director and lead instructor for fastPace. Curtis Lowery, M.D., Nancy Rusch, Ph.D., and Hari Eswaran, Ph.D., served as co-instructors.

Lowery chairs the College of Medicine Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Eswaran is a professor in the same department. Rusch chairs the College of Medicine Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology and leads the educational efforts of the UAMS Translational Research Institute.

“The fastPace course was designed to teach members of the biomedical community how to develop a business case to secure funding, determine commercial viability of an innovation, build a business network and instill confidence in making a business presentation,” Gray said. I think it achieved all those things and a fuller understanding of what’s needed to take something from the lab to the market.”

Robert Griffin, Ph.D., professor in the College of Medicine’s Department of Radiation Oncology, was part of the Wild Parsnip team with Samir Jenkins, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow in the same department. The team’s product is a cancer therapy based on one of the chemicals in wild parsnip that is activated by ultraviolet light to be toxic to cancer cells. The treatment is designed for patients with cancer that is recurrent, in an anatomical position that’s not conducive to surgery or where a residual tumor is still present in the patient.

“I have a little bit of background working with other small companies, but fastPace is more in-depth and focused,” Griffin said. “We were pushed to get a lot of stuff done in a month. It usually takes a year to do this sort of thing.  The most valuable part of the course was the understanding we gained about the different stakeholders that you have to convince and what is the value at each stage of development. With cancer, you think of the patient first, but there are a lot of steps before that. That was useful.”

 

UAMS Proteomics Workshops Educate, Promote Collaborations

Scientists from across the nation gathered at UAMS in April to learn more about their specialty: proteomics.

Scientists from across the nation gathered at UAMS in April to learn more about their specialty: proteomics.

May 8, 2018 | May 8, 2018 | A skillful proteomics facility translates into improved care for a host of conditions.

The research it fosters in identifying the functions of proteins drives the development of new treatments for diseases with high prevalence in Arkansas such as cancer, obesity and cardiovascular disease. The key is a trained, knowledgeable staff.

The UAMS Proteomics Core hosted two workshops in April with that objective in mind. It welcomed proteomics core staff, faculty and graduate students from across the nation to share its expertise in the specialized research field of proteomics.

The IDeA (Institutional Development Award) National Resource for Proteomics, a partnership between the Arkansas and Oklahoma INBRE (IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence) programs, sponsored the workshops. Lawrence Cornett, Ph.D., UAMS vice chancellor for research, directs the Arkansas INBRE program.

The UAMS Proteomics Core hosted two workshops for proteomics staff, faculty and graduate students.

The UAMS Proteomics Core hosted two workshops for proteomics staff, faculty and graduate students.

Puerto Rico and 23 states make up the IDeA program, which is intended to help states that historically receive less grant money than other states for biomedical research. In all, this year’s workshops hosted 30 participants representing 22 of 23 states and Puerto Rico.

Core directors met April 3-5 to learn new approaches, share their experiments with peers, compare notes and share ideas.

“We want core directors in IDeA states to leave here able to implement new approaches to help their facilities and local investigators,” said Alan Tackett, Ph.D., co-director of the IDeA National Resource for Proteomics.

Faculty and graduates students from IDeA states assembled April 10-12 to learn proper experiment design for data collection and how to analyze the data. Faculty and students were able to bring experimental ideas to the workshop and receive guidance on how to effectively perform their studies.

“This helps address an issue we see in proteomics, which is incorrectly designed experiments that end up costing time and money,” said Tackett.

Researchers who would not interact otherwise are brought together, said Tackett. This creates countless opportunities for collaborations, including at UAMS.

“More traditionally, we serve the needs of UAMS and the people of Arkansas, but these workshops help us operate nationwide to serve people from the other IDeA states as well,” said Tackett.

Continued support from the Arkansas Biosciences Institute, the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, the UAMS Translational Research Institute and the Arkansas INBRE has enabled the UAMS Proteomics Core to establish itself as a hub for proteomics service and educational opportunities, said Tackett.

The UAMS Proteomics Core is not only able to examine samples, but help investigators plan projects, design experiments and analyze results. The UAMS Proteomics Core is co-directed by Rick Edmondson, Ph.D., and Sam Mackintosh, Ph.D.

“It’s very difficult work, but we’re fortunate to have an exceptional proteomics core staff that is as well-qualified as any group in the country, and has a high expertise in operating the equipment and reading data,” said Tackett. “These workshops allow us to take what we do well and help people across the nation advance science and ultimately patient health.”

$1 Million Estate Gift to Benefit Breast Cancer Research at UAMS Cancer Institute

May 3, 2018 | LITTLE ROCK – A $1 million gift from the estate of Linda Garner Riggs to the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) will be used to advance research of triple negative breast cancer. Riggs, who died in Nov. 2017, was a former Arkansas insurance commissioner and managing director at Stephens Inc.

“This gift will have long-lasting effects on UAMS’ ability to help women living with breast cancer. We are grateful to Mrs. Riggs for this transforming gift, which provides vital funds for our ongoing initiative for cancer research,” said UAMS Interim Chancellor Stephanie Gardner, Pharm.D., Ed.D.

A native of Fordyce, Riggs worked about 10 years in state government, serving as director of the research and committee staff of the Arkansas Legislature; legislative and budgetary director for Gov. Frank White; and insurance commissioner. She later joined Stephens Inc. where she worked for 25 years in corporate finance and as managing director of investment banking.

“Linda lived an exemplary life, and I was so privileged to know her and be her partner in it. She was a wonderful example and role model to anyone who wanted to become a better person,” said her husband, Lamar Riggs of Little Rock.

“We are honored and humbled that Mrs. Riggs designated the UAMS Cancer Institute as a recipient for this generous gift from her estate. Her foresight and dedication to the importance of cancer research will enable us to expand our efforts at understanding the causes of and improving the treatments for women with triple negative breast cancer and will move us closer to achieving National Cancer Institute (NCI) designation,” said Cancer Institute Director Peter Emanuel, M.D. Emanuel also serves as professor in the UAMS College of Medicine Division of Hematology.

NCI-designated cancer centers are recognized for their scientific leadership, resources, and research in basic, clinic and population science. There are 70 designated cancer centers in the United States, and the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute is in the process of pursuing this nationally recognized status.

In triple negative breast cancer, the cancer cells do not contain the hormones estrogen and progesterone or the protein HER2. Therefore, the most common hormonal therapies for breast cancer are not effective for women with this form of the disease, which is often aggressive and likely to spread or return after the initial diagnosis.

Triple negative breast cancer is diagnosed in up to 20 percent of cases and is more likely to occur in younger people, African-Americans, Hispanics and those with the BRCA1 gene mutation.

In appreciation of her gift, Riggs will be honored as a member of the 1879 Society of UAMS, recognizing all individuals who have made estate gifts to the university.

 

UAMS is the state's only health sciences university, with colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions and Public Health; a graduate school; hospital; a main campus in Little Rock; a Northwest Arkansas regional campus in Fayetteville; a statewide network of regional campuses; and seven institutes: the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, Psychiatric Research Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Translational Research Institute and Institute for Digital Health & Innovation. UAMS includes UAMS Health, a statewide health system that encompasses all of UAMS' clinical enterprise including its hospital, regional clinics and clinics it operates or staffs in cooperation with other providers. UAMS is the only adult Level 1 trauma center in the state. U.S. News & World Report recognized UAMS Medical Center as a Best Hospital for 2021-22; ranked its ear, nose and throat program among the top 50 nationwide for the third year; and named five areas as high performing — colon cancer surgery, diabetes, hip replacement, knee replacement and stroke. Forbes magazine ranked UAMS as seventh in the nation on its Best Employers for Diversity list. UAMS also ranked in the top 30% nationwide on Forbes’ Best Employers for Women list and was the only Arkansas employer included. UAMS has 2,876 students, 898 medical residents and six dental residents. It is the state's largest public employer with more than 10,000 employees, including 1,200 physicians who provide care to patients at UAMS, its regional campuses, Arkansas Children's, the VA Medical Center and Baptist Health. Visit www.uams.edu or www.uamshealth.com. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or Instagram.

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Five Grants Presented to UAMS Cancer Researchers

Jan. 29, 2018 | Five newly awarded grants will assist scientists at the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute in their search for new and innovative cancer treatments.

The grants of $10,000 each were presented to young investigators by the Envoys, a volunteer advocacy group of the Cancer Institute Foundation, during their “Doctor is In” reception and research poster showcase Jan. 25.

The grants are made possible by the Envoys’ annual RockStar Lounge fundraiser. This year’s event is set for April 13 at Cajun’s Wharf in Little Rock and will feature a performance by Bon Jovi tribute band Slippery When Wet.

“In an era when research funding has become more and more scarce, we are grateful to the Envoys for providing this essential support for our scientists,” said Cancer Institute Director Peter Emanuel, M.D. “With these start-up funds, they are able to establish the preliminary data needed to secure additional larger grants in the future.”

Recipients of the grants were:

Burdine’s project focuses on a novel approach to regulating a protein known as ATAD2 that is highly expressed in several types of cancer, including breast, pancreas, colon and liver, as well as in metastatic disease. If successful, regulation of the protein could lead to new therapies for these types of cancer.

  • Brendan Frett, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, UAMS College of Pharmacy

Precision lung cancer treatment is often effective only for the short term due to significant differences that appear in individual cases of the disease. Frett’s objective is to improve the long-term outcomes of precision lung cancer therapy by simultaneously targeting multiple facets of the disease. He will synthetically engineer single molecule drug candidates capable of impairing multiple tumor survival pathways.

  • Samantha Kendrick, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, UAMS College of Medicine

Kendrick’s project focuses on understanding how and why certain genes repeatedly mutate and contribute to the aggressive nature of B-cell lymphoma. Her research examines the frequency of DNA structures in these specific gene targets and whether the structures contribute to an increased susceptibility to mutation. Uncovering this process can facilitate the design of new therapies to minimize the risk of chemotherapy resistant disease.

Although advances in immunotherapy have offered great promise for several types of cancer, outcomes for an aggressive form of brain cancer known as glioblastoma remain grim. Rodriguez’s project uses the surgical technique laser thermal ablation in combination with immunotherapy to alter the immune microenvironment, cause cancer cell death and open the area around the tumor in an effort to improve outcomes for patients with this disease.

Tian’s research addresses the role of two alias proteins produced by the gene MYC in the outcome of patients with multiple myeloma. He seeks to understand how one of these proteins affects the other in regard to cell proliferation and will use this knowledge to deliberately induce a different translation and modification of the gene that could ultimately lead to preventing uncontrollable cancer growth.

UAMS Breast Surgeon Ronda Henry-Tillman, M.D., Named to Kohn Chair in Breast Surgical Oncology

Nov. 30, 2017 – Ronda Henry-Tillman, M.D., F.A.C.S., was invested Nov. 29 as recipient of the Muriel Balsam Kohn Chair in Breast Surgical Oncology at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). She is chief of Breast Oncology in the UAMS College of Medicine Department of Surgery.

The endowed chair is the result of a gift from the Tenenbaum Foundation. The foundation’s primary objectives include providing humanitarian assistance to residents of central Arkansas, promoting awareness of breast cancer, and funding research to reduce or eliminate deaths from the disease.

The chair is named in honor of Muriel Balsam Kohn, mother of Judy Tenenbaum, who died of breast cancer in 1993.

“I am thankful for the generosity and foresight of the Tenenbaum Foundation in establishing this endowed chair, which has enabled valuable breast cancer research to be conducted in Arkansas for the past 10 years. This legacy will continue for many years to come through the work and dedication of Dr. Henry-Tillman,” said UAMS Interim Chancellor Stephanie Gardner, Pharm.D., Ed.D., who also serves as senior vice chancellor for academic affairs and provost.

An endowed chair is among the highest academic honors a university can bestow on a faculty member and is established with gifts of $1 million, which are invested and the proceeds used to support the educational, research and clinical activities of the chair holder. Those named to a chair are among the most highly regarded scientists, physicians and professors in their fields of expertise.

“Dr. Henry-Tillman has been a valuable member of the UAMS faculty since 1998, not only serving as a knowledgeable and caring physician for countless women, but also as a tireless advocate for underserved Arkansans who lack basic health care services. There is no doubt that her work to improve access to mammography services has extended the lives of women across our state,” said UAMS Cancer Institute Director Peter Emanuel, M.D., who also serves as professor of medicine in the UAMS College of Medicine.

NBA Hall of Famer and philanthropist Dikembe Mutombo addressed the attendees gathered to honor Henry-Tillman at a Nov. 29 ceremony, praising her work at educating health providers in Africa, including at the Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital he founded 10 years ago in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Henry-Tillman’s mentor, Groesbeck P. Parham, M.D., recruited her to travel to Africa where she has taught breast surgical techniques and medical procedures to health care providers who have limited access to equipment and advanced educational opportunities. Parham is a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

After earning her medical degree at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine, Henry-Tillman completed her surgical residency in the UAMS Department of Surgery and fellowship training in the UAMS Fellowship in Diseases of the Breast program.

She holds the positions of professor in the Department of Surgery, co-director of Health Initiatives and Disparities Research in the UAMS College of Medicine, and co-leader of the Breast Tumor Disease Oriented Committee in the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute.

She previously served as director of the UAMS Cancer Control program and was instrumental in the development of the university’s mobile mammography program.

Her research efforts have focused primarily on health initiatives that address access, community-based participatory research, health disparities and health policy in the areas of breast, prostate, colorectal, and cervical cancer prevention.

In 2016, Henry-Tillman was appointed by Gov. Asa Hutchinson to the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission and was voted chairman in 2017. She also is a member of the Breast Cancer Control Advisory Board and is a Pulaski County health officer for the Arkansas State Board of Health.

Her memberships and professional activities include the American Surgical Association, Society of Surgical Oncology, Southern Surgical Association, Society of Black Academic Surgeons, National Medical Association, American Society of Breast Surgeons and multiple committees of the National Institutes of Health. She has served as a board member for the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers and the national Health Disparities Committee for the American Cancer Society, as well as the Arkansas Cancer Coalition and other local organizations.

She has received numerous awards and honors including being named to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honorary Medical Society, Best Doctors in America and Castle Connolly’s Exceptional Women in Medicine. She is recipient of the Shipley Award by the Southern Surgical Association; the Rosetta Wilkins Award by BreastCare; the President’s Award by the Arkansas Medical and Dental Pharmaceutical Association; the President’s Award by the Arkansas Democratic Black Caucus. She also has received the Phenomenal Woman in Science and Excellence in STEM Mentoring awards.

The Tenenbaum Foundation was created in 1964 by Joe M. Tenenbaum. The foundation created the chair’s endowment in 2007 to recognize Kohn and the chair’s first holder V. Suzanne Klimberg, M.D., Ph.D., former director of the UAMS Division of Breast and Surgical Oncology. Klimberg now serves as medical director of the University of Texas Medical Branch Cancer Center in Galveston, Texas.

Speakers at the Nov. 29 ceremony included Gardner, Emanuel, Klimberg, Parham, Mutombo and the following:

  • Pope L. Moseley, M.D., UAMS executive vice chancellor and dean of the UAMS College of Medicine
  • Kent C. Westbrook, M.D., distinguished professor of surgery in the UAMS College of Medicine
  • Frederick R. Bentley, M.D., professor and chairman of the Department of Surgery in the UAMS College of Medicine

UAMS Scientist Takes Lead in National Tobacco Control Publication

Nov. 6, 2017 | It’s hard to quit smoking. Ask anyone who has tried and failed and tried again, sometimes in a seemingly endless cycle.

This process of quitting is important for individuals and their personal health, but there are also bigger concerns at stake — specifically how smoking affects our society as a whole.

This complex issue is of vital interest to public health researchers who spend their time trying to understand why some population groups are more likely to smoke than others and what strategies will help them quit once and for all.

Pebbles Fagan, Ph.D., M.P.H., is one of those researchers. Now entering her second year as director of the UAMS Center for the Study of Tobacco in the Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, Fagan has devoted her career to studying tobacco control and cancer prevention. Specifically, her interest lies in reducing tobacco-related health disparities among underserved populations.

That expertise has recently resulted in the publication of a six-year-long project she conceived of while serving as a health scientist in the Tobacco Control Research Branch at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in Bethesda, Maryland.

“A Socioecological Approach to Addressing Tobacco-Related Health Disparities” is the 22nd volume in a series of monographs addressing issues related to tobacco control. Monographs are detailed studies written about specific topics.

The NCI established the Tobacco Control Monograph series in 1991 to provide information about emerging public health issues in smoking and tobacco use control.  Fagan served as scientific advisor, writer and editor for this monograph — the first to focus on tobacco-related health disparities.

After initiating the project, Fagan asked Linda Alexander, Ed.D., associate dean of academic affairs at the West Virginia University School of Public Health, to serve as editor. Together, they recruited more than 50 subject matter experts to write and contribute chapters on the impact, causes and trends in tobacco-related health disparities.

“What’s unique about this monograph, is that it’s the first comprehensive document to focus on tobacco-related health disparities since the publication of the 1998 surgeon general’s report on tobacco and minorities,” Fagan said, adding that while that report, titled “Tobacco Use Among U.S. Racial/Ethnic Minority Groups,” focused only on racial and ethnic minorities, this monograph encompasses a broader spectrum.

“We include a focus on how issues such as poverty, educational attainment and gender affect tobacco use. We also highlight some of the issues with the LGBTQ population, as recent studies have shown this group to have a higher use of tobacco than other groups,” she said.

For Fagan, the most significant conclusion derived from the monograph centers on the varying speeds in which some groups benefit from declines in tobacco use versus others.

“Overall, tobacco use has declined, and we have evidence that shows which practices have effectively influenced this trend. This includes such things as a cigarette taxes that increase the cost of the product or receipt of advice to quit smoking from a health provider such as a doctor or dentist, , as well as statewide policies that prohibit smoking in the workplace, restaurants and bars,” she said.

What remains to be answered is why some groups benefit from these practices — and gain the resulting health benefits — more quickly than others. The answer, Fagan said, may lie in part in the applicability of different interventions for various cultural groups and the social context in which the interventions occur for different groups.

“While we know the practices that help people quit smoking, it remains to be seen if these practices work the same way for all groups or if they need to be adapted in order to be effective across cultures,” she said.

One of the groups significantly affected by smoking and tobacco-related disease is those who live in poverty. Research outlined in the monograph shows that social factors play a major role in this correlation and can run the gamut from cigarette ads at gas stations to the lack of primary care physicians in rural areas.

“In the rural Delta, for example, access to primary care providers is quite limited. People in the Delta don’t have doctors to advise them to quit or prescribe nicotine replacement therapies. This could influence why they are not benefiting from these practices at the same rate as other groups,” Fagan said.

Arkansas, and other states, also have a long way to go in implementing comprehensive clean air policies for public places, as well as encouraging families to restrict smoking in the home. These in-home practices are particularly important for African-American families, as they are twice as likely to be exposed to second-hand smoke in the home as other groups.

“We have a lot of progress to make in helping people understand that when they prohibit smoking in their home they are protecting their children from asthma, as well as protecting themselves and their children from lung cancer, heart disease and other chronic diseases caused by tobacco,” Fagan said.

In addition to the dangers of smoking, the monograph also highlights the changing landscape of tobacco control, including the rise in popularity of e-cigarettes and other new products that heat, rather than burn, tobacco.

For Fagan, the main takeaway message from all of the combined research is that regardless of any of other factors, tobacco use is dangerous.

“There is no safe use of tobacco. That’s the most important message to communicate to all groups,” she said.

Cancer Imaging Archive Housed at UAMS Bolstered by $8.3 Million NCI Grant

LITTLE ROCK – The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has awarded an $8.3 million grant to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) for expansion and enhancement of an archive containing freely accessible cancer medical images and data.

The Cancer Imaging Archive (TCIA) is a free online service that hosts a large collection of cancer-related medical images available for public download. All patient identification has been removed from the images and supporting data, which include outcomes, treatment details, genetic information, pathology reports and expert analyses when available. Since its formation about seven years ago, TCIA data has been used to produce almost 500 academic papers.

In 2015, the archive moved from Washington University in St. Louis to UAMS when its lead principal investigator, Fred Prior, Ph.D., took the position as the first-ever chair of the UAMS Department of Biomedical Informatics. Prior assumed leadership of the TCIA project during his tenure at Washington University. Additional principal investigators on the project are Ashish Sharma, Ph.D., of Emory University in Atlanta and Joel Saltz, M.D., Ph.D., of Stony Brook University in Stony Brook, New York.

The grant, titled “TCIA Sustainment and Scalability: Platforms for Quantitative Imaging Informatics in Precision Medicine,” supports the TCIA by expanding its capacity to provide data-driven information and images for use in research studies; adding new high-quality data collections; and encouraging the engagement, collaboration and dissemination of information among the research community.

“Since 2011, the Cancer Imaging Archive has encouraged and supported cancer-related research by acquiring, curating, hosting and managing collections of images and other data essential to the discovery process. This grant will allow us to undergo the continuous improvements and expansion necessary to provide the large collections of data required to test and validate cancer research studies for years to come,” said Prior, professor in the Department of Bioinformatics in the UAMS College of Medicine.

Biomedical informatics uses computers, rather than traditional laboratories, to extract knowledge from large sets of data. Under Prior’s leadership, the UAMS department has grown to include about 50 faculty and staff members responsible for developing computational tools to assess and manage medical and public health information for  research programs.

The ultimate goal of the archive is the advancement of precision medicine, which allows for therapies to be tailored to the individual needs of each patient based on the specific makeup of his or her cancer. Prior and his team are accomplishing this goal by using computers to read and understand medical images in new ways and by applying these tools across multiple formats, from microscope images of tumor biopsy samples to CT images of the lung.

Prior’s research team for this grant includes Lawrence Tarbox, Ph.D.; Mathias Brochhausen, Ph.D.; Tracy Nolan; Kirk E. Smith; William C. Bennett; Roosevelt D. Dobbins; Diana Stockton; and Sean M. Berryman.