Nathan J. Charles

Year entered: 2002

Degrees Received:
B.S. Chemistry and Biology, University of Wisconsin - LaCrosse, 2002 

Honors and Awards:
Steer-Pruitt Award, Minnesota Medical Foundation, 2007
American Heart Association Greater Midwest Affiliate Predoctoral Fellowship, 2005-2007
Honors, Year 1, Medical School

Thesis Advisor: Carol Lange, Ph.D., MICaB Graduate Program

Thesis Research: Hormone signaling and breast cancer

The goal of my studies is to elucidate the relationship between hormone signaling and Breast tumor kinase (Brk) as they relate to breast cancer. Hormone signaling plays a prominent role in the development, progression, and treatment of breast cancer, however, the cellular mechanisms governing this signaling are not yet fully understood. Breast tumor kinase expression has been shown to be differentially regulated in breast tissue only in the setting of breast cancer. Therefore, we are testing the hypothesis that Breast tumor kinase serves as an intrinsic regulator of hormone signaling in the breast and may thus serve as a potential therapeutic target in the treatment of hormone-sensitive breast cancer.

Publications:

Hall JL, Birks EJ, Grindle S, Cullen ME, Barton PJ, Rider JE, Lee S, Harwalker S, Mariash A, Adhikari N, Charles NJ, Felkin LE, Polster S, George RS, Miller LW, Yacoub MH. Molecular signature of recovery following combination left ventricular assist device (LVAD) support and pharmacologic therapy. Eur Heart J. 2007;28:613-627.

Adhikari N, Charles N, Lehmann U, Hall JL.Transcription factor and kinase-mediated signaling in atherosclerosis and vascular injury.  Curr Atheroscler Rep. 2006;8:252-260.

Huebert RC, Li Q, Adhikari N, Charles NJ, Han X, Ezzat MK, Grindle S, Park S, Ormaza S, Fermin D, Miller LW, Hall JL. Identification and regulation of Sprouty1, a negative inhibitor of the ERK cascade, in the human heart. Physiol Genomics. 2004;18:284-289.