Robert Cormier, Medical School Duluth at the University of Minnesota

Contact Information

Phone:	218-726-8625
Fax:
Email:	rcormier@d.umn.edu
Address: 247 SMed 1035 University Dr. Duluth, MN 55812

Assistant Professor

Links

Academic Health Center Graduate Programs

Research

Research in our laboratory is focused on the mapping and functional characterization of genetic modifiers of colorectal cancer (CRC). While identifying these genes directly in humans is difficult, mouse models can be used to clone cancer susceptibility genes whose human homologues can be evaluated clinically. The Min (Multiple Intestinal Neoplasia) mouse, which carries a dominant mutation in the Apc gene, has been shown to be a valuable model of human CRC. We are investigating genes in the Mom1 locus that confer resistance to Min-induced tumorigenesis. Mom1 is a complex of genes consisting of the secretory phospholipase Pla2g2a and one or more distal components. Several ongoing experiments seek to understand the genetic and biochemical basis for Pla2g2a’s tumor resistance, especially in the mouse colon. Studies are currently underway to identify the distal Mom1 gene.

Additional projects in the lab include: using targeted mutagenesis to study the role of potential genetic modifiers of Min such as PPAR gamma, MUC2, EphA2, and MCT1; understanding how altered DNA methylation affects Min tumorigenesis; and identification of genes critical for intestinal cancer metastasis using transposon mediated mutagenesis.

Students in our laboratory acquire training in various aspects of mouse cancer genetics including linkage-based gene mapping, targeted mutagenesis in embryonic stem cells, aspects of intestinal tumor biology and fundamentals of mouse husbandry.

Publications

Publications

Cormier, R.T., Hong, K.H., Halberg, R.B., Hawkins, T.L., Richardson, P., Mulherkar, R., Dove, W.F., and Lander, E.S. Secretory Phospholipase Pla2g2a Confers Resistance to Intestinal Tumorigenesis. Nature Genetics, 17: 89-91. 1997.

Dove, W.F., Cormier, R.T., Gould, K.A., Halberg, R.B., Merritt, A.J., Newton, M.A., and Shoemaker, A.R. The Intestinal Epithelium and Its Neoplasms: Genetic, Cellular, and Tissue Interactions. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Biological Sciences. May, 1998.

Cormier, R.T., Bilger, A., Lillich, A.J., Halberg, R.B., Hong, K.H., Gould, K.A., Borenstein, N., Lander, E.S., and Dove, W.F. The Mom1AKR Intestinal Tumor Resistance Region Consists of Pla2g2a and a Locus Distal to D4Mit64. Oncogene, 19: 3182-3192, 2000.

Cormier, R.T., and Dove, W.F. Dnmt1N/+ Reduces the Net Growth Rate and Multiplicity of Intestinal Adenomas in C57BL/6-Multiple Intestinal Neoplasia (Min)/+ Mice Independently of p53 but Demonstrates Strong Synergy with the Modifier of Min 1AKR Resistance Allele. Cancer Research, 60: 3965-3970, 2000.

Cormier, R.T, Clipson, L., and Dove, W.F. Secretory Phospholipase Encoded by Pla2g2aAKR Provides Resistance to Spontaneous Inflammatory Bowel Disease in the Min Mouse. Submitted to Gastroenterology, under revision , 2003.

Selected Abstracts and Meeting Posters

Cormier, R.T., and Dove, W.F. Investigations Into the Role of DNA Methyltransferase Deficiency in Min Tumorigenesis. Poster and Abstract Book. FASEB Conference on Biological Methylation. Saxton’s River, Vermont, June, 1997.

Cormier, R.T., Halberg, R.B., Merritt, A.J., Hong, K.H., Hawkins, T.L., Richardson, P., Mulherkar, R., Lander, E.S., and Dove, W.F. The Role of Secretory Phospholipase Pla2g2a in Resistance to Min-induced Intestinal Tumorigenesis. Poster and Abstract Book. Keystone Symposia on Signal Transduction and Lipid Second Messengers. Taos, New Mexico, March, 1998.

Cormier, R.T., Halberg, R.B., and Dove, W.F. The Effects of DNA Hypomethylation on Tumorigenesis in the B6-Min Mouse. Poster and Abstract Book. Symposium: Genetics, Genomics, and Molecules, University of Wisconsin-Madison. May, 1999.

Cormier, R.T. The Dnmt1N/+ Allele: an Effect on Min Tumor Growth Kinetics and Synergy with Mom1. Abstract. Conference on Modeling Human Colo-Rectal Cancer in Mice, The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine, October, 2000.

Cormier, R.T. Pla2g2a and Mom1: a Complex Story. Abstract. Conference on Modeling Human Colo-Rectal Cancer in Mice, The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine, October, 2000.Dove, W.F., Bilger, A., Cormier, R.T., Gould, K.A., Haigis, K.M., Halberg, R.B., Shedlovsky, A., and Shoemaker, A.R. (2000). The Network of Genes Impacting Intestinal Neoplasia. The 14 th International Mouse Genome Conference, Narita, Japan.

Enerson, B.E., Cormier, R.T., and Drewes, L.R. (2001). Generation of a Transgenic Mouse Over Expressing MCT1 in the Brain Endothelium. IVth International Conference, Cerebral Vascular Biology, King’s College, Cambridge, UK.

Enerson, B.E., Cormier, R.T., and Drewes, L.R. (2001). Influence of the Ketogenic Diet on Gene Expression Profiles of Rat Cerebral Cortex. University of Minnesota Biomedical Genomics Center Conference, Minneapolis, MN.

Dove, W.F., Amos-Landgraf, J., Bilger, A., Chen, X., Clipson, L., Cormier, B., Ernhardt, W., Haigis, K., Halberg, R., Harms, A., Hegeman A., Hoff, P., Kwong, L., Meyerand, E., Nelson, C., Newton, M., Pasch, C., Shedlovsky A., Sussman, M., Thliveris, A., Weichert, J., and White, A. (2004). From the Apc-Min Mouse Model to Genes and Moleculaes Involved in Human Colon Cancer. American Gastroenterological Association Research Symposium, New Orleans, LA.

Bogan, C., McAlpine, C., Amdahl, M., Bluemn, E., Velcich, A., Barak, Y., Evans, R., Chen, J., and Cormier, R. (2004). Genetic Pathway Analysis of Mom1 Candidate Genes. American Association for Cancer Research Meeting on Colon Cancer in Murine Models and Humans, Bar Harbor, ME.

Bogan, C., McAlpine, C., Amdahl, M., Bluemn, E., Velcich, A., Barak, Y., Evans, R., Chen, J., and Cormier, R. (2004). Genetic Pathway Analysis of Mom1 Candidate Genes. The 18 th Annual International Mouse Genome Conference, Seattle, WA.

Fijneman, R.J.A., Cormier, R.T., Meijer, G.A., and Kraal, G. (2004). Is Group IIA Secretory Phospholipase A2 a Candidate Gene for Marif1? American Association for Cancer Research Meeting on Colon Cancer in Murine Models and Humans, Bar Harbor, ME.

Meeting Presentations

FASEB Conference on Biological Methylation. Saxton’s River, Vermont, June, 1997. Title: Investigations Into the Role of DNA Methyltransferase Deficiency in Min Tumorigenesis.

Modeling Human Colo-Rectal Cancer in Mice, The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine, October, 2000. Title: The Dnmt1N/+ Allele: an Effect on Min Tumor Growth Kinetics and Synergy with Mom1.

Modeling Human Colo-Rectal Cancer in Mice, The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine, October, 2000. Title: Pla2g2a and Mom1: a Complex Story.

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Last modified on Friday Mar 03, 2006

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