Erin Perchiniak, PhD

Post Doctoral Fellow

Department of Molecular Virology, Immunology and Medical Genetics
Comprehensive Cancer Center

960 Biomedical Research Tower
460 W 12th Avenue
Columbus, OH 43210

614-292-8319

Erin.Perchiniak@osumc.edu

My postdoctoral research has focused on understanding the role that the tumor suppressor protein, APC, plays in programmed cell death. The adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) tumor suppressor is a multifunctional protein involved in a range of cellular events including proliferation, migration, and apoptosis.  Germline mutations within the APC gene were found to be the underlying cause of familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), an autosomal dominant disease characterized by the development of multiple colorectal adenomas that develop at a young age.  Somatic mutations, typically resulting in inactivation of APC, have since been detected in over 85 % of colorectal tumors. APC is an integral component of the Wnt signaling pathway and is best known for its ability to downregulate beta-catenin and consequent effects on transcriptional regulation.  Previous work from our laboratory has demonstrated that APC also accelerates apoptosis-associated caspase activity independent of its transcriptional functions.  My research is aimed at understanding the mechanism by which APC contributes to apoptosis following DNA damage.

Scientific Interests:  My scientific interests include molecular oncogenesis, apoptosis, mitochondrial biochemistry and the role it plays in apoptosis, and drug development. 

Education

2000-2005        Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA   Ph.D. in Pharmacology and Toxicology

Dissertation: Structure and function of the mitochondrial folate transporter and its role in the toxicity of antifolate drugs.

1996-2000        University of Delaware, Newark, DE.   B.A. Biology

Minor: Chemistry

Research Experience

Post Doctoral

2007-present    Post doctoral fellow in Department of Molecular Viology, Immunology, and Medical Genetics at The Ohio State University. Mentor: Joanna Groden, PhD.

2006-2007       Post doctoral fellow in Department of Medical Sciences at Fox Chase Cancer Center.  Mentor:  Maureen E. Murphy, Ph.D.

Teaching Experience:

2007                Laboratory Instructor Anatomy and Physiology I, Department of Allied  Health, Manor College

2007                Laboratory Instructor Anatomy and Physiology II, Department of Allied

                        Health, Manor College

2005                Antineoplastics lecture in Pharmacology 400, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology,

                       Virginia Commonwealth University

2003-2004         Tutor for pharmacology

2003                Preparing Future Faculty in the Profession 601/602 courses

2001-2005        Student moderator of pharmacology Questers Program for high school students

2003                Teaching Assistant for Pharmacology 604, Department of Pharmacology

                        and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University

1998-2000        Teaching Assistant for Introduction to Biology I and II, Department of

Biology, University of Delaware

1999-2000         Peer Tutor for Honors Introduction to Biology I, Department of Biology,

University of Delaware

1999                Laboratory Instructor for Genetics, Department of Biology, University of

Delaware

Awards

2005                Recipient of the Lauren A. Woods Award for outstanding research by a doctoral student, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University.

2005                1^st Place Award for Poster Presentation from the 13^th International Symposium on the Biology and Chemistry of Pteridines and Folates, Egmond aan Zee, The Netherlands.

2005                Travel Fellowship from the 13^th International Symposium on the Chemistry and Biology of Pteridines and Folates, Egmond aan Zee, The Netherlands.

2004                Travel Fellowship from Membrane Transport Gordon Conference, Les Diablerets, Switzerland.

2004                Recipient of the VCU Graduate Student Leadership Award

2003                Recipient of the C.C. Clayton Award for academic achievement

Publications:

Erin M. Perchiniak and Joanna Groden.  Mouse models of gastrointestinal cancers.  Springer Text:  Genetic susceptibility to colorectal cancer.  In press December, 2008.

Jiang Qian, Erin M. Perchiniak, Kristine Sun, and Joanna Groden.  Caspase cleavage of the APC tumor suppressor releases an amino terminal segment that interacts with the mitochondrial protein TID and accelerates apoptosis through cytochrome c release.  In preparation, 2008.

E. Christine Pietsch, Erin Perchiniak, Adrian A. Canutescu, Guoli Wang, Roland L. Dunbrack, and Maureen E. Murphy.  Oligomerization of bak by p53 utilizes conserved residues of the p53 DNA binding domain.  J Biol Chem, 2008; 283(30):21294-304.

Erin M. Perchiniak, Scott A. Lawrence, Shane Kasten, B. Ann Woodard, Shirley M. Taylor, and Richard G. Moran.  Probing the mechanism of the hamster mitochondrial folate transporter by mutagenesis and homology modeling.  Biochemistry 2007; 46(6):1557-67.

Mariette Bedhomme, Michaela Hoffmann, Erin A. McCarthy*, Bernadette Gambonnet, Aurélie Da Riz, Richard G. Moran, Fabrice Rébeillé, Stéphane Ravanel.  Folate Metabolism in plants: an Arabidopsis homolog of the mammalian mitochondrial folate transporter mediates folate import into chloroplasts.  J Biol Chem 280, 34823-31, 2005. 

Erin A. McCarthy, Steven A. Titus, Shirley M. Taylor, Colleen Jackson-Cook, and Richard G. Moran.  A mutation inactivating the mitochondrial inner membrane folate transporter creates a glycine requirement for survival of Chinese hamster cells. J Biol Chem 279, 33829-36, 2004.

Diana Cichewicz and Erin A. McCarthy.  Antinociceptive synergy between delta 9- tetrahydrocannabinol and opioids after oral administration.  JPET 304: 1010-1015, 2003.

*co-first author

Abstracts

Folate transport into the mitochondrial matrix by the MFT protein.  Erin A. McCarthy and Richard G. Moran.  13^th International Symposium on Chemistry and Biology of Pteridines and Folates, Egmond aan Zee, The Netherlands, 2005.

The Mammalian Mitochondrial Folate Transport Proteins.  Erin A. McCarthy and Richard G. Moran.  Membrane Transport Proteins Gordon Conference, Les Diablerets, Switzerland, 2004.

An Inner Mitochondrial Membrane Protein Responsible for Folate Transport.  Erin A. McCarthy.  Virginia Academy of Science Annual Meeting, 2004.  (presentation)

The Mammalian Mitochondrial Folate Transport Proteins.  Erin A. McCarthy and Richard G. Moran.  Massey Cancer Center Retreat Poster Presentations at Virginia Commonwealth University, 2004.

A mutation in the inner mitochondrial membrane folate transporter causes glycine auxotrophy.  Erin A. McCarthy, Shirley M. Taylor, and Richard G. Moran.  Annual Meeting for the American Association for Cancer Research, Washington DC, 2003.

A mutation in the inner mitochondrial membrane folate transporter causes glycine auxotrophy.  Erin A. McCarthy, Shirley M. Taylor, and Richard G. Moran.  Daniel T. Watts Poster Presentations at Virginia Commonwealth University, 2003.