Research Interests and Background/Directed Studies

-The principal focus of the ongoing research in my laboratory is the BRCA1 tumor suppressor gene and its role in the prevention of human breast and ovarian cancers. Using a molecular approach, my students and I seek to contribute to the understanding of BRCA1 gene function through characterizing the structure/function relationships of normal vs. defective BRCA1 encoded polypeptides. In developing a procedure which allows for visual identification of BRCA1 protein(s) in extracts of tumor cells, students have employed a wide range of modern methodologies (e.g., peptide synthesis and characterization, polyclonal antibody production and purification, immunoprecipitation, SDS PAGE, western blotting, ECL detection, etc.) which can be applied to the study of most "rare" proteins. This research, in terms of its theoretical and practical content, is designed primarily to meet the needs of biochemistry and biology majors preparing to enter molecular-level research positions in graduate school or the workplace following graduation, though future medical students may also benefit from the clinically relevant nature of the project.