Lab Members
Shawn Bratton, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Molecular Carcinogenesis
SRL1.112
512-237-9461
sbbratton@mdanderson.org
Postdoctoral Fellow: (Medical Research Council-Toxicology Unit, Leicester, England)
Ph.D.: Pharmacology and Toxicology (The University of Texas, Austin, Texas)
B.S.: Medical Technology (University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas)
B.S.: Molecular Biology (The University of Texas, Austin, Texas)
Miao-Der (Sophie) Chen
Graduate Student
Pharmacology & Toxicology
Email: mchen4@mdanderson.org
Phone: 512-237-6636
Our laboratory has previously shown that heat shock-induced apoptosis does not require any of the known initiator caspase-activating complexes. We have recently observed that heat shock induces endo-lysosomal membrane permealization (ELMP), which occurs upstream of mitochondria and correlates with the release of cathepsins. My project is focused on determining if cytosolic acidification and cathepsin release, following heat shock-induced ELMP, is important for caspase activation and cell death following heat shock.
Education:
B.S.: Animal Science (National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Taiwan)
M.S.: Animal Science (National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Taiwan)
Ting-Chun Yeh
Graduate Student
Cell and Molecular Biology
Email: tyeh@mdanderson.org
Phone: 512-237-6641
Grim is an endogenous inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) antagonist in Drosophila, which induces rapid cell death upon expression. Although Grim displaces fly caspases from the fly IAP, DIAP1, recent studies indicate that Grim's IAP binding motif (IBM) is not essential for cell death. Therefore, my project is focused on understanding how Grim induces IBM-independent apoptosis.
Education:
B.S.: Pharmacy (National Taiwan University, Taiwan)
M.S.: Pharmaceutical Sciences (National Taiwan University, Taiwan)
Indra Mahajan
Graduate Student
College of Pharmacy
Email: imahajan@mdanderson.org
Phone: 512-237-9412
Heat shock, also referred to as hyperthermia, is currently under consideration as an adjunct to cancer therapy, but the basic mechanisms involved in heat shock-induced apoptosis are unclear and hotly debated. In my project, I am investigating the molecular players that regulate heat shock-induced apoptosis using cells derived from various knock-out mice, as well as cancer cell lines.
Education:
B.S: Biology (University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil)
M.Sc.: Molecular Biology (University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil)
Daric Wible
Graduate Student
Cell and Molecular Biology
Email: daric.wible@gmail.com
Phone: 512-237-6637
My project is related to autophagy and the molecular mechanism(s) that regulate the formation and maturation of autophagosomes, with a particular emphasis on the role that p38 MAPKs play in this process.
Education:
B.S.: Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology and Biochemistry (University of Colorado, Boulder, CO)
Chu-Chiao (Crystal) Wu
Graduate Student
Cell and Molecular Biology
Email: cwu8@mdanderson.org
Phone: 512-237-6639
The Apaf-1 apoptosome is a large caspase (cysteine protease)-activating complex activated during the mitochondrial (intrinsic) cell death pathway. My project is focused on the stoichiometry and dimerization/conformational status of caspase-9 within this complex and it's activation mechanism in vivo using a novel caspase-9 knock-in mouse model.
Education:
B.S.: Nuclear Science ( National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan )
M.S.: Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences (National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan )