Abstract

Background: “Pathogenic” or “Likely Pathogenic” mutations in DNA repair genes such as Brca1, Brca2, and Palb2 in the BRCA repair pathway or can lead to an increased risk of developing breast, ovarian, prostate, and pancreatic cancers. Other mutations may be found in the patient population, yet whether they play a role in increasing the risk of developing cancer is unknown; these are called Variants of Undetermined Significance (VUS). The impact of these variants’ expression on cell proliferation, apoptosis, oxidative stress factors, and internalization in certain cell types is unclear. Key DNA repair genes such as BRCA1 and BRCA2 have shown to be important for hematopoiesis in animal models, and some studies have observed differential affects among certain progenitor subsets. Further, several questions remain about the prevalence and impact of DNA repair gene variants in certain tissues. Characterizing the phenotypic impacts of these variants in different cell-based models will provide more information about relevant molecular targets.

Speaker Bio

Victoria Mgbemena is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology, Marvin D. and June Samuel Brailsford College of Arts and Sciences, Prairie View A&M University. She received a Ph.D. from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, where she studied Host-Pathogen Interactions. She completed her Postdoctoral studies in Hematology/Oncology at UT Southwestern Medical Center, where she studied the role of a DNA repair gene in hematopoiesis.

Dr. Mgbemena’s research topics interests include: Inheritance of rare diseases, Reproductive Health, Applications for developing Personalized Medical Approaches, and Preventative Care. She is interested in the following mechanisms: Cell-Cell Communications, modulation of cell metastatic potential by DNA repair pathways.