My current goal is to better elucidate the roles of aldehyde dehydrogenase isoenzymes in tumor resistance to oxazophoshorines, such as Cytoxan. Cytoxan is utilized as a major chemotherapy in Multiple Myeloma, Lymphoma, as well as in some breast cancer settings. A number of past and recent studies have implicated the expression of either aldehyde dehydrogenase 1A1 (ALDH1A1) or aldehyde dehydrogenase 3A1 (ALDH3A1) in cancer cells as the causative factor for increased resistance to the cytotoxic agent produced through the activation of Cytoxan in the body. We propose to identify and develop novel isoenzyme specific inhibitors of either ALDH1A1 or ALDH3A1 which will permit efficient chemotherapy at lower doses of Cytoxan. The lower dose therapy may provide a similar or enhanced therapeutic outcome coupled with lower general cytotoxicity and better patient quality of life while undergoing chemotherapy.
Post-doctoral Fellowship - The Johns Hopkins University of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 1990-1992
Ph.D. - Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 1990
M.S. - Creighton University, Omaha, NE 1985
