NSF Award
2100655
Catalyst Awards provide support for junior and mid-career faculty at Historically Black Colleges and Universities who are building new research programs or redirecting and rebuilding existing research programs. It is expected that the award helps to further the faculty member's research capability and effectiveness, improve research and teaching at the home institution, and involves undergraduate students in research experiences. The award to Texas Southern University intends to understand the molecular mechanisms by which an enzyme inhibitor enhances the stem cell populations found in breast cancer stem cells. Undergraduate students will be involved in this work through participation in a 10-week intensive summer experience.<br/><br/>The overall goal of this project is to identify the molecular mechanisms by which the cell cycle kinase inhibitor, p27KIP1 (termed p27), enhances stem cell populations found in breast cancer stem cells (CSCs). Texas Southern University undergraduate students will employ various in vitro cellular and molecular biology assays to perform research. The proposed study will characterize p27 protein expression in CSCs compared to non-CSCs isolated from breast cancer cell lines with different molecular signatures. Protein expression for p27 will be assessed by Western blot analysis. The subcellular compartment whereby p27 resides will be investigated using fluorescence microscopy to shed light on the role of p27 in the stemness of these populations, for p27 exerts both cell cycle-dependent (nuclear) and cell-cycle independent (cytoplasmic) functions. Moreover, the molecular factors which contribute to p27 stability in breast CSCs will be determined using cell lines stably expressing p27 with point substitutions at residues known to regulate p27 protein expression. Investigating novel biological markers involved in the stem cell niche will enhance our understanding of the factors governing stemness as identification of reliable breast cancer stem markers still remains a challenge. The implementation of this proposal will provide a unique opportunity for underrepresented minority STEM majors to be immersed in hands-on research experiences using cutting edge techniques and prepare them for graduate programs and/or careers in the STEM field.<br/><br/>This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
