Nick Mastrandrea

Education:

• Doctoral Candidate Pharmacology and ToxicologyUniversity of Arizona 2008-Present
• B.S. Biochemistry/Biophysics Oregon State University 2007

Achievements:

• 2nd Place SOT Carcinogenesis Specialty Section Graduate Student Award, 2012
• Caldwell Health Sciences Award 2011
• SOT Graduate Student Travel Award 2011
• ASPET Graduate Student Travel Award 2011
• NIEHS Human Genes and the Environment (HuGER) Training Program Predoctoral Trainee 2011-present
• AstraZeneca Studentship Award 2010

Professional Experience:

• Research Chemist, Bend Research Inc. 2007-2008

• Chemistry Intern, AVI Biopharma, Inc. 2005-2007

Mentees

Wesley Cai, Kim Tham

Research Project:

I am interested in elucidating some of the signaling mechanisms responsible for kidney and prostate cancer pathogenesis. Parallel to both diseases, the MTOR/4EBP1/4EIF signaling pathway is of major focus in our lab. Alongside the plethora of cellular biological techniques, we couple mass spectrometry (MS) and other technological means in order to conduct our research. Currently, I am using Matrix AssistedLaser Desorption Ionization (MALDI-MS) to show drug uptake in cultured cells. Our hopes are to move this platform over to a xenograft tumor model in order to show drug localization within the tumor. I am also using MALDI-MS to show differences in the level of whole proteins due to drug dose. This may serve as a way to help explain the mechanism of action of experimental drugs in cells. In this way, we are using MALDI-MS to describe drug and protein imaging in order to simultaneously determine drug disposition and protein modification.

Publications:

• Cohen, J.D., Tham, K.Y., Mastrandrea, N.M., Gallegos, A.C., Monks, T.J., Lau, S.S. cAMP–Dependent Pathway(s) Directs the Rap-GTP/B-Raf MAPK Mediated Cytosolic Mislocalization of p27kip-cyclin D1 in Renal Cancer. Toxicological Sciences, in press 2011.

Abstracts:

• MS-Based Tissue and Drug Imaging to Monitor 4EBP1 Phosphorylation Status and Drug-Induced Dephosphorylation in Prostate Cancer. Mastrandrea, N.J., Hattan, C., Gard, J.M.C., Nagle, T.J. Monks, T.J. and Lau, S.S. The FASEB Journal, 25:620.2, 2011.

• cAMP-dependent pathway(s) increase p27kip-cyclin D1 through the Rap-GTP/B-Raf MAPK signaling pathway in Renal Cancer. Mastrandrea, N.J., Tham, K.Y., Cohen, J.D., Monks, T.J., and Lau, S.S. Toxicologist, 105, 823, 2011.

• MALDI-MS-based drug and protein imaging to simultaneously determine drug disposition and protein modification in cells. Mastrandrea, N.J. Cohen, J.D., Kimzey, M., Monks, T.J. and Lau, S.S. Toxicologist, 104, 1667, 2010.

Past and present staff

Present Graduate Students

Ryan Canatsey | Owen Kinsky | Chris Kuhlman | Nick Mastrandrea | Jessica Sapiro | Kevin Xu

Present Postdoctoral Fellow
Tim Radabaugh

Research Associate

Alfred Gallegos

Clinical Faculty Mentee

Hussein Yassine

Current Undergraduate Students

Wesley Cai, Itzel Rojas, Audrey Shi, Kim Tham

Recent Past Staff
Martina Bowen | Jennifer Cohen | Ashley Fisher | Chris Hattan | Mike Kimzey | Matt Labenski | Jean Lord-Garcia