Faculty Research Interests
Clinical Chemistry and Toxicology
Roger L. Bertholf, Ph.D.
Involved in several investigations in analytical method interferences encountered in clinical laboratory medicine. Bilirubin, for example, was discovered to cause false elevations in acetaminophen measurements, through the mechanism for the interference has not been clearly defined. Heterophilic antibody interference with two-site heterogeneous immunoassays is another area of increasing concern that has been investigated in our laboratory. Development and validation of clinical chemistry and toxicology procedures have been the focus of several projects, including detection of prenatal cocaine exposure and clinical application of cardiac markers.
Early Breast Cancer Detection and Prevention
Shahla Masood, M.D.
Research interests evolve around early breast cancer detection and prevention and are focused on integration of morphology with molecular biology in search of the future breast cancer risk predictors. Emphasis is placed on the use of minimally invasive procedures such as fine needle aspiration biopsy and ductal lavage to identify high-risk individuals and to provide optimal samples for analysis. Aside from defining the criteria of prognostically relevant atypia in cytology, the new and emerging technology such as capture laser microscopy, immunocytochemistry, quantitative polymerase chain reaction and fluorescent in situ hybridization are the tools to establish a meaningful prognostic/predictive index.
Clinical Microbiology
Yvette S. McCarter, Ph.D.
Research interests include utilization controls in the clinical microbiology laboratory, cost-effective laboratory medicine and the investigation of new antimicrobials. The development, implementation and monitoring of utilization controls are designed to provide more clinically relevant microbiology data while simultaneously reducing costs. The evaluation of new tests and methodologies, as well as re-evaluation of existing techniques increases their clinical relevance and promotes cost-effective laboratory medicine. Lastly, evaluating the in vitro susceptibility of new and existing antimicrobials is useful in determining their activity and assessing trends in the development of antibiotic resistance.
Tumor Biology and Biomarker Studies in Solid Tumors
Sania Shuja, M.D., Ph.D.
Interest in identifying molecular markers that may prove to be useful in the diagnosis and treatment, or serve as prognostic markers in human colon, thyroid and brain tumors. Research includes study of cathepsins B, H and L, matrix metalloproteinases, p53, ras, TTF-1 and BCL-2 and other molecular markers in these tumors. Currently, the focus is on identifying a "molecular profile," and changes in subcellular distribution of aberrantly expressed molecular markers (including cathepsins) in tumors.