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| Kate Saville, a student in the Basic Medical Sciences Graduate Program, and Robert Sobol, Ph.D., professor of pharmacology, are studying the role NAD+ plays in cancer research. |
NAD+, also known as an energy molecule, is essential for the survival of every cell in the body. The article titled “NAD+ mediated regulation of mammalian base excision repair,” describes several cell pathways that are influenced by NAD+ that can cause cells to become damaged or mutate. The work was highlighted in the October special issue of the scientific journal, DNA Repair.
The article also explores how NAD+ helps to maintain an intact genome in each cell in the body. Genomes, comprised of DNA, are a complete set of genetic instructions. Each genome contains all the information needed to build an organism and allow it to grow and develop.
“NAD+ is a vitamin B3-related molecule. It is critical for the role it plays in the body’s metabolism and maintaining our genome, which is crucial for patients battling cancer,” said Robert W. Sobol, Ph.D., professor of pharmacology at the USA College of Medicine and chief of the Molecular & Metabolic Oncology Program at the Mitchell Cancer Institute.
MCI researchers are using their findings to better understand why some cancer treatment responses may be affected differently depending on the patient’s vitamin B3 dietary intake and how a cancerous tumor can grow and spread because of a patient’s metabolism.
“We’ve been studying NAD+ for many years at the Mitchell Cancer Institute and we’re working to find better solutions for patients with cancer and how we conduct our research,” Sobol said. “It is exciting to be featured in a national journal that showcases our work.”
The special issue was published to honor the editor-in-chief, Samuel H. Wilson, M.D., who has been involved in breakthrough scientific reports on DNA. The work conducted at the Mitchell Cancer Institute was chosen along with work from 23 research labs from around the world to contribute short review articles.
“It was a privilege to be represented in this special issue as we pay tribute to Dr. Wilson and his contributions to science,” Sobol said. “The work conducted through the Molecular & Metabolic Oncology Program focuses on the cellular mechanisms of DNA repair and metabolism and how these processes impact cancer treatment. We are guided by Dr. Wilson’s teachings and use his resources as a tool for our research.”
The article was written by Sobol and Kate Saville, a USA College of Medicine graduate student. Co-authors from the USA College of Medicine and MCI include Jennifer Clark, Ph.D., instructor of pharmacology; Anna Wilk, Ph.D., instructor of pharmacology; Joel Andrews, Ph.D., manager of the MCI Cellular and Bimolecular Imaging Facility; Christopher Koczor, Ph.D., instructor of pharmacology; and Greyson Rogers, an undergraduate researcher.
