Mark Pershouse

A long-term goal of my projects has been to understand the genetic lesions that take place during tumor development and how they work together to increase the aggressiveness of tumors. We have created shRNA constructs that allow the knockdown of specific protein expression in either tumor model cell lines or “normal” cells derived from the tissue of tumor origin. This allows a close examination of the downstream and phenotypic effects attributable to the gene of interest. In human mesothelial cells, we have been successful in knocking down MDMX, PTEN and NF2; three genes with possible TP53-regulatory functions. Our future investigations will explore the possibility of targeting crucial genes or proteins in the PTEN/PI3K/ MTOR/ AKT/MDM2/TP53 pathway by CRISPR/Cas9 knockout to create more relevant and stable in vitro models of human mesothelioma to improve treatment.  I have studied the molecular genetics of cancer my entire career. I was a member of one of the groups that concurrently discovered PTEN (MMAC1). PTEN is now one of the key genes utilized to scan for cancer predisposition in broad populations. I am also extensively involved in undergraduate, graduate and professional education at UM. I am the Coordinator of several courses in the pharmacy and graduate curriculum offered by our department (Clinical Oncology for Pharmacists; Pharmacy Lab; and Introduction to Cancer Biology). I co-coordinate the Biomedical Research Ethics course required for RCR training of graduate students in our department. I have graduated two PhD students and one MS student and have served on multiple student advisory committees. I am currently Director of Premedical Student Advising for the University and counsel 100-120 premedical students a year. My laboratory has trained numerous undergraduates during my career and continues to train bright PreMedical students. 

Ethics for Biomedical Scientists (course co-coordinator and co-instructor)

Pharmacogenetics-Gene expression analysis; Gene therapy

Physiological Systems- Introduction,Lung anatomy, Genomics, Digestive, Urinary (Fall Course coordinator from 2010-2011)

Clinical Oncology for Pharmacists Elective (Course coordinator; lead lecturer)

Pharmaceutical Sciences Lab-Respiration, Urinalysis, Measurement, Suppositories

Integrated Studies-various; ethics, fraudulent prescriptions, experience reports

American Indian Health Issues-Cancer in American Indians

Native American Medicine and Health-Cancer/ Tribal vs. Western Treatments

PreMed 101: The Science of Health Professions Success, HMED 140.