Michael D. Cole, Ph.D.
Title(s):
Professor of Pharmacology & Toxicology
Department(s):
Pharmacology & Toxicology
Education:
The Johns Hopkins University, PhD 1978
Ohio Northern University, BA 1973
Programs:
Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Programs
Norris Cotton Cancer Center
Pharmacology and Toxicology Graduate Program
Program in Experimental and Molecular Medicine
Websites:
http:
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Contact Information:
Rubin 633; HB7936
One Medical Center Drive
Dartmouth Medical School
Lebanon NH 03756
Office: Rubin 633
Phone: 603-653-9975
Fax: 603-653-9952
Email: michael.cole@dartmouth.edu
Assistant: Laboratory Contact
Asst. Phone: 603-653-9973
Professional Interests:
Studies of the genetic events involved in the induction of cancer provide an opportunity to define the molecular basis of the disease and to study the regulation and function of important eukaryotic genes that control cell proliferation. The c-myc gene encodes a transcription factor that is critical for progression through the cell cycle, and mutations that misregulate c-myc are frequently found in human and animal cancers. Our central research interest is to define the cellular target genes through which c-myc and other oncogenic transcription factors function and also the nuclear factors that mediate target gene and c-myc regulation.
A major area of interest is to identify the nuclear cofactors that facilitate Myc’s ability to activate and repress target genes. Past studies showed that Myc recruits histone acetylation complexes to target sites, and more recent studies show that Myc also modulates transcriptional activity by increasing phosphorylation of the RNA polymerase II carboxy-terminal domain. Most recently, we identified a novel E3 ligase that binds directly to Myc to promote Myc protein degradation. Downregulation of this E3 ligase is common in most cancer cells, leading to higher levels of Myc which enhance growth rates. Ongoing studies are aimed at understanding the mechanism of Myc-mediated transcriptional repression which may involve enhanced repressive histone modifications.
A second major area of study involves distal regulatory elements that control the expression of c-myc and other genes relevant to cancer. We recently showed that an enhancer 330 kb upstream of the c-myc gene is an important regulator of c-myc expression in colon cancer cells and that this element functions through a large intrachromosomal loop that links it directly to the c-myc promoter. Furthermore, this distal element contains a polymorphism among humans that changes the predisposition to colon and prostate cancer.
Courses Taught:
PEMM 101/102 Scientific Basis of Disease (Course Director)
PEMM 126 Cancer Biology
Selected Publications: |
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Kaur M, Cole MD Cowper-Sal lari R, Zhang X, Wright JB, Bailey SD, Cole MD, Eeckhoute J, Moore JH, Lupien M Doe MR, Ascano JM, Kaur M, Cole MD Schmucker AC, Wright JB, Cole MD, Brinckerhoff CE Savino M, Annibali D, Carucci N, Favuzzi E, Cole MD, Evan GI, Soucek L, Nasi S Cowper-Sal lari R, Cole MD, Karagas MR, Lupien M, Moore JH Cowling VH, Cole MD Choi SH, Wright JB, Gerber SA, Cole MD Wright JB, Brown SJ, Cole MD Cai Y, Jin J, Swanson SK, Cole MD, Choi SH, Florens L, Washburn MP, Conaway JW, Conaway RC |
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