Ciric To, Ph.D.
Post Doctoral Fellow
Ciric To joined the Sporn Lab in January 2013. Her current project involves exploring how regulated cell proliferation is critical to tumor development. This process depends highly on how cancer cells manipulate processes that regulate cellular homeostasis and metabolism. Synthetic triterpenoid derivatives have been shown to have many anti-cancer effects such as apoptosis and growth inhibition; however, their effect on energy metabolism remains unclear. Therefore, in the lab Dr. To is examining and attempting to decipher the molecular mechanism in which triterpenoids may affect signalling pathways that regulate energy metabolism in cancer cell models.
Dr. To earned her Ph.D. in Pharmcology and Toxicology at Western University in London, Ontario in 2012. For her thesis, she examined the effect of triterpenoids on cell migration, a precursor event to cancer metastasis. She also identified several triterpenoid-binding targets for triterpenoids and provided underlying molecular mechanisms of action for targets.
Publications
- To C, Shilton BH, Di Guglielmo GM. Synthetic triterpenoids target the Arp2/3 complex and inhibit branched actin polymerization. (2010) J. Biol. Chem. 285 (36): 27944-57.
- To C, Kulkarni S, Pawson T, Honda T, Gribble GW, Sporn MB, Wrana JL, Di Guglielmo GM. The synthetic triterpenoid CDDO-Imidazolide alters TGFβ-dependent signaling and cell migration by affecting the cytoskeleton and the polarity complex. (2008) J. Biol. Chem. 283 (17): 11700-11713
Honors and Awards
Western University
- Graduate Thesis Research Award (2007, 2009-2012)
- Graduate Programs in Physiology & Pharmacology/Toxicology Graduate Student Travel Award (2011)
- Western Graduate Research Scholarship (2007-2011)
- Hari and Gudrun Sharma Award (2009)
- Schulich Graduate Scholarship (2007-2008)
- Charles W. Gowdey Research Day - Best Poster Award (2007)
Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities
- Ontario Graduate Scholarship (2010-2012)
Canadian Cancer Society Research Institute
- Senior Ph.D. Student Travel Award (2009)