Clarkson University
Spring 2024 David A. Walsh‘67
Arts & Sciences Seminar Series
Friday, March 8 at 12pm
Room: Snell 212

THE INVESTIGATION OF SERUM PROTEINS AS POTENTIAL BIOMARKERS FOR EARLIER BREAST CANCER DETECTION

Breast cancer (BC) is a leading cause of death for women globally. An estimated 1 in 8 women in the world will develop BC in their lifetime. An invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) is one of the most common subtypes, accounting for 85% of all BCs. Early diagnosis and treatment of BC is crucial. BCs are usually divided into three categories, hormone receptor positive (estrogen or progesterone receptor is found on the cancerous cells), HER2 positive (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2), or triple negative (cancer cells devoid of all receptors previously mentioned). One way to detect BC in its early phase is through identification of proteins that are dysregulated due to the onset of BC (i.e. protein biomarkers). Mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomic methods are ideal for the investigation of protein biomarkers. Utilizing MS-based proteomic methods, we are able to quantify protein differences from women with BC and without, and if significant proteins are consistently dysregulated, this could lead to a protein biomarker for BC, therefore aiding in earlier diagnosis and treatment.

Danielle Whitham, Ph.D. candidate, Biochemistry & Proteomics Laboratories, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Danielle is a current graduate student in the department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Clarkson, working towards a Ph.D in chemistry. She received a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Clarkson University in 2020. Her research is focused on mass spectrometry-based identification of proteins from human breast milk and serum to identify a biomarker for earlier detection of breast cancer in women of all ages.

The Arts & Sciences Seminar Series is a weekly colloquium series that has been supported by the School of Arts & Sciences Advisory Council at Clarkson University especially through generous gifts from David A. Walsh ‘67.

SA&S 300: Arts and Sciences Seminar is a one credit course intended to foster an interdisciplinary outlook in undergraduates majoring in the School of Arts and Sciences.