CPB 697 RESEARCH SEMINAR

DEPARTMENT OF COMPARATIVE PATHOBIOLOGY

Krystal Madden, BS

Graduate Student in Cancer Biology

Department of Comparative Pathobiology

Purdue University

“Proteomic Profile Of African American Breast Cancer”

Thursday, April 10, 2008

VPTH 112

3:30 pm

Abstract:

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women. Though breast cancer is more commonly diagnosed in white women, more African American women die from this disease. Estrogen receptor positive tumor classification, for which hormone therapy and other treatment options are available and frequently successful, is more common in white women. African American women, on the other hand, are more commonly diagnosed with estrogen receptor negative breast tumor classification. This type of tumor is more aggressive and more difficult to treat. The purpose of this study is to examine the protein profiles of estrogen receptor positive and estrogen receptor negative breast tumors from African American women. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis followed by MALDI-TOF-TOF mass spectrometry will be used to identify differentially expressed proteins. Such proteins may be useful biomarkers for early detection of estrogen receptor negative breast cancer. Information gathered from this study may be useful in identifying novel therapeutic and preventative agents for women prone to aggressive breast cancer.