CPB 69700 RESEARCH SEMINAR

DEPARTMENT OF COMPARATIVE PATHOBIOLOGY

Krystal Madden, BS

CPB Graduate Student in Cancer Biology

Purdue University

“Breast Cancer Proteomic Profiles: African American Vs Caucasian Women”

Thurs., April 16, 2009

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 and white women.   Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis followed by MALDI-TOF-TOF mass spectrometry will be used to identify differentially expressed proteins. Biologically relevant pathways will be identified for the differentially expressed proteins using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis. Such proteins may serve as prognostic and predictive biomarkers as well as novel therapeutic targets
for women diagnosed by aggressive breast cancer.