Scientist / Manager Scientist

Lesley A. Mathews Ph.D. Frederick, MD *****

Cell Phone: 978-***-****

Email: laod7a@r.postjobfree.com

Education

University of Massachusetts at Amherst

Ph.D. in Molecular and Cellular Biology-May 2008

Dissertation title: Hormones, growth factors and the regulation of tumor suppressor pathways involved in parity-induced protection of breast cancer.

GPA 3.76

Clark University

December 2002-B.A. in Biology, Minor in Chemistry

Dean’s List-GPA 3.75

Professional Experience

• Sallie Rosen Kaplan Women in Cancer Research Post-doctoral Fellow-National Cancer Institute-Frederick, MD.

(July 2008-Current)

Post-doctoral training in the Laboratory of Cancer Prevention /Cancer Stem Cell Section under the direction of Dr. William Farrar, Ph.D. Microarray profiling (gene expression and promoter tiling arrays) of cancer stem cells (CSCs) isolated from established/primary prostate , pancreatic and kidney cancer cell lines. Characterization/validation of targets isolated from array data. Investigating epithelial-to-mesenchymal (EMT) transition and CSCs as a model for cancer metastasis using an in vitro Matrigel model and in vivo models using luciferase tagged cells. Techniques include: Performing and analyzing microarrays/promoter tiling arrays using Agilent based systems. Axon GenePix Pro software for scanning and gridding arrays, Agilent Feature Extraction, DNA Analytics, Genomic Workbench, Cluster, TreeView, NCI mAdb μArray, Oncomine, Gene Expression Omnibus, and Ingenuity software suites used for analysis. Taq-man based qRT-PCR, Methylation-specific PCR, and Infrared Antibody detection using the Odyssey scanner (In-Cell Westerns and immunocytochemistry of CSCs).

• Graduate Student-Pioneer Valley Life Sciences Institute/PhD candidate in the Molecular and Cellular Biology Program-University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Amherst, MA.

(August 2003-May 2008)

Techniques include: Planning and conducting experiments directly pertaining to my dissertation topic, “Hormones, growth factors, and the regulation of tumor suppressor pathways involved in parity-induced protection of breast cancer.” Direct husbandry and genotyping of mice, procurement and DNA/RNA extraction from fresh human tissue, and mammalian cell culture for experimental treatments. In addition: SYBR based qRT- PCR, microarray analysis, pyrosequencing, siRNA technology and cloning, fluorescent activated cell sorting, MTS based proliferation assays, immunohistochemistry/immunocytochemistry, processing/embedding/sectioning of paraffin embedded tissue, handling of radioactive substances (P32 and H3), fluorescence microscopy, and trained to work in a BSL2 environment. Supervision of 3 student projects: 2 undergraduate and 1 masters level.

• Teaching Assistant Molecular and Cellular Biology- University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Amherst, MA.

(September 2003-January 2004)

Techniques include: Conducting weekly review sessions based on questions from students and discussions based on weekly review sheets personally designed. Grading of all assignments and exams. Holding defined as well as personalized office hours.

• Molecular Biology Research Associate I-Cetek Corporation, Marlboro, MA.

(December 2002-August 2003)

Techniques include: Developing an extensive library of microorganisms for extraction of their secondary natural products. Extraction of DNA from microorganisms, such as fungi and actinomyctes, for speciation/dereplication using Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. Development of a biological assay using the cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum to test if compounds isolated from natural extracts might be mutagenic or cytotoxic.

In addition: Strong background in microscopy, PCR, capillary electrophoresis, and cell culture techniques.

• Natural Products Laboratory Associate-Cetek Corporation, Marlboro, MA.

(May 2002-December 2002)

Techniques include:. Extraction of natural products from microorganisms such as fungi and actinomyctes. Analysis of extracts using LC/MS Hewlett Packard 1100 for novel compounds and dereplication. In addition: Running assay robot Tecan ( Model: Genesis RSP 150) to prepare and store extract samples.

• Forensic Laboratory Technician-Secon: The Drug Testing Company. Worcester, MA.

(January 2002-May 2002)

Techniques include: Preparation of organic derivatives using solid/liquid extractions, as well as liquid/liquid extractions from human samples for the identification of narcotics. In addition: Hewlett Packard 5890 GC/MS, Thin Layer Chromatography using Toxi-Lab design assay, classification of drugs and drug families, assisting clients and police, as well as lawyers with information about the abused drugs, WinTox software.

• Protein Purification and Vaccine Formulation Laboratory Technician-Shire Biologics, INC., Northboro, MA.

(May 2000-January 2002)

Techniques include: Large and small batch purification of recombinant proteins expressed in e.coli (potential vaccine candidates). Formulation of vaccines for injection, aseptic techniques, pilot plant and manufacturing assistance (under GMP conditions), sterile filling of vaccines, protein assay development, SDS-PAGE gels, IEF gels, western blots, silver staining, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC-Hewlett Packard 1100), column chromatography, analysis of protein secondary structure-fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and circular dichroism (CD), and Pharmacia AKTA Explorer (Unicorn software and skids).

Additional

• Tutor-Frederick Community College

(Fall 2008)

Subjects included: Applied science, Anatomy & Physiology, and Chemistry 101.

• Private Tutor-Wzyant Tutoring Services

(Fall 2008)

Subjects included: Anatomy & Physiology and Biology.

• Scientific Literature Reviewer-Caris MPI

(Fall 2008)

Description: Investigating current scientific publications for data linking expression of certain cancer biomarkers and available chemotherapeutic treatment. Projects included: Expression of DNA methyltransferase-1 (Dnmt1) and treatment with either azacitidine or decitabine in cancer patients, association of KRAS mutations and progression of cancer, and association of somatostatin receptor-1 (SSR1) expression and response to octreotide treatment of carcinoid tumors.

Publications

• Mathews LA, Hurt, E, Zhang X and Farrar, WL. Epigenetic regulation of CpG promoter methylation in invasive prostate cancer cells. In preparation.

• Crea F, Mathews LA, Farrar, WL and Hurt, E. Targeting Prostate Cancer Stem Cells using the histone methylation inhibitor DZNep. In preparation.

• Crea F, Mathews LA, Farrar, WL and Hurt, E. Targeting Prostate Cancer Stem Cells. Anticancer Agents Med Chem. 2009 Dec;9 (10):1105-13.

• Mathews LA, Crea F, and Farrar, WL. Epigenetic Gene Regulation in Stem Cells and Correlation to Cancer. Differentiation 2009 April; 78: 1-17.

• Klarmann, GJ, Hurt, EM, Mathews, LA, Zhang, X, Duhagon, MA, Mistree, T, Thomas, SB, Farrar, WL. Invasive Prostate Cancer Cells Are Tumor Initiating Cells That Have A Stem Cell-Like Genomic Signature. Clinical and Experimental Metastasis 2009 June; 26 (5): 433-446.

• Mathews L and Farrar W. CD200 (CD200 molecule).

Atlas Genet Cytogenet Oncol Haematol. December 2008 .

URL : http://AtlasGeneticsOncology.org/Genes/CD200ID44381ch3q13.html

• Lu S, Becker KA, Hagen, MJ, Roberts, AL, Yang, H, Mathews L, Schneider SS, Siegelmann, HT, MacBeth, KJ, Tirrell, SM, Jerry DJ. Transcriptional Responses to Estrogen and Progesterone in Mammary Gland Identify Networks Regulating p53 Activity. Endocrinology. Endocrinology 2008 Oct; 149(10):4809-20.

• Mathews L and Smith-Schneider S. Insulin-like Growth Factor-I inhibits growth regulatory responses engaged by estrogen and progesterone in the mouse mammary gland. European Journal of Cancer Prevention. 2008 Aug; 17(4):297-305.

• Becker KA, Lu S, Dickinson ES, Dunphy KA, Mathews L, Schneider SS, Jerry DJ.Estrogen and progesterone regulate radiation-induced p53 activity in mammary epithelium through TGF-beta-dependent pathways. Oncogene 2005 Sep; 24(42):6345-53.

Meetings/Abstracts

• The 4th International Conference on Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition-TEMTIA-Annual Meeting- September 2009

Poster: Epigenetic characterization of cancer stem cells from established tumor cell lines.

• Era of Hope: Congressionally Funded Research (Breast Cancer Program)-Department of Defense-Annual Meeting- June 2008

Poster: Cellular Retinol Binding Protein-1 (CRBP1) is an important growth regulator for mediating parity-induced signals within the mammary gland.

• San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: Annual Meeting-December 2007

Oral Presentation (given by mentor Dr. Sallie Smith-Schneider, PhD): Parity regulates activation of p53 in human breast tissue.

• American Association of Plastic Surgeons: Annual Meeting-May 2007

Oral Presentation (given by collaborating plastic surgeon Dr. Kristin Stueber, MD): Activation of the Tumor Suppressor Gene p53 is higher in Normal Parous human Breast Tissue than the Nulliparous Counterpart.

• American Association for Cancer Research: Frontiers in Cancer Prevention-December 2006

Poster: Cellular retinol binding protein-1 (CRBP1) is up-regulated in response to parity-induced changes in the mammary gland.

• Keystone Symposia- March 2005: Molecular Targets for Cancer Prevention

Oral Presentation and Poster: The Effect of Insulin-like Growth Factor-I on Parity Induced Protection against Breast Cancer.

Awards

• Sallie Rosen Kaplan Women in Cancer Research Post-doctoral Fellowship Award-April 2008. Department of Health and Human Services-National Institutes of Health-National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD.

• Keystone Symposia: Molecular Targets for Cancer Prevention. March 2006: Travel Scholarship Recipient.

Additional Skills

• Windows (95-XP), Microsoft Office, Kalidograph, Design Expert, Rasmol, Chime, Cn3d, JumpIN, Adobe Photoshop, MiniTab, MetaVue, Omega, and Vector NTI

Activities

• Clark University- Alumni Admission Representative (May 2003-Current)

Conducting interviews of prospective students/scholarship recipients in Western MA, attending college fairs as the Clark representative

• Umass Amherst-MCB Recruiting Committee-December 2004-April 2005, MCB Social Committee-December 2006-April 2007

• Rays of Hope Breast Cancer Walk-October 2004-2008

• Hampshire County Relay for Life-May 2005-2008

• Alzheimer’s Memory Walk –April 2008

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