Nanogenetics

Anna Radominska-Pandya, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

View Radominska-Pandya’s published research.

• To use novel nanodelivery systems to facilitate the selectively targeted delivery of genetic material into diseased cells.
• Develop effective methods for future translational studies of nanotechnology-delivered gene replacement therapy.

Radominska-Pandya’s focus of research has historically be the characterization of human UDP-glucuronosyl­transferases (UGTs), which are:

• Involved in the detoxification of endogenous and exogenous compounds.
• Involved in the regulation of steady concentrations of ligands for nuclear receptors and signaling molecules.
• Known to have a protective effect against cancer development.

Currently, her research is focused on the role of human UDP-glucuronosyl­transferases in cancer.

These studies are driven by the hypothesis that alterations in UDP-glucuronosyl­transferases expression levels could be one of the basic events in neoplastic transformation.

• Down-regulation of specific UDP-glucuronosyl­transferase isoforms is seen many types of cancer and may expose the cells to elevated levels of mutagens and carcinogens, as well as result in accumulation of biologically active lipids, which drive proliferation and destabilize homeostasis.
• Up-regulation of specific UDP-glucuronosyl­transferase isoforms is also seen in certain cancer cell lines and is linked to resistance to certain anti-cancer drugs, which can significantly limit the effectiveness of chemotherapy over time.

UDP-glucuronosyl­transferases are enzymes involved in the detoxification of endogenous and exogenous compounds.

Nanodelivery of genes encoding UDP-glucuronosyl­transferases and other oncogene suppressors into cancer cells has been shown to decrease cell proliferation and stimulate apoptosis making it a potential method for the treatment various cancers

Radominska-Pandya-Pandya has directed several projects on characterization of UDP-glucuronosyl­transferase cDNAs, proteins, and promoters and is a leader in the area of structure/function relationship studies of UDP-glucuronosyl­transferases.

Radominska-Pandya’s lab has shown that the levels of UDP-glucuronosyl­transferases in cancer cells, as compared to normal cells, can be significantly altered.

Studies on the reintroduction of suppressed UDP-glucuronosyl­transferases to tissue culture cells resulted in colony formation, cell growth arrest, and decreased cell proliferation.

• Investigating the role of UDP-glucuronosyl­transferases as anti-proliferative agents in various cancer models
• Identifying which UDP-glucuronosyl­transferase isoforms are responsible for resistance to cancer drugs
• Delivering UDP-glucuronosyl­transferase genes, siRNA, and/or drugs into cancer cells using nanomaterials as delivery agents

During her time at UAMS, Radominska-Pandya has been principal investigator on 10 National Institutes of Health Research Project Grants (R01) and numerous awards from other funding institutions.

Currently, she is the principal investigator on an Arkansas Breast Cancer Research Program grant to study “Human UGTs as anti-proliferating agents and modulators of drug toxicity in breast cancer” and co-principal investigator with Alex Biris, Ph.D., from the UA Little Rock Center for Integrative Nanotechnology Sciences on a TART grant from the United States Department of Defense to study the nanodelivery of tumor suppressors into cancer cells.

University of Arkansas, College of Medicine
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Barton Research_6R27A #516
Little Rock, AR 72205
E-mail: RadominskaAnna@uams.edu
Phone: (501) 686-5414