Page 11 - RFCUNY Annual Report 2016

Guillermo M. Chantale Damas
Gerona-Navarro

Assistant Professor, Chemistry Assistant Professor, Physics
Brooklyn College Queensborough Community College
Traditional cancer treatments have focused on After attending a NASA boot camp on space
destroying cancer cells, but recent developments in weather, Professor Damas knew she had to bring
epigenetics have inspired researchers to explore a the experience to her community college students.
different approach. Epigenetic cancer therapy targets Space weather refers to how the sun and solar wind
biological mechanisms relating to gene expression impact environmental conditions that affect both
in order to reprogram sick cancer cells to their prior satellites in space and technology on Earth. “It’s a
healthy, functioning state. Professor Gerona-Navarro great research subject for them; there is plenty of
uses his three-year, $471K NIH award, Chemical data to analyze and understanding space weather is
Probes Targeting PRC2 Gene Repression, to develop critical,” Damas explains. Using her three-year, $750K
molecules that interrogate PRC2 repression, a NASA grant, NASA Solar and Atmospheric Research
specific epigenetic mechanism associated with the Program and Education Partnership, Damas is able
growth of cancer cells. Gerona-Navarro’s novel to create a holistic research experience for her stu-
method for developing stable peptides enables dents. The highlight of the program for students is
the lab to create and test a range of molecules for leaving their classrooms for a summer working with
this goal. “Understanding the complexities of PRC2 researchers at either NASA Goddard Space Flight
repression allows us to determine whether inhibiting Center or City College. For Damas, the impact of the
the over-methylation of this mechanism restores the program expands beyond space weather. “Research
cell’s ability to produce tumor suppressant genes, is important regardless of the field, we seek to pro-
thereby allowing the cell to destroy itself and stops duce individuals who have a better understanding of
cancer from growing.” science as a whole.”

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