Philippe Thuillier, Ph.D.
- Assistant Professor of Dermatology, School of Medicine
Biography
Our lab is focusing on the molecular mechanisms by which dietary nutrients can prevent cancer. We have the unique approach of combining molecular biology and epidemiology to truely assess translationally the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms regulating cancer cell and tumor growth. Starting from the Epidemiological evidence that specific dietary nutrients have a positive or negative impact on cancer risk and outcome our lab has narrowed down in vitro and in vivo on the molecular mechanisms involved in those effects. By doing so we can utilize state of the art molecular biology tools to characterize the pathways and some of the targets by which specific nutrients control cancer cell and tumor growth. Some of those include regulation of cell cycle, oxidative stress and apoptosis. The information gathered from our in vitro and in vivo models can then be used back in the human population to further validate strategies and mechanisms by which these specific nutrients maybe be effective chemopreventive agents and how their effect may differ from individual to individual. The unique approach of our lab is that the information gathered from basic research is fed back to analysis in human population and the resulting outcome tested back again in vitro in a continuous looping manner that allows true interaction between clinical and basic research. Thus using this back and forth cross-talk between basic and clinical research we are able to refine our understanding of the molecular mechanims regulating disease progression and risk in the human population. The resulting potential impact is obviously enormous for the millions of American who could benefit from cancer prevention strategies that would only require dietary manipulation.Our main sites of interest include skin, prostate, breast, liver and ovarian cancer. Some of the nutrients that have shown to be outstdanding chemopreventive agents include fatty acids, sulforophane, green tea polyphenols, phytochemicals and some vitamines. In addition, because of our location in the Cancer Institute we benefit from the close interactions and collaborations with other members of the Cancer Research Center. Finally we have taken advantage of lentiviral systems to design inducible vectors in vitro and in vivo for the purpose of silencing specific genes.The lab is also based on a team spirit that makes the environment stimulating and engaging while keeping it very friendly. We have lab parties and take an annual lab trip every summer to a destination chosen by the lab. Previous trips include "Mt St Helens climb" and "White water rafting on the deschutes".
Education and training
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Degrees
- B.S., 1988, Univ. Paris XIII
- Ph.D., 1999, Colorado State University
Memberships and associations:
- American InstituteOf Cancer ResearchAmerican Association for Cancer Research
Publications
Publications
Differences in perceived clinical knowledge uptake among health profession students and licensed clinicians receiving buprenorphine waiver training in Oregon
Substance AbuseDevelopment and evaluation of a simulation-based transition to clerkship course
Perspectives on Medical EducationPolymorphisms in oxidative stress pathway genes and prostate cancer risk
Cancer Causes and ControlBroccoli sprouts delay prostate cancer formation and decrease prostate cancer severity with a concurrent decrease in HDAC3 protein expression in transgenic adenocarcinoma of the mouse prostate (TRAMP) Mice
Current Developments in NutritionEffects of ω-3 Fatty Acids and Catechins on Fatty Acid Synthase in the Prostate
Nutrition and CancerSulforaphane bioavailability and chemopreventive activity in women scheduled for breast biopsy
Cancer Prevention ResearchNeurotransmitter CART as a new therapeutic candidate for Parkinson's disease
PharmaceuticalsCART peptide is a potential endogenous antioxidant and preferentially localized in mitochondria
PloS oneLysophosphatidic acid activates peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-γ in CHO cells that over-express glycerol 3-phosphate acyltransferase-1
PloS oneIn Utero Life and Epigenetic Predisposition for Disease
Advances in GeneticsIn vivo measurement of epidermal thickness changes associated with tumor promotion in murine models
Journal of biomedical opticsConjugated linoleic acid supplementation for twelve weeks increases lean body mass in obese humans
Journal of NutritionCytogenetic instability in ovarian epithelial cells from women at risk of ovarian cancer
Cancer ResearchThe effect of PPARγ ligands on UV- or chemically-induced carcinogenesis in mouse skin
Molecular CarcinogenesisTroglitazone inhibits cyclin D1 expression and cell cycling independently of PPARγ in normal mouse skin keratinocytes
Journal of Investigative DermatologyInhibition of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-mediated keratinocyte differentiation by lipoxygenase inhibitors
Biochemical JournalThe peroxisome proliferator phenylbutyric acid (PBA) protects astrocytes from ts1 MoMuLV-induced oxidative cell death
Journal of neurovirologyInhibition of peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)α by MK886
Biochemical Journal8s-Lipoxygenase products activate peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α and induce differentiation in murine keratinocytes
Cell Growth and DifferentiationActivators of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α partially inhibit mouse skin tumor promotion
Molecular CarcinogenesisPeroxisome proliferator-activated receptors
American Journal of Clinical NutritionA novel 3T3-L1 preadipocyte variant that expresses PPARγ2 and RXRα but does not undergo differentiation
Journal of lipid researchCytosolic and nuclear distribution of PPAR-γ2 in differentiating 3T3- L1 preadipocytes
Journal of lipid researchDifferential PPARγ2 and RxRα expression in the differentiating 3T3-L1 adipocyte
FASEB Journal