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Alexandra (Ali) Blackman, M.D.Medical Resident, Gynecologic OncologySCIENCE Ali’s main project is to investigate how the most common p53 mutation coupled with Myc overexpression contributes to oncogenesis of ovarian cancer. She is utilizing a transgenic mouse model, the Trp53em1Jdel_Tg(Ovgp1-Trp53*R270H-Myc) mouse generated by the Delaney lab, to assess the timeline and characteristics of tumor formation. Ali’s secondary project is to assess whether or not a combination of autophagy drugs previously established to eliminate ovarian cancer cells can also prohibit tumor growth in mouse models of endometrial cancer.
HOBBY Ali enjoys going to the library for story time with her 2-year-old daughter |
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Amy Rees, B.S.Research SpecialistSCIENCE Amy’s research seeks to better understand how autophagy drugs in combination affect subtypes of ovarian cancer as well as other solid tumors in vivo. Our lab-generated bioinformatic software SWAN, when utilized with solid tumor aneuploidy data, predicts many other solid tumors will be sensitive to autophagy combination therapy. Amy is systematically testing these candidate solid tumors in mouse xenograft models, measuring tumor growth and autophagy engagement. Amy’s secondary project involves development of an efficient cytotoxic drug screening platform for cell lines with engineered differential expression of metallothioneins.
HOBBY Amy enjoys volunteering at a local children's hospital and teaching baton twirling classes to bring smiles to young researchers-to-be |
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Della EvansUndergraduate Researcher, College of CharlestonSCIENCE Della’s thesis project involves understanding how whole-genome CRISPR-Cas9 screen hits manipulate drug response to the autophagy drugs hydroxychloroquine or nelfinavir mesylate. Della is utilizing western blotting techniques and immunofluorescence microscopy to understand how autophagy and the unfolded protein response become dysregulated once the hit gene is knocked-out in ovarian cancer cell lines.
HOBBY Hiking, baking, and guitar |
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Maya AndradeUndergraduate Researcher, Clemson UniversitySCIENCE Maya has been investigating how DNA damage alters the cell biology of ovarian cancer cells. She recently published some of her findings of polyploid giant cancer cells, which form in response to DNA-damaging chemotherapy treatment. She helped discover that drugs within our COAST autophagy combination therapy were able to prevent polyploid giant cancer cells from repopulating tumors after the chemotherapy induction, but were not involved in preventing polyploid cancer cells from forming in the first place.
HOBBY Baking has been a special way for Maya to connect with family and friends, her creative side, and her inner science nerd. |
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Evan VillamorUndergraduate Researcher, College of CharlestonSCIENCE Evan is discovering how the autophagy inhibitors hydroxychloroquine and nelfinavir mesylate synergize to kill ovarian cancer cells. He is studying each of three regulatory arms of the unfolded protein response to identify how these drugs coerce normally cytoprotective homeostatic mechanisms into overload, leading to cell death.
HOBBY Evan enjoys doing random arts and crafts projects like bedazzling and painting. He also loves thrifting, taking pictures, window shopping, and watching anime and random movies |
Principal Investigator
Joe Delaney, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
The Medical University of South Carolina
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
delaneyj [at ] musc.edu
Assistant Professor
The Medical University of South Carolina
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
delaneyj [at ] musc.edu
Mentoring Philosophy
I am committed to ensuring the pursuit of science helps both the lab and the scientists involved in the research. Important aspects of scientific career building include not only acquiring cutting-edge technical skills, time management ability, and publications, but also being able to apply and obtain fellowships and grants. It is a high priority of mine to foster these pursuits for all levels of trainees: undergraduates to post-docs and beyond.
Team building in science also requires people to treat each other with courtesy and respect. In my lab, there are no dumb questions.
Each person here is mentored in a way which bests matches their personality. Introverts and extroverts are similarly welcome. Underrepresented minorities are strongly encouraged to apply for any open positions; I have mentored people from all backgrounds.
Team building in science also requires people to treat each other with courtesy and respect. In my lab, there are no dumb questions.
Each person here is mentored in a way which bests matches their personality. Introverts and extroverts are similarly welcome. Underrepresented minorities are strongly encouraged to apply for any open positions; I have mentored people from all backgrounds.
Education and Training
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Duke University
Post-doctoral training Mentor: Al La Spada, M.D., Ph.D. University of California San Diego Post-doctoral training Moores Cancer Center Mentor: Dwayne Stupack, Ph.D. Grant title: “Copy number alterations in low mutation cancer” |
University of Washington
Ph.D. in Molecular and Cellular Biology Mentor: Matt Kaeberlein, Ph.D. Thesis: "Elucidation of the molecular pathways of lifespan extension by dietary restriction in yeast" University of California: Berkeley B.S., Chemical Biology |