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ELIZABETH TAPAROWSKY

Professor
HANS 219A
494-7978

CV: Link

Our laboratory is interested in proteins that regulate cell growth. We study how alterations in the expression of these proteins influence mammalian development and contribute to the aberrant growth characteristics of cancer cells. Our current focus is on the BATF family of basic leucine zipper transcription factors (BATF, JDP1, BATF3) which function as inhibitors of cell growth. Two of these proteins (BATF and JDP1) are normally expressed in the cells of the immune system and we are exploring how overexpression of these inhibitors, or loss-of-function of these inhibitors, impacts the development of B and T lymphocytes. While we can investigate some of these effects using isolated subsets of immune system cells grown in culture, we also are using genetically engineered mice to test how these inhibitors impact the global regulation of the immune system in vivo. Our goal is to provide the basic observations necessary to assess the feasibility of using the BATF family proteins to design molecular strategies to control disease states such as cancer.

Education

Ph.D., Brown, 1982

Professional Faculty Research

(Eukaryotic molecular biology) Oncogene expression in eukaryotic cells.

Awards

  • Seed for Success Award - 2004, 2007
  • John Karling Distinguished Lecturer - 2007

Other Activities

  • Burnham Institute Cancer Center Review Panel, LaJolla, California, October 22-23, 2003.
  • "The changing face of cancer research", Junior/Senior biochemistry class, Franklin High School, Indianapolis, Indiana, March 17, 2004.

Professional Organizations

  • American Society for Cell Biology, 1976 - Present
  • American Society for Microbiology, 1986 - Present
  • American Society for the Advancement of Science, 1986 - Present
  • Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society, 2001 - Present

Grant Review/Study Section

  • National Cancer Institute
  • NSF
  • CBR Review Panel, Indianapolis, IN December, 2004
  • Purdue Cancer Center Small Grants Panel, December, 2004
  • Ad hoc reviewer for NIH Cancer Molecular Pathobiology Study Section, 2008

Faculty Presentations

  • 16th IGB Meeting on "Molecular Biology, Genetics and Pathology of AP-1 Transcription Factors," Capri, Italy, October 11-14, 2003.
  • "Cancer research: The key to unlocking the door for a cure," Lafayette Rotary Club meeting, September 14, 2004.
  • 57th Annual Symposium on Fundamental Cancer Research at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX, October 12-15, 2004.  Poster presentation by Sean Humphrey (co-authored by Dr. Taparowsky): "Induction of BATF gene expression by Stat3: role in the differentiation of a cell line."
  • 33rd Annual Autumn Immunology Conference, Chicago, IL, November 20-22, 2004.  Poster presented by Alfred Zullo (co-authored by Kamel Benlagha, Albert Bendelac and E. J. Taparowsky): "BATF Transgenic Mice: Investigating the Role of Activator Protein-1 (AP-1) in the Expansion of Natural Killer T Cells."
  • "BATF: A Negative Regulator of AP-1 Activity in Hematopoietic Cells", Boston Biomedical Research Institute, Watertown, MA March 16, 2005.
  • "The Changing Face of Cancer Research", Franklin Central High School, Indianapolis, IN April 12, 2005.