Dr. Austin Shull

Education Background

Ph.D., Medical College of Georgia
B.S., Biology

Research or Areas of Specialty

The encompassing theme of my research involves discovering novel therapeutic targets in cancers by interpreting the molecular profiles of malignancies using next-generation DNA sequencing and array technologies. Integration of this information is then used in preclinical cell models to determine therapeutic vulnerabilities of specific cancer types. This research strategy is carried out in my particular projects:

Examples:

• Determining the molecular response of targeted therapeutics (ex: BRD4i, JQ1; CDK7i, THZ1; mTORi, NVP-BEZ235) in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells by integrating ChIPseq, RNAseq, DNA Methylseq, and protein array analysis (Shull et al. Oncotarget 2015; Shull et al. manuscript in preparation).
• Discovering novel DNA methylation events that exist in breast cancer stem cells using 450K Methylation Bead arrays and determining the prognostic potential of a cancer stem cell-derived DNA methylation signature in clinical breast cancer datasets (research in progress). My research expertise has also led me to begin developing education modules for undergraduates that integrate clinically relevant laboratory exercises for illustrating fundamental molecular biology principles.

Examples:

• Utilizing DNA methylation-specific PCR (MSP-PCR) to test the MGMT DNA methylation status of cancer cell lines. This module will be used to teach undergraduates how DNA methylation in promoter gene sequences affects gene expression and how non-classical nucleotide alterations (i.e. epigenetic modifications) correspond with certain diseases.

Professional Memberships/Organizations/Activities

• President Biomedical Student Association, Augusta University (Term: 2015-‘16)
• Member The Graduate School Student Council, Augusta University (Term: 2015-‘16)
• Member American Society of Hematology, (2015-Present)
• Vice President GRU Cancer Center Postdoc & Grad Student Association [GRUCC-PGA] (Term: 2014-‘16)
• Member American Association of Cancer Research (2014-present)

Honors/Recognitions/Awards

• 2015 Darrell Brann Alumni Scholarship, Augusta University
• 2015 Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges
• 2014 R. August Roesel Memorial Award in Biochemistry Research, Augusta University
• 2012 Travel Award, Southern Translational Educational & Research Conference (STaR)
• 2011 Outstanding Service Award from the Department of Biology, Presbyterian College
• 2011 Omicron Delta Kappa Leadership Honor Society
• 2011 Phi Alpha Theta Historical Honor Society
• 2010 Tri-Beta Biological Honor Society

Publications

Lee EJ, Rath P, Liu J, Ryu DS, Pei L, Noonepalle SK, Shull AY, Feng Q, Litofsky NS, Miller DC, Anthony DC, Kirk MD, Laterra JJ, Ryu DH, Choi JH, Shi H. Identification of Global DNA Methylation Signature in Glioblastoma-derived Cancer Stem Cells. J Genet Genomics 2015 July 7 Vol 42:7, 355-371

Shull AY, Noonepalle SK, Awan FT, Liu J, Pei L, Bollag RJ, Salman H, Ding Z, Shi H. RPPA-based protein profiling reveals eIF4G overexpression and 4E-BP1 serine 65 hyperphosphorylation as molecular events that correspond with a pro-survival phenotype in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Oncotarget 2015 10;6(16):14632-45

Teng Y, Ren X, Li H, Shull A, Kim J, Cowell JK. Mitochondrial ATAD3A combines with GRP78 to regulate WASF3 metastasis-promoting protein. Oncogene 2015 Mar 30 doi:1038/onc.2015.86

Shull AY, Noonepalle SK, Lee EJ, Choi JH, Shi H. Sequencing the Cancer Methylome. Methods Mol. Biol., 2015; 1238:627-51 (Review)

Shull AY, Clendenning ML, Ghoshal-Gupta S, Farrell CL, Vangapandu HV, Dudas L, Wilkerson BJ, Buckhaults PJ. Somatic Mutations, Allele Loss, and DNA Methylation of the Cub and Sushi Domains 1(CSMD1) Gene Reveals Association with Early Age of Diagnosis in Colorectal Cancer Patients.PLoS One, 2013 8(3): e58731.

Shull AY, Latham-Schwark A, Ramasamy P, Leskoske K, Oroian D, Birtwistle MR, Buckhaults PJ. Novel Somatic Mutations to PI3K Pathway Genes in Metastatic Melanoma. PLoS One, 2012 7(8): e43369.