Thesis:
Evaluation of genetic instability in eutherian hybrids
Major Advisor:
Dr. Rachel O’Neill
- Dr. Linda Strausbaugh
- Dr. Gregory Tsongalis
- Dr. Charles Giardina
- Dr. Michael O’Neill
Research Model:
Mus musculus X Mus caroli hybrids. The karyotypes of these mice hybrids show genetic instabilities similar to those we observe in the clinical diagnosis of tumor cells such as alterations to methylation patterns and chromosome rearrangements, gene amplifications and deletions. Hybrids afford an in vivo model system to test hypotheses regarding mechanisms and consequences of genetic instability.
My research question:
“What is the role of retroelements in the genetic instability observed in interspecies hybrids?”
Judith D. Brown, Vanessa Piccuillo, Rachel J. O’Neill Retroelement Demethylation Associated with Abnormal Placentation in Mus musculus X Mus caroli Hybrids Biology of Reproduction (2012) DOI:10.1095/ biolreprod.111.095273
Brown J.D., Golden D, O’Neill, R. J. Methylation perturbations in retroelements within the genome of a Mus hybrid correlate with double minute chromosome formation. Genomics. 2008 March 91(3), 267-273. 10.1016/j.ygeno.2007.12.001
Brown, J.D., Strubuncelj, M., Giardina, C. & O’Neill, R.J. Interspecific hybridization induced amplification of Mdm2 on double minutes in a Mus hybrid. Cytogenetics and Genome Research 2002 (98) 184-188. 10.1159/000069806
Did someone say Doctor???…finally!