Thu Annelise Nguyen, Ph.D., MBA, DABT

Personal Information

Dr. Nguyen, a diplomate of the American Board of Toxicology, is a professor in the School of Veterinary Medicine. Nguyen received a bachelor’s degree in molecular and cellular biology and a doctoral degree in toxicology from Texas A&M University. Nguyen has devoted her career to cancer research and the role of gap junctional intercellular communication, and recently developed in vivo-like tumor organoids 3D assay for anticancer drug efficacy and therapeutics. She is the recipient of 2020 PepGel^® Award in Application and 2019 John Doull Award for outstanding contribution in the field of toxicology. 

Nguyen’s lab focuses on how the effect of natural, environmental, and synthetic compounds contributes to the loss of cell-cell communication during cancer formation. In normal tissues, gap junctional intercellular communication is active and well-regulated between two adjacent cells. Through the passage of signaling molecules, gap junctions contribute to the regulation of cell proliferation, differentiation, cell death, and homeostatic maintenance.  Cancer cells have reduced or altered gap junction activity. Her lab demonstrated that hydrocarbon compound inhibits gap junction activity in both normal and cancerous cells.  Furthermore, a novel class of substituted quinolines was identified to enhance and restore gap junction activity in human breast cancer cells and subsequently attenuated breast tumor growth in animal models.  Her research interest recently expanded and applied the technology of regulating the closing and opening of gap junctions in alternative models, including 3D heterogeneous tumor organoids.

CV

Research Interests

• Breast cancer
• Regulation of cell-cell communication
• Anticancer drug development
• Toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics
• In vitro and alternative models

Future Research Collaboration Interests

1. Complexity of metabolic change in cancer
2. Estrogen-mediated responses
3. Adipocyte-epithelial interactions