Meet Gerardo Guevara
Major: Biochemistry
Graduation Year: May 2017 Field of Study: Cancer Metabolism Abstract: Cancer cells upregulate anaerobic energy production independently of oxygen availability. Under physiological and normoxic conditions, non-proliferating cells oxidize glucose to pyruvate, which can enter the mitochondrial Krebs cycle as acetyl-CoA to produce ~36 ATP. Cancer cells instead convert pyruvate to lactate to regenerate NAD+, providing oxidizing equivalents for glycolysis to continue and a net amount of 2 ATP per glucose consumed. As a result, tumors produce large amounts of lactate relative to the surrounding normal tissue. Although this metabolic phenotype has been described in many cancer cell types, a consensus explanation for its function does not exist. Previous studies show that glycolytic inhibitors induced cytosolic calcium overload, plasma membrane calciumATPase inhibition, and ultimately lead to cell death in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells suggesting that glycolysis may serve as a way to maintain basal calcium concentrations in the cytosol. The importance of calcium in cancer cells is highlighted in several studies, but the role of cytosolic calcium in cancer metabolism has not been explored. We hypothesized intracellular calcium stimulates the Warburg Effect. The present study aimed to measure differences in lactate production in H460 lung cancer cells treated with a calcium specific cell permeant chelator, BAPTA. |
My Experience:
My experience in the Green Fellowship was one I really enjoyed. At first it was a little difficult to adjust to a new environment and different circumstances, such as the autonomy of working on my own project, but I was able to pick up on the lab technique and be more independent as the semester went on. I would say one of my favorite parts of my particular lab, aside from getting the opportunity to study in a relatively growing field like cancer metabolism, was the people I got to meet and learn from. Something that isn't really learned in class is the skill of talking about the science and communicating it effectively to others. Lab meetings, seminars, and conversations with the other lab members have helped me improve tremendously on this. I would highly recommend the Green Fellowship to anyone interested in a career in research! Something that isn't really learned in class is the skill of talking about the science and communicating it effectively to others. Lab meetings, seminars, and conversations with the other lab members have helped me improved tremendously on this.
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My Advice:
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