Mildred Acevedo-Duncan, a research professor in the Department of Chemistry, has drawn on her intimate experience with cancer to fuel nearly 40 years of research and life-saving discoveries. A recent finding, involving protein kinase C-iota, has the potential to create promising results.
“We found that the tumor protein we work with, protein kinase C-iota, is overexpressed in many different types of cancers,” Acevedo-Duncan said. “Protein kinase C-iota turns proteins on and off and, because it is dysregulated, it turns on too many proteins, some of which have to do with cell division and proliferation.”
In other words, kinase C-iota can cause a rapid and excessive increase in the number of cells.
Acevedo-Duncan is optimistic that stopping kinase C-iota from doing its work would give doctors the ability to control cancer. Her optimism is shared by others as her lab recently received a $25,000 gift from Hope4ATRT, an organization dedicated to supporting families who have a child diagnosed with Atypical Teratoid Rhabdoid Tumor (ATRT), a rare and aggressive brain tumor.
This work is personal, for Acevedo-Duncan, a breast cancer survivor, whose family has a history of cancer.
“My grandfather had liver cancer, my uncle had stomach cancer and all of my aunts had breast cancer,” said Acevedo-Duncan, who has been studying cancer cells since the 80s and received her own diagnosis in 2020.
If anything, her brush with cancer has given her even more motivation to find a cure.
“I believe to whom much is given, much is expected,” Acevedo-Duncan said. “And if I have any type of talent, then I should use it for good. I want to make a contribution for a cure for cancer to save lives.”
Acevedo-Duncan carries this sentiment into the teaching lab, where she provides guidance
and independence to her students.
“They work really hard,” said Acevedo-Duncan. “They’re here on evenings and weekends,
working to get their publications and do their research. They get the work done.”
The work is life-changing for many of Acevedo-Duncan's students, including Wishrawana
Ratnayake, a visiting assistant professor who started working with Acevedo-Duncan
as a graduate student in 2015.
“She always gave me the freedom to experiment with the research,” Ratnayake said.
“This really helped me develop my general approach to a research project and become
an independent scientist.”
Perhaps more important than giving them ownership of the work, Acevedo-Duncan pushes
them to higher achievements before they graduate. Ratnayake, who graduated with his
doctorate in 2019, has already published 10 research articles, presented more than
20 conference papers and filed two patents with the U.S. government. He has three
more pending.
“She is a caring and lovely person who wishes the best for her students,” Ratnayake
said. “I am fortunate to have her as my advisor and post-doctoral mentor. I just want
to follow in her steps.”
Acevedo-Duncan leads a team of more than 10 researchers, including eight doctoral students, one undergraduate student, two staff scientists, one postdoctoral scholar and one research assistant professor.
Acevedo-Duncan's students are getting ready to treat in-vitro cancer cell cultures with their anti-cancer drug, ICA-1S.