WebmedCentral Editor

Prof. Meral Guzey

Adjunct Associate Prof.
University of Maryland University College

Brief Biography:

My current research is focused on molecular abnormalities found in hormone related cancers, cancer genetics of hormone related cancers, specifically prostate cancers, its signaling, metastasis and molecular pharmacology. Prostate cancers lead to abnormal growth, cellular transformation, and initiation of various cell death signaling. I received my first graduate degree on the formation of eicosanoid and its biochemical pathways, its link to inflammations, heart failures and renal diseases and its clinical applications. My mentor was Dr. M. Keeney in the Department of Biochemistry, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland.

My Ph.D. thesis was on the therapeutic applications of vitamin A and D on lung carcinoma, in the Department Biochemistry, Hacettepe Medical School, Ankara, Turkey and University of Wisconsin at Madison. Lung carcinoma is considered an epidemic in my native Turkey and I wanted to be able to contribute to novel discoveries for the treatment of lung cancer. My exchange year at Wisconsin gave me a solid background in vitamin D research. Later I pursued my interest in molecular oncology in steroid hormone receptors and their dietary ligands at the Burnham Institute, La Jolla and University Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh. The model systems that I selected for my studies were knock-out animals, cancer cells and stem cells.

My stay at Harvard Medical School as Visiting Scientist is supported by National Institute of Health. Presently, I am Adjunct Associate Professor at University of Maryland University of College-European Division.

Academic positions:

2011 – 2013

Adjunct Associate Professor University Maryland University College (UMUC)-Europe (Distance Education, DE. Main Campus, Adelphi, MD. USA).

• Educator: Cancer Biology for Distance Education.

2009 – 2011

Presentation Koç Universitesi Medical School, istanbul, Turkey.

• Presenter: “Signaling Network in Hormone Related Cancers”,

Grant Reviewer Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), Geneva, Switzerland.

• Study grants reviewer on research collaboration abroad.

Visiting Scientist Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.

• Grant received from NIH, Research Supplements To Promote Re-Entry into Biomedical and Behavioral Research Careers (PA-08-191).

2007 – 2008

Collaboration and Presentations

• Collaboration on research on “MicroRNA and hormone related cancers: Prostate and Breast Cancers” Wistar Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.

• 13th Annual National Biomedical Engineering Conference. BIYOMUT 2008, Ankara, Turkey, May 2008. Presenter: “Network in Hormone Related Cancers”.

• First International Congress on Nutrition and Cancer Antalya, Turkey, May 2008. Presenter: “Biomarker identification in hormone related cancers using a functional genomics approach through Vitamin D3 signaling: Prostate and Breast Cancers”.

2006 – 2007

Visiting Scientist

• Conducted research as a visiting faculty member on the quantification and analysis of endothelial cells, Department of Hematology/ Oncology, Baskent University, Adana, Turkey.

2002 – 2006

Research Associate University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, PA .

• Conducted full-time research on gene expression patterns by micro-array analysis on primary prostate cancer cells, distinguishing new prostate-specific biomarkers and non-genomic signaling using gene knockout mouse models.

• Mentored Ph.D. candidate: Assigned project “Apoptosis mechanism by RO-25-9022 in prostate cancer”, prepared curriculum, evaluated methodology, evaluated progress.

• Edited peer-reviewed journal articles: 1. “Androgen and Vitamin D Receptor Expression in Archival Human Prostate Tumors”, Krishan, A. et al., Flowcytometry 2. “Stable Expression of Full-Length Human Androgen Receptor in PC-3 Prostate Cancer Cells Enhances Sensitivity to Retinoic Acid But Not to 1,25-(OH)2D3.” Murthy, S., et al. Prostate. (2003) 56(4):293-304.

2000 – 2002

Postdoctoral Associate The Burnham Institute, La Jolla, CA

• Conducted research on prostate carcinoma.

• Produced multiple publications for peer-reviewed journals (see Publications)

• Received NATO, National Cancer Institute and American Cancer Society grants

• Edited peer-reviewed journal: “Apoptosis Induced by Vitamin D Compounds in Breast Cancer Cells is Inhibited by Bcl-2 but does not involve known caspases or p53”. Cancer Research. (1999). 59:4848-4856. 1997-2000 Research Scientist Turkish Technical Research Council (TUBITAK), Marmara Research Institute for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Gebze, Turkey.

• Principal investigator for Molecular Oncology Department.

1995 – 1996

Visiting Fellow University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI

• Conducted full-time research on biochemistry of Vitamins D and A, their implications for use in cancer prevention and in the therapy of small cell lung carcinoma.

1992 – 1996

Instructor / Teaching Assistant Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey

• Supervised medical students

• Gave lectures in biochemistry and clinical biochemistry to medical students.

1987 – 1990

Quality Control Manager Unilever Companies, Istanbul, Turkey

• Directed microbiology and chemistry laboratories, waste water control systems. Responsible for developing and overseeing budget for Quality Control department and supervising work of 20 staff

Research interests:

Hormone Related Cancers, Prevention Against Cancer, Prostate Cancer, Breast Cancer, Medical Education.

Any other information:

AWARDS

• Abstract Award, The Endocrine Society
• Summa Cum Laude, Hacettepe Medical School, Department of Biochemistry
• Young Investigator Award, National Productivity Center
• Excellence in Teaching, University of Maryland
• Summa Cum Laude, Hacettepe University, Food Engineering Department
• Summer Visiting Scholar, Norwegian Food Research Institute

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS:

1. Güzey, M. ve H.F.DeLuca, “A group of deltanoids (vitamin D analogs) regulate cell growth and proliferation in small cell carcinoma cell lines,” Res. Commun. Mol. Pathol. Pharmacol, 98(1),3-18 (1997).

2. Güzey, M., Demirpence, E., Criss, W., ve H.F.DeLuca, “Effects of retinoic acid (all-trans and 9-cis) on tumor progression in small cell lung carcinoma,” Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 14, 242(2): 369-75 (1998).

3. Güzey, M. Sattler, C., ve H.F.DeLuca. “Combinational effects of vitamin D3 and retinoic acid (all trans and 9 cis) on proliferation, differentiation, and programmed cell death in two small cell lung carcinoma cell lines,” Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 28;249(3):735-744 (1998).

4. Güzey, M. “Cloning and transcriptional activation of the Vitamin D Receptor, VDR”. Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences. 29,507-512 (1999).

5. Güzey M, Takayama S, ve J.C. Reed,“BAG1L enhances trans-activation function of the vitamin D receptor,” J Biol Chem., 29, 275(52):40749-56 (2000).

6. Güzey, M., Kitada, S., ve J.C. Reed, “Apoptosis induction by vitamin D3 in prostate cancer cell lines,” Molecular Cancer Theraupetics.,1, 667-677 (2002).

7. Güzey, M., Arlotti, J., Dhir, R. and Getzenberg, R., “Increased Apoptosis of Periprostatic Adipose Tissue in VDR Null Mice.” J Cell Biochem. 93(1): 133-141 (2004).

8. Güzey, M., Luo, J. and Getzenberg, R. “Vitamin D3 modulated gene expression patterns in primary normal prostate and prostate cancer cells.” J Cell Biochem. 93(2): 271-85 (2004).

9. Özdogu, H., Sözer, O., Boga, C., Kozanoglu, I. Maytalman, E. and Güzey, M. “Flow cytometric evaluation of circulating endothelial cells: A new protocol for identifying endothelial cells at several stages of differentiation.” Am J of Hematol. 82(8):706-11 (2007).

10. Unay AT, Guzey M (2013) A Swarm Intelligence Heuristic Approach to Longest Common Subsequence Problem for Arbitrary Number of Sequences. Metabolomics 3: 120. doi: 10.4172/2153-0769.1000120.

11. Güzey M (2013) Personalized Medicine: New Perspectives in Cancer Treatments. Metabolomics 3: 121. doi: 10.4172/2153-0769.1000121.

Oral Presentations:

1. Meral Guzey. (2013). Personalized Medicine: New Perspectives in Cancer Treatments. Metabolomics. 2:7. http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2153-0769.S1.017.

2. Meral Guzey, Abdo Toku, Unay Teoman. (2013). Systems Biological Approaches for Prostate Cancer. Urooncology 2013, Antalya, Turkey.

3. Meral Güzey, and DeFranco, D. Presentation: “Multi-Compartment Interaction Between Androgen Receptor And The Focal Adhesion Protein Paxillin”. Endocrine Society, San Diego, CA., (2005).

4. Meral Güzey and Huang, Q. (2008). Presentation: “Biomarker identification in hormone related cancers using a functional genomics approach through Vitamin D3 signaling: Prostate and Breast Cancers”. Nutrition and Cancer” Antalya.

5. Meral Güzey, and Huang, Q. (2008). Oral Presentation: “Hormon Bagimli Kanserlerde Genom Agi”. 13. Biyomühendislik Konferansi. Ankara.

Poster Presentations:

1. Güzey, M. ve H. F. DeLuca. (1997). Vitamin D3 combined with Retinoic Acid induce apoptosis in Small Cell Lung Carcinoma Cell Lines (SCLC),” Control of proliferation of normal and cancer cells, ICGEB, New Delphi, India.

2. Güzey, M. and H. F. DeLuca, (1998). “Vitamin D3 combined with Retinoic Acid (all-trans and 9-cis) induced program cell death (apoptosis) in two small cell lung carcinoma cell lines,”Life and Death of a Cell, Abstract number: 25, Fribourg, Sweden.

3. Güzey, M., K. Baysal, M. Levitt, and E. Bermek, (1998). “Mechanism of 9-cis Retinoic Acid combination with Vitamin D3 induced program cell death (apoptosis) in small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC)” International Union of Biochemistry (IUBMB 5th. conference).

4. Güzey, M., S. Takayama, and J. C. Reed. (2000). “BAG1 family proteins and their
relation to Vitamin D receptor” Endocrine Society, Toronto, Canada.

5. Güzey, M. and J.C. Reed, (2001). “Mechanism of Induction of Apoptosis by Vitamin D3 in prostate cancer cell lines”AACR, Special meeting on prostate cancer,
Abstract number: 767, Naples, FL, USA.

6. Güzey, M. and J.C. Reed. (2002). “Mechanism of apoptosis induction by 1,25(OH)2D3 in prostate cancer cell lines”, UICC, 18 th. Congress, Abstract number: 739.

7. Güzey, M., J. Luo, ve R. Getzenberg.(2002). “Identification of genes involved in Vitamin D and Anticancer activity in the prostate”, SBUR, 10 th. symposium, Tucson, Arizona.

8. Güzey, M. Jianhua Luo, and R. Getzenberg. (2003). “Vitamin D3 modulated gene expression patterns in primary prostate normal and cancer cells”. AACR, Annual Meeting, Abstract, 104336.

National Conferences:

1. Guzey, M., E. Demirpençe, P. Leeds, W.Criss ve H.F.DeLuca. (1997). “Retinoik Asidin, All-trans ve 9-cis, küçük hücreli akciger kanserinin (SCLC) tumor gelisimi üzerine etkileri”, Ulusal Kanser Konferansi, Özet numarasi: 288, Antalya.

2. Güzey, M. ve H. F. DeLuca, (1997)“Vitamin D3 ve analoglarinin Retinoik Asit ile kombinasyonlari, küçük hücreli akciger kanserinde hücre ölümünü (apoptosis) indüklemektedir”, Ulusal Kanser Konferansi, Özet numarasi: 288, Antalya.

What I think of the idea behind WebmedCentral:

I was looking for one. You arrived on time. Thank you so much!-Note Date-2011

We still have so much to do...it is getting better and better each day! Way to go Webmedcentral....Congratulations.

Best,

Meral

Note Date: 2013.