Quick Look

Initially, I was attracted by the integrative mission of WSU’s MD/PhD program: “To provide an integrated clinical and scientific training experience to our students through all years of the program.” Through the combination of basic science training within the framework of a truly translational research project, the Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics allows me to tailor my learning to meet my specific needs as a future physician-scientist. I am interested in pursuing a career where clinical problems drive the objectives of basic science projects in order to provide better outcomes for patients and reduce the burden of disease. I chose the MD/PhD path because through my mentorship experiences, I have seen firsthand the manner in which it translates an in-depth understanding of a clinical problem into the foundation for translational research studies, which ultimately drive significant advances in research and improvements in the quality of patient care.

Research Interests
Advisor: Dr. Henry H.Q. Heng and Dr. Wayne D. Lancaster
Molecular cytogenetics, tracking of spontaneous changes leading to cancer, global regulation of gene expression, stepwise progressive transformation models of cancer initiation and progression

Genomic Instability in Progressive Cellular Transformation
Recent studies by our group and others suggest that cancer is not caused by a common pattern of gene mutations, but rather by genomic instability and the stochastic patterns of genome variation that promote cancer evolution. The focus of my current project centers on the study of environmental toxicants that lead to increased genomic instability. Additionally, this project will study the ability of other naturally occurring compounds to protect against genomic instability. This study will determine how changes in the genome are linked to global changes in the regulation of gene expression. Specifically, we are interested in how alterations in genomic stability alter the course of cancer development.

Defective Mitotic Figures
Uncondensed mitotic chromosomes have previously been disregarded as slide preparation artifacts. Using combined molecular and cytogenetic approaches, my colleagues and I have demonstrated that these structures are not mere artifacts, but are biologically relevant chromosome aberrations. Our current data show that these structures exist in live cells and can also be induced by experimental manipulation, thus disproving that these structures are preparation artifacts.

Awards and Recognitions

2007 Wayne State University Graduate Student Research Day Poster Award 3rd Place Winner
2007 Harvard Medical School Brignam and Women’s Hospital Essay Contest
2006 Wayne State University “Service to the City of Detroit” Award; Founder Amigos Medicos
2004 Wayne State University Board of Governors Merit Scholarship
2003 American College of Sports Medicine - National Graduate Student of the Year
2003 Academic Senate Distinguished Teaching Award
2002 - 2003 Provost’s Honors (GPA 3.6 and above)

Selected Publications

1. Genome based cell population heterogeneity promotes tumorigenicity: The evolutionary mechanism of cancer. Ye CJ, Stevens JB, Liu G, Bremer SW, Jaiswal AS, Ye KJ, Lin MF, Lawrenson L, Lancaster WD, Kurkinen M, Liao JD, Gairola CG, Shekhar MP, Narayan S, Miller FR, Heng HH. J Cell Physiol. 2008 Dec 29.

2. Patterns of genome dynamics and cancer evolution. Heng HH, Stevens JB, Lawrenson L, Liu G, Ye KJ, Bremer SW, Ye CJ. Cell Oncol. 2008;30(6):513-4. No abstract available.

3. Oral antioxidants and cardiovascular health in the exercise-trained and untrained elderly: a radically different outcome. Wray DW, Uberoi A, Lawrenson L, Bailey DM, Richardson RS. Clin Sci (Lond). 2009 Mar;116(5):433-41.

4. Increased striatal serotonin synthesis following cortical resection in children with intractable epilepsy. Chugani HT, Juhász C, Chugani DC, Lawrenson L, Muzik O, Chakraborty PK, Sood S. Epilepsy Res. 2008 Feb;78(2-3):124-30. Epub 2007 Dec 20.

5. Electron paramagnetic spectroscopic evidence of exercise-induced free radical accumulation in human skeletal muscle. Bailey DM, Lawrenson L, McEneny J, Young IS, James PE, Jackson SK, Henry RR, Mathieu-Costello O, McCord JM, Richardson RS. Free Radic Res. 2007 Feb;41(2):182-90.

6. Limitations to vasodilatory capacity and .VO2 max in trained human skeletal muscle. Barden J, Lawrenson L, Poole JG, Kim J, Wray DW, Bailey DM, Richardson RS. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2007 May;292(5):H2491-7. Epub 2007 Jan 26.

7. Exercise-induced brachial artery vasodilation: role of free radicals. Richardson RS, Donato AJ, Uberoi A, Wray DW, Lawrenson L, Nishiyama S, Bailey DM. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2007 Mar;292(3):H1516-22. Epub 2006 Nov 17.

8. Evidence of preserved endothelial function and vascular plasticity with age. Wray DW, Uberoi A, Lawrenson L, Richardson RS. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2006 Mar;290(3):H1271-7. Epub 2005 Nov 4.

9. Differential effects of aging on limb blood flow in humans. Donato AJ, Uberoi A, Wray DW, Nishiyama S, Lawrenson L, Richardson RS. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2006 Jan;290(1):H272-8. Epub 2005 Sep 23.

10. Heterogeneous limb vascular responsiveness to shear stimuli during dynamic exercise in humans. Wray DW, Uberoi A, Lawrenson L, Richardson RS. J Appl Physiol. 2005 Jul;99(1):81-6. Epub 2005 Feb 17.

11. Regulation of free radical outflow from an isolated muscle bed in exercising humans. Bailey DM, Young IS, McEneny J, Lawrenson L, Kim J, Barden J, Richardson RS. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2004 Oct;287(4):H1689-99. Epub 2004 May 20.

12. Aging attenuates vascular and metabolic plasticity but does not limit improvement in muscle VO(2) max. Lawrenson L, Hoff J, Richardson RS. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2004 Apr;286(4):H1565-72. Epub 2003 Dec 18.

13. Vascular and metabolic response to isolated small muscle mass exercise: effect of age. Lawrenson L, Poole JG, Kim J, Brown C, Patel P, Richardson RS. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2003 Sep;285(3):H1023-31. Epub 2003 May 8.

14. Vascular and metabolic response to cycle exercise in sedentary humans: effect of age. Poole JG, Lawrenson L, Kim J, Brown C, Richardson RS. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2003 Apr;284(4):H1251-9. Epub 2002 Dec 19.