Maria Barbolina
Associate Professor, College of Pharmacy - Pharmaceutical Sciences
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About Heading link
Overview:
Our main research interests are centered on identifying and characterizing novel mechanisms regulating ovarian carcinoma metastasis. The goal of these studies is to identify novel drug-targetable vulnerabilities in ovarian carcinoma and to validate potential new drug targets in preclinical models of the disease. We combine a broad range of biochemical, cell and molecular biology assays, as well as animal models to address this unmet need. We are also interested in mechanisms regulating neurodegeneration and memory/learning. Mechanistic characterization of common molecular mechanisms governing neurodegeneration and cancer enables us to repurpose cancer drugs for neuroscience and vice versa.
Research Interests:
Mechanisms regulating metastatic ovarian carcinoma and neurodegeneration
Teaching Statement:
Tumor biology, endocrinology, pathophysiology of cancer, chemotherapy
Teaching and Supervision Heading link
PSCI Ph.D. Thesis Research (PSCI 599), 8/26/2024 – 12/6/2024
PDAT 8: Special Topics (PHAR 508), 8/26/2024 – 12/6/2024
PDAT 8: Special Topics (PHAR 508), 8/26/2024 – 12/6/2024
PDAT 5: Cardiovascular (PHAR 505), 1/8/2024 – 4/26/2024
PDAT 5: Cardiovascular (PHAR 505), 1/8/2024 – 4/26/2024
PDAT 5: Cardiovascular (PHAR 505), 1/8/2024 – 4/26/2024
PDAT 5: Cardiovascular (PHAR 505), 1/8/2024 – 4/26/2024
PDAT 5: Cardiovascular (PHAR 505), 1/8/2024 – 4/26/2024
PDAT 5: Cardiovascular (PHAR 505), 1/9/2023 – 4/28/2023
Selected Grants
Rac-GEF signaling in dendritic spines, Northwestern University., 6/21/2023 - 4/30/2025, Obligated Amount: $247810; Anticipated Amount: $247810
Adhesion molecules and developmental epilepsy disorders, Northwestern University., 7/15/2022 - 6/30/2024, Obligated Amount: $76402; Anticipated Amount: $76402
Neuronal excitability and copy number variation disorders, Northwestern University., 9/1/2020 - 5/31/2025, Obligated Amount: $584461; Anticipated Amount: $584461
Targeting Microtubule Associated Protein Tau in Ovarian Carcinoma to Increase Efficacy of Paclitaxel, National Institutes of Health (National Cancer Institute)., 7/1/2019 - 6/30/2023, Obligated Amount: $377349; Anticipated Amount: $377349
Targeting Fractalkine Receptor to Increase Sensitivity to PARP inhibitors, Tell Every Amazing Lady About Ovarian Cancer Louisa M McGregor Ovarian Cancer Foundation (TEAL)., 9/1/2017 - 1/31/2019, Obligated Amount: $35000; Anticipated Amount: $35000
Synaptic and Dendritic Dysfunction in Psychiatric Disorders, Northwestern University., 8/1/2017 - 4/30/2022, Obligated Amount: $331438; Anticipated Amount: $331438
Impact of the Ovarian Microenvironment on Serious Cancer, US Department of Defense., 8/1/2014 - 7/31/2017, Obligated Amount: $472201; Anticipated Amount: $472201
Chemokine- Dependent Control of Survival in Ovarian Carcinoma, Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance., 2/1/2013 - 1/31/2017, Obligated Amount: $450000; Anticipated Amount: $450000
Functional Role Of The Fractaline Signaling In Epithelial Ovarian Carcinoma, National Institutes of Health (National Cancer Institute)., 8/1/2011 - 7/31/2014, Obligated Amount: $371217; Anticipated Amount: $371217
Selected Publications
Martín-De-Saavedra, M Dolores, Dos Santos, Marc, Culotta, Lorenza, Varea, Olga, Spielman, Benjamin, Parnell, Euan, Comoletti, Davide, Lichtenthaler, Stefan, Burgdorf, Jeffrey, Barbolina, Maria, Savas, Jeffrey, Penzes, Peter. (2023). ECTODOMAIN SHEDDING AND NEURODEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS. IBRO Neuroscience Reports, 15, s52. doi:10.1016/j.ibneur.2023.08.2160.
Martín-de-Saavedra, M Dolores, Dos Santos, Marc, Culotta, Lorenza, Varea, Olga, Spielman, Benjamin P, Parnell, Euan, Forrest, Marc P, Gao, Ruoqi, Yoon, Sehyoun, McCoig, Emmarose, Jalloul, Hiba A, Myczek, Kristoffer, Khalatyan, Natalia, Hall, Elizabeth A, Turk, Liam S, Sanz-Clemente, Antonio, Comoletti, Davide, Lichtenthaler, Stefan F, Burgdorf, Jeffrey S, Barbolina, Maria V, Savas, Jeffrey N, Penzes, Peter. (2022). Shed CNTNAP2 ectodomain is detectable in CSF and regulates Ca2+ homeostasis and network synchrony via PMCA2/ATP2B2. Neuron, 110, (4), 627-643.e9. doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2021.11.025.
Barbolina, Maria V. (2021). Dichotomous role of microtubule associated protein tau as a biomarker of response to and a target for increasing efficacy of taxane treatment in cancers of epithelial origin. Pharmacological Research, 168, 105585. doi:10.1016/j.phrs.2021.105585.
Sacks Suarez, Joelle, Gurler Main, Hilal, Muralidhar, Goda G, Elfituri, Osama, Xu, Hao-Liang, Kajdacsy-Balla, Andre A, Barbolina, Maria V. (2019). CD44 Regulates Formation of Spheroids and Controls Organ-Specific Metastatic Colonization in Epithelial Ovarian Carcinoma. Molecular Cancer Research, 17, (9), 1801-1814. doi:10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-18-1205.
Barbolina, Maria V, Kulikova, Vitalia V, Tsvetikova, Marina A, Anufrieva, Natalia V, Revtovich, Svetlana V, Phillips, Robert S, Gollnick, Paul D, Demidkina, Tatyana V, Faleev, Nicolai G. (2018). Serine 51 residue of Citrobacter freundii tyrosine phenol-lyase assists in C-α-proton abstraction and transfer in the reaction with substrate. Biochimie, 147, 63-69. doi:10.1016/j.biochi.2017.11.016.
Gurler Main, H, Xie, J, Muralidhar, GG, Elfituri, O, Xu, H, Kajdacsy-Balla, AA, Barbolina, MV. (2017). Emergent role of the fractalkine axis in dissemination of peritoneal metastasis from epithelial ovarian carcinoma. Oncogene, 36, (21), 3025-3036. doi:10.1038/onc.2016.456.
Mitra, Anirban K, Davis, David A, Tomar, Sunil, Roy, Lynn, Gurler, Hilal, Xie, Jia, Lantvit, Daniel D, Cardenas, Horacio, Fang, Fang, Liu, Yueying, Loughran, Elizabeth, Yang, Jing, Stack, M Sharon, Emerson, Robert E, Dahl, Karen D Cowden, Barbolina, Maria V, Nephew, Kenneth P, Matei, Daniela, Burdette, Joanna E. (2015). In vivo tumor growth of high-grade serous ovarian cancer cell lines. Gynecologic Oncology, 138, (2), 372-377. doi:10.1016/j.ygyno.2015.05.040.
Desjardins, Mark, Xie, Jia, Gurler, Hilal, Muralidhar, Goda G, Sacks, Joelle D, Burdette, Joanna E, Barbolina, Maria V. (2014). Versican regulates metastasis of epithelial ovarian carcinoma cells and spheroids. Journal of Ovarian Research, 7, (1), 70. doi:10.1186/1757-2215-7-70.
Rooper, Lisa, Gurler, Hilal, Kajdacsy-Balla, Andre A, Barbolina, Maria V. (2013). Fractalkine receptor is expressed in mature ovarian teratomas and required for epidermal lineage differentiation. Journal of Ovarian Research, 6, (1), 57. doi:10.1186/1757-2215-6-57.
Professional Leadership
Midtenure review, 2/1/2019 - 3/10/2019
Notable Honors
2013, Liz Tilberis Scholar Award, Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation
2010, Hans W. Valteich Research Scholar Award, College of Pharmacy
Education
Degrees:
Ph.D, Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russia, 2001
M.S., Moscow State University of Fine Chemical Technologies, Russia, 1996
Postgraduate Training:
Postdoctoral Fellow, Northwestern University, United States, 2008
Postdoctoral Fellow, Northwestern University, United States, 2006
Postdoctoral Fellow, State University of New York at Buffalo, United States, 2004