Chayil Lattimore
Graduate Student
Biomedical Sciences Program-Cancer Biology Concentration
Abstract
Black patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC), a type of head and neck cancer, have experienced higher rates of diagnosis and death compared to White patients for many years in the U.S. Scientists are still working to understand potential biological explanations for this disparity. Identifying key molecular pathways involved in this cancer could help researchers find new treatment options to specifically address the disparity. Our research focuses on small RNA molecules called microRNAs (miRNAs), which are not translated to proteins but still play a crucial role in regulating gene activity. We used computational based methods to compare miRNA levels between Black and White LSCC patients. We identified 15 miRNAs that are significantly different in Black patient tumors and found that these miRNAs may be linked to a key cellular signaling system called the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. Since the MAPK pathway plays a key role in cancer growth and progression, our findings suggest that differences in miRNA expression may alter its function in Black patients, contributing to poor LSCC outcomes.
Speaker Bio
Chayil Lattimore is a 4th year PhD candidate in the UF Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences (BMS) Cancer Biology concentration. She works in the lab of Dr. Kristianna Fredenburg in the Department of Pathology, Immunology, and Laboratory Medicine. Her research focuses on uncovering the molecular mechanisms associated with racial disparities in laryngeal cancer.
Florida’s State Academic Standards for Science
SC.912.L.16.8
Explain the relationship between mutation, cell cycle, and uncontrolled cell growth potentially resulting in cancer.
SC.912.L.16.10
Evaluate the impact of biotechnology on the individual, society and the environment, including medical and ethical issues.
SC.912.N.1.4
Identify sources of information and assess their reliability according to the strict standards of scientific investigation.
SC.912.N.1.7
Recognize the role of creativity in constructing scientific questions, methods and explanations.
SC.912.N.1.6
Describe how scientific inferences are drawn from scientific observations and provide examples from the content being studied.
