Dr. Gerald Hankins

Tumor Biology, Evaluation of anti-tumor compounds, Endocrine disrupting compounds
Dr. Hankins' lab: studies the biology of brain tumors, evaluates anti-tumor compounds, and studies environmental endocrine disrupting compounds.

Biology of Cancer

Education: 

B.Sc. (Statistics, Math., Physics): Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL (1972).
M.A. (Mathematical Statistics):  George Washington Univ., Washington, D.C. (1978)
Ph.D. (Biology): The University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA (1991)
Post-doctoral Associate (Radiation Oncology): Duke University, Durham, NC (1992-1996)
 

Research Interests:

Gene expression changes leading to the abnormal development in cancer, particularly steroid hormone responsive genes in tumors of the central nervous system.
Evaluation of anti-tumor activity of natural products and organometallic compounds.
Endocrine disrupting effects of environmental contaminants.
 

Lab Theses:

M.S.:

• K.M. Tanim: “Study of Epigenetic Modifiers and AHR Involvement in DLC1 and CAV1 in Meningioma and TNF Signaling in Breast Tumor.”  July 2015.
• Supriya Shrestha: “Effects of Female Steroid Hormones, Epigenetic Agents and the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor on Expression of FGF2, FGFR1, and SLC20A2 in Meningiomas.” May 2015.
• Bradley P. Schell: “Female Steroid Hormone Activity and Epigenetic Effects on Expression of Transcription Factors KLF10 and ETS2 in Meningioma Tumorigenesis.” May 2014.
• Jackie Fletcher: “A Thesis on Computational Genomics: Analysis of Whole Genome Data. Case studies on: Understanding the aryl hydrocarbon receptor DNA binding sites, and knockout studies in human MCF-7 breast cancer cells & Gene expression profiling of schwannomas, a nerve sheath tumor.” May 2013.
• Shelly H. Bright: “Fibroblast Growth Factors as Steroid-Responsive Autocrine Signals in Meningiomas.” May 2012.
• Sumanth Manohar: “Nuclear Localization Mediated Function of CHMP1A in the Regulation of Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Signaling” May 2011.
• Sophia Brown: “Evaluation of the Toxicity of Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs Using a Human Kidney Cell Line In Vitro” May 2011.
• Christopher R. Racine: “In Vitro Screening of Hibiscus sabdareffa Extract for Anti-Tumor Properties and Effects on Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Migration and Proliferation” August 2010.
• Velvet L. Worstell:  “Analysis of the Down Regulation of Deleted in Liver Cancer 1 (DLC1) and Caveolin 1 (CAV1) in Human Meningiomas” December 2008.

Undergraduate Honors Theses:

• Alnairouz Katrib: “Regulation of Cyclin Dependent Kinase Inhibitor Genes in Meningioma Cells.” May 2015.
• Rishi Reddy: “Effect of Ghost Pepper on Human Renal Cell Adenocarcinoma In Vitro.” December 2014.

Selected Publications:

• Perla V, Nimmakayala P , Nadimi M, Alaparthi S, Hankins GR, Ebert AW, Reddy U,  Vitamin C and reducing sugars in the world collection on Capsicum baccatum L. genotypes.  Food Chemistry 202: 189-198, 2016.  doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2016.01.135, e-pub ahead of print.
• Nimmakayala P, Abburi VL, Abburi L, Alaparthi SB, Cantrell R, Park M, Choi D, Hankins G, Malkaram S, Reddy UK, Linkage disequilibrium and population structure analysis among Capsicum annuum L. cultivars for use in association mapping.  Mol Genet Genomics 289 (4): 513-521, 2014 [PMCID 24585251].
• Reddy UK, Almeida A, Abburi V, Unselt D, Hankins G, Park M, Choi D, Nimmakayala P,  Identification of gene specific polymorphisms and association with various capsaicin pathway metabolites among Capsicum annuum L. collections.  PLoS One 9: e86393, 2014 [PMCID 24475113].
• Manohar S, Harlow M, Nguyen H, Li J, Hankins GR, Park M, Chromatin modifying protein 1A (Chmp1A) of the endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT)-III family activates ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) for PanC-1 cell growth inhibition.  Cell Cycle 10 (15): 2529-2539, 2011 [PMCID 21705858].
• Hankins GR, Sasaki T, Lieu A-S, Saulle D, Karimi K, Li JZ, Helm GA, The identification of deleted in liver cancer-1 (DLC1) as a candidate meningioma tumor suppressor. Neurosurgery 63: 771-781, 2008 [PMCID 18981889].
• Lieu AS, Li JZ, Webb DJ, Hankins GR, Howng SL, Helm GA,  Functions of G protein-coupled receptor kinase interacting protein 1 in human neuronal (NT2N) cells.  J Neurosurgery 105: 103-110, 2006 [PMID 16871884].
• Li JZ, Holman D, Li H, Beres B, Hankins GR, Helm GA,  Long-term tracing of adenoviral expression in rat and rabbit using luciferase imaging.  J Gene Medicine 7: 792-802, 2005 [PMCID 15712373].
• Li JZ, Li H, Hankins GR, Dunford B, Helm GA, Local immunomodulation with CD4 and CD8 antibodies, but not cyclosporine A, improves osteogenesis induced by ADhBMP9 gene therapy.  Gene Therapy 12: 1235-1241, 2005 [PMCID 16034461].
• Sasaki T, Hankins GR, Helm GA, Comparison of gene expression profiles between frozen original meningiomas and primary cultures of the meningiomas by GeneChip.  Neurosurgery 52 (4): 892-899, 2003 [PMCID 12657186].
• Sasaki T, Lopes MBS, Hankins GR, Helm GA,  Expression of survivin, inhibitor of apoptosis protein, in tumors of the central nervous system.  Acta Neuropathologica 104: 105-109, 2002 [PMCID 12070671].
• Sasaki T, Lopes MBS, Hankins GR, Helm GA,  Major Vault Protein/Lung resistance-related protein (MVP/LRP) expression in nervous system tumors.  Brain Tumor Pathol 19 (2): 59-62, 2002 [PMCID 12622134].
• Hankins GR, De Souza AT, Bentley RC, Patel MR, Marks JR, Iglehart JD, Jirtle RL,  M6P/IGF2 receptor: A candidate breast tumor suppressor gene.  Oncogene, 12: 2003-2009, 1996  [PMID 8649861].
• Srikantan V, Sesterhenn IA, Davis L, Hankins GR, Avallone FA, Livezey JR, Connelly R, Mostofi FK, McLeod DG, Moul JW, Srivastava S, Allelic loss of chromosome 6q in primary prostate cancer.  Int J Cancer 84 (3): 331-335, 1999 [PMID 10371356].
• Mansbach JM, Mills JJ, Boyer IJ, De Souza AT, Hankins,GR, Jirtle RL,  Phenobarbital selectively promotes initiated cells with reduced TGFb receptor levels.  Carcinogenesis 17: 171-174, 1996 [PMID 8649861].
• De Souza AT, Hankins GR, Washington MK, Orton TC, Jirtle RL,  M6P/IGF2r gene is mutated in human hepatocellular tumors with LOH.  Nature Genetics 11: 447-449, 1995 [PMID 7493029].
• De Souza AT, Hankins GR, Washington MK, Fine RL Orton TC, Jirtle RL,  Frequent loss of heterozygosity on 6q at the mannose-6-phosphate/insulin-like growth factor II receptor locus in human hepatocellular tumors.  Oncogene 10: 1725-1729, 1995 [PMID 7753549].

Research Support

• NASA WV Space Grant Consortium, “The G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER1/GPR30) in gliomas and meningiomas”, Sept 1 2015-Aug 12, 2016, Faculty Research Enhancement Award, $1,500.
• WVSU PEER grant, “Anti-tumor activity of organometallic compounds”, 2015-2016, $4,729.
• NIH 2P20GM103434  grant to the West Virginia IDeA Network for Biomedical Research Excellence, Role: Subaward PI, "Effect of Ghost Pepper on Epigenetic Modifications in Human Renal Cell Adenocarcinoma In Vivo", January 15 2015-July 31 2015, WV-INBRE Center for Natural Products Research, $38,500.
• NIH 2P20GM103434  grant to the West Virginia IDeA Network for Biomedical Research Excellence, Role: Subaward PI,  "The Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor in Meningiomas and Interactions with Steroid Hormone Signaling", September 19 2014-July 31 2015,  $43,120.
• NASA WV Space Grant Consortium, “The G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER1/GPR30) in brain tumors”, Sept 1 2014-Aug 15, 2015, Faculty Research Enhancement Award, $1,910.
• NASA WV Space Grant Consortium, “The aryl hydrocarbon receptor in meningiomas”, Sept 1 2013-Aug 15, 2014, Faculty Research Enhancement Award, $1,800.
• USDA/NIFA 2013-38821-218, Role: Co-PI, Kit Chin, Southern University (PI) “Specialty mushroom as a niche market crop for limited resource small family farm”, The Co-PIs subaward concentrates on screening mushroom polysaccharides for activity against brain and pancreatic cancers and on screening polypeptides from mushrooms against a wider bank of tumor cells. September 1 2013-August 31 2016, WVSU part: $50,000,
• USDA/NIFA 2012-38821-20092, Role: Co-PI, Kit Chin, Southern University (PI) “Alternative utilization of roselle hibiscus as a small farm and niche market crop”, The Co-PIs work concentrates on screening Hibiscus extracts in vitro for pharmacological properties, particularly for possible anti-cancer activity. September 1 2012-August 31 2016, WVSU part: $50,000,
• NASA WV Space Grant Consortium, “Hsp27 response to female steroid hormones in meningiomas”, Sept 1 2011-Aug 24, 2012, Faculty Research Enhancement Award, $1,600.
• USDA/NIFA 2010-38821-21574, Role: PI, “Development of value added peppers using genomic driven association mapping”, September 1 2010-August 31 2013, $299,810.
• NIH 2P20RR016477 & P20GM103434 grants to the West Virginia IDeA Network for Biomedical Research Excellence, Role: Subaward PI , "Sex steroids hormones and epigenetics in meningiomas", May 1 2010-April 30 2014, $690,000.
• USDA/CREES 2008-38814-04772, Role: Co-PI, Kit Chin, Southern University (PI) “Alternative utilization of roselle hibiscus as a small farm and niche market crop”, The Co-PIs work concentrates on screening Hibiscus extracts in vitro for pharmacological properties, particularly for possible anti-cancer activity. September 1 2008-August 31 2011, WVSU part: $64,350.