J. Justin McCormick
University Distinguished Professor
- B.A. 1957
- M.A. 1960, St. Paul's College
- M.S. 1963
- Ph.D. 1967, Catholic University
- Postdoctoral Research Associate, 1967-71, McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, University of Wisconsin
mccormi1@msu.edu
341 Food Safety and Toxicology Building
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824-1319
Office: 517-353-7785
Lab: 517-353-7785
Carcinogenesis Laboratory
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J. Justin McCormick
Research Interests
The goal of Dr. McCormick's research is to determine the nature of the genetic changes involved in the malignant transformation of human fibroblasts so that strategies can be developed to interrupt this process. To become malignant, a normal human cell must acquire appropriate changes in six to ten specific genes out of the 30,000 genes in cells.
Using various molecular techniques, he and his associates have identified six genes that play a causal role in malignant transformation of human fibroblasts. To determine whether each genetic change discovered in model studies carried out with cells in culture are consistent with what is observed in human cancer, he and his group analyze cells derived from tumors from patients.
Recent Publications
Lito P, Mets BD, Kleff S, O'Reilly S, Maher VM, McCormick JJ. Evidence That Sprouty 2 Is Necessary for Sarcoma Formation by H-Ras Oncogene-transformed Human Fibroblasts. J Biol Chem. 2008 Jan 25;283(4):2002-9.Wang Y, Woodgate R, McManus TP, Mead S, McCormick JJ, Maher VM. Evidence that in xeroderma pigmentosum variant cells, which lack DNA polymerase eta, DNA polymerase iota causes the very high frequency and unique spectrum of UV-induced mutations. Cancer Res. 2007 Apr 1;67(7):3018-26.
Z. Lou, V. M. Maher, and J. J. McCormick. 2005. Identification of the promoter of human transcription factor Sp3 and characterization of the role of Sp1 and Sp3 in the expression of Sp3 protein. Gene. 351, 51059.Z. Lou, S. O'Reilly, H. Liang, V. M. Maher, S.D. Sleight, and J. J. McCormick. 2005. Down-regulation of overexpressed Sp1 protein in human fibrosarcoma cell lines inhibits tumor formation. Cancer Research. 65, 1007-1017. ().
H. Liang, S. O'Reilly, Y. Liu, R. Abounader, J. Laterra, V.M. Maher, and J. J. McCormick. 2004. Sp1 regulates expression of MET, and ribozyme-induced down-regulation of MET in fibrosarcoma-derived human cells reduces or eliminates their tumorigenicity. International. Journal of Oncology. 24:1057-1068.
M. A. Battle, V. M. Maher, and J. Justin McCormick. 2003. ST7 is a novel low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP) with a cytoplasmic tail that interacts with proteins related to signal transduction pathways. Biochemistry 42, 7270-7282. MORE