Cancer kills about than 570, 000 Americans each year, which is approximately one third the number of new cases diagnosed. Most of these deaths will be the result of cancer spreading to other organs, a process known as metastasis. Prostate and breast cancer account for about 70,000 deaths annually. The goal of the Sikes lab group is to understand how prostate and breast cancers spread to bone. With this knowledge they believe therapeutics can be developed to interrupt the process and slow or kill the cancer. Dr. Robert Sikes, Associate Professor, joined the department in 2002 and is proud of the talented graduate and undergraduate students who work in his laboratory. Doctoral student Keith Jansson and Rachel Addo (M.S., 2012) are working to discover how prostate cancer uses nerves as a highway to spread to bone. Fayth Miles, M.S., Ph.D. (2012), discovered that TGF-β, a molecule involved in the spreading of cancer, is critical for the dynamic interplay between prostate and bone marrow to regulate bone colonization by the cancer. Doctoral students, Senem Kurtoglu and Kornkamon Nopmonkul, along with an undergraduate student, Joe Morris, are extending this research by working on other molecules that modulate bone: prostate cancer cell interactions. As they find the pathways involved in regulating the cancer: bone interaction, they are identifying more molecular targets for cancer treatment. Doctoral student, Jomnarong Lertsuwan, along with Master of Science student, Tracy Riesenberger, are determining the effects of extracellular nucleotides, such as ADP or ATP, on aggressive breast cancer growth and metastasis. One aspect of this work is revealing different responses to extracellular nucleotides in different pathological forms of aggressive breast cancer cells as well as those obtained from black versus white patients.Read more . . . 

Beta Beta Beta (Tri-Beta) is a national biological honor society that offers an opportunity for members to interact with other interested students and biology professors through both academic and social activities. Currently, the University of Delaware's chapter of Tri-Beta has about 170 members, ranging from associate members (anyone with an interest in biology) to full members (who have 12 credits of biology at UD and a 3.0 GPA). So far, this spring's activities have included an information session for new member recruitment and the bi-annual Bagels, Banter, and Brew. At this event, the officers supply donuts and coffee to Tri-Beta members, professors, staff and interested students. It is a great networking opportunity for students and faculty, a nice informal way to discuss research opportunities, upcoming classes and possible letters of recommendation. Additional planned events include a Class and Research Panel, where the officers of Tri-Beta, answer questions from underclassmen regarding classes and research, a trip to either the Baltimore Aquarium or Philadelphia Zoo and a Tri-Beta t-shirt (designed by Tri-Beta members) sale. The May induction of new members will feature a guest speaker, which usually inspires members to get more involved in the Department of Biological Sciences! Tri-Beta has been a good avenue for underclassman to network in the department, and the faculty appreciates the sense of community that evolves from this group of dedicated students working together. Read more . . .   

Tri-Beta Bagels, Banter & Brew Event