A5043130109- Neuroblastoma Research and Treatments
- Turtle Biology and Conservation
- Cancer, Hypoxia, and Metabolism
- Rabies epidemiology and control
- Environmental DNA in Biodiversity Studies
- Veterinary Oncology Research
- Marine Ecology and Invasive Species
- Marine Invertebrate Physiology and Ecology
- Retinoids in leukemia and cellular processes
- Planarian Biology and Electrostimulation
- Chemokine receptors and signaling
- Amphibian and Reptile Biology
- Identification and Quantification in Food
- Epigenetics and DNA Methylation
- Neutrophil, Myeloperoxidase and Oxidative Mechanisms
- Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology
- Bone Tumor Diagnosis and Treatments
- Hippo pathway signaling and YAP/TAZ
- Animal Virus Infections Studies
- Cancer-related Molecular Pathways
- Virus-based gene therapy research
- Melanoma and MAPK Pathways
- Computational Drug Discovery Methods
- Developmental Biology and Gene Regulation
- Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
University of Florida
2015-2025
Sea Turtle Conservancy
2016-2024
University College Dublin
2012-2022
Whitney Museum of American Art
2015-2022
University of Limerick
2018-2021
Bangor University
2018-2020
The Kinghorn Cancer Centre
2015
German Cancer Research Center
2015
University Hospital Cologne
2015
Heidelberg University
2015
The 'precision medicine (systems medicine)' concept promises to achieve a shift future healthcare systems with more proactive and predictive approach medicine, where the emphasis is on disease prevention rather than treatment of symptoms. individualization for each patient will be at centre this approach, all patient's medical data being computationally integrated accessible. Precision rapidly embraced by biomedical researchers, pioneering clinicians scientific funding programmes in both...
The broad clinical spectrum of neuroblastoma ranges from spontaneous regression to rapid progression despite intensive multimodal therapy. This diversity is not fully explained by known genetic aberrations, suggesting the possibility epigenetic involvement in pathogenesis. In pursuit this hypothesis, we took an integrative approach analyze methylomes, transcriptomes, and copy number variations 105 cases neuroblastoma, complemented primary tumor- cell line-derived global histone modification...
The field of environmental DNA (eDNA) is advancing rapidly, yet human eDNA applications remain underutilized and underconsidered. Broader adoption analysis will produce many well-recognized benefits for pathogen surveillance, biodiversity monitoring, endangered invasive species detection, population genetics. Here we show that deep-sequencing-based approaches capture genomic information from humans (Homo sapiens) just as readily the intended target species. We term this phenomenon genetic...
Sea turtles represent an ancient lineage of marine vertebrates that evolved from terrestrial ancestors over 100 Mya. The genomic basis the unique physiological and ecological traits enabling these species to thrive in diverse habitats remains largely unknown. Additionally, many populations have drastically declined due anthropogenic activities past two centuries, their recovery is a high global conservation priority. We generated analyzed high-quality reference genomes for leatherback (...
We studied the role of Wnt signaling in axis formation during metamorphosis and regeneration cnidarian Hydractinia. Activation downstream events resulted a complete oralization animals repression aboral structures (i.e. stolons). The expression Wnt3, Tcf Brachyury was upregulated became ubiquitous. Rescue experiments using RNAi normal quantitatively Wnt3 expression. Isolated, decapitated polyps regenerated only heads but no stolons. targets regenerating polyps. Knocking down or by inhibited...
The evolutionary origin of stem cell pluripotency is an unresolved question. In mammals, limited to early embryos and induced maintained by a small number key transcription factors, which the POU domain protein Oct4 considered central. Clonal invertebrates, contrast, possess pluripotent cells throughout their life, but molecular mechanisms that control are poorly defined. To address this problem, we analyzed expression pattern function Polynem (Pln), gene from marine cnidarian Hydractinia...
Neuroblastoma is an embryonal tumor accounting for approximately 15% of childhood cancer deaths. There exists a clinical need to identify novel therapeutic targets, particularly treatment-resistant forms neuroblastoma. Therefore, we investigated the role neuronal master regulator GSK3 in controlling neuroblastoma cell fate. We identified GSK3-mediated regulation MYC (c-MYC and MYCN) mRNA levels, which may have implications numerous MYC-driven cancers. In addition, showed that certain...
Novel forensics-inspired molecular approaches have revolutionized species detection in the wild and are particularly useful for tracing endangered or invasive species. These new environmental DNA RNA (eDNA eRNA)–based techniques now being applied to human animal pathogen surveillance, aquatic environments. They allow better disease monitoring (presence absence geographical spread) understanding of occurrence transmission, benefitting conservation and, more recently, our COVID-19 global...
Elusive aquatic wildlife, such as endangered sea turtles, are difficult to monitor and conserve. As novel molecular genetic technologies develop, it is possible adapt optimize them for wildlife conservation. One technology environmental (e)DNA - the detection of DNA shed from organisms into their surrounding environments. We developed species-specific green (Chelonia mydas) loggerhead (Caretta caretta) turtle probe-based qPCR assays, which can detect quantify eDNA in controlled (captive tank...
Pollution from anthropogenic marine debris, particularly buoyant plastics, is ubiquitous across ecosystems. Due to the persistent nature of plastics in environment, their buoyancy characteristics, degradation dynamics, and ability mimic behavior natural prey, there exists significant opportunity for organisms ingest these man-made materials. In this study we examined gastrointestinal (GI) tracts 42 post-hatchling loggerhead (Caretta caretta) sea turtles stranded Northeast Florida. Necropsies...
Wildlife populations are under intense anthropogenic pressures, with the geographic range of many species shrinking, dramatic reductions in population numbers and undisturbed habitats, biodiversity loss. It is postulated that we midst a sixth (Anthropocene) mass extinction event, first to be induced by human activity. Further, threatening vulnerable increased rate emerging diseases, another consequence activities. Innovative approaches required help maintain healthy until chronic underlying...
// David J. Duffy 1,7,* , Aleksandar Krstic 1,* Melinda Halasz Thomas Schwarzl 1,8,* Dirk Fey 1 Kristiina Iljin 6 Jai Prakash Mehta Kate Killick Jenny Whilde Benedetta Turriziani Saija Haapa-Paananen Vidal Matthias Fischer 5 Frank Westermann 4 Kai-Oliver Henrich Steffen Bannert Desmond G. Higgins 1,2,3 and Walter Kolch Systems Biology Ireland, University College Dublin, Belfield, Ireland 2 Conway Institute of Biomolecular & Biomedical Research, 3 School Medicine Medical Science, Division NB...
Abstract Sea turtle populations are under threat from an epizootic tumor disease (animal epidemic) known as fibropapillomatosis. Fibropapillomatosis continues to spread geographically, with prevalence of the also growing at many longer-affected sites globally. However, we do not yet understand precise environmental, mutational and viral events driving fibropapillomatosis formation progression. Here perform transcriptomic immunohistochemical profiling five types: external new, established...
Abstract Pathogen-induced cancers account for 15% of human tumors and are a growing concern endangered wildlife. Fibropapillomatosis is an expanding virally environmentally co-induced sea turtle tumor epizootic. Chelonid herpesvirus 5 (ChHV5) implicated as causative virus, but its transmission method specific role in oncogenesis progression unclear. We applied environmental (e)DNA-based viral monitoring to assess shedding direct means transmission, the relationship between burden, surgical...
Abstract Controversially, histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) are in clinical trial for the treatment of inherited retinal degeneration. Utilizing zebrafish dye ucd6 model, we determined if with HDACi can rescue cone photoreceptor-mediated visual function. exhibit defective behaviour and morphology including ciliary marginal zone (CMZ) cell death decreased photoreceptor outer segment (OS) length, as well gross morphological defects hypopigmentation pericardial oedema. results...
The current species extinction crisis is being exacerbated by an increased rate of emergence epizootic disease. Human-induced factors including habitat degradation, loss biodiversity and wildlife population reductions resulting in reduced genetic variation are accelerating disease emergence. Novel, efficient effective approaches required to combat these events. Here, we present the case for application human precision medicine order enhance conservation efforts. We consider how revolution,...
Retinoid therapy is widely employed in clinical oncology to differentiate malignant cells into their more benign counterparts. However, certain high-risk cohorts, such as patients with MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma, are innately resistant retinoid therapy. Therefore, we a precision medicine approach globally profile the signalling response and determine how an excess of cellular MYCN antagonises these events prevent differentiation confer resistance. We applied RNA sequencing (RNA-seq)...
// David J. Duffy 1, 7, * , Aleksandar Krstic Thomas Schwarzl 8 Melinda Halasz 1 Kristiina Iljin 6 Dirk Fey Bridget Haley Jenny Whilde Saija Haapa-Paananen Vidal Matthias Fischer 5 Frank Westermann 4 Kai-Oliver Henrich Steffen Bannert Desmond G. Higgins 2, 3 Walter Kolch Systems Biology Ireland, University College Dublin, Belfield, Ireland 2 Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, School Medicine, Division NB Genomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg,...
<title>Abstract</title> Biodiversity and its associated genetic diversity are being lost at an unprecedented rate. Simultaneously, the distributions of flora, fauna, fungi, microbes pathogens rapidly changing. Novel ways to capture record before it is lost, measure population shifts pathogen urgently required. Here we report rapid application shotgun long-read environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis for non-invasive biodiversity, assessments from air. We also compared air eDNA with water soil...
Mosquito-borne diseases threaten four billion people globally, impacting public health and economies. Health, tourism, agriculture in the United States are all affected by mosquitoes they carry. Florida, particular, faces increasing risks due to urban expansion, longer breeding seasons, invasive mosquito species. The resurgence of locally contracted malaria 2023, alongside threats like dengue, Zika, chikungunya, highlights urgent need for advanced monitoring. Beyond human health, also...
Biodiversity and its associated genetic diversity are being lost at an unprecedented rate. Simultaneously, the distributions of flora, fauna, fungi, microbes pathogens rapidly changing. Novel technology can help to capture record before it is measure population shifts pathogen distributions. Here we report rapid application shotgun long-read environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis for non-invasive biodiversity, assessments from air. We also compared air eDNA with water soil eDNA. Coupling...
// Lorenzo Tortolina 2,* , David J. Duffy 3,* Massimo Maffei 1,* Nicoletta Castagnino Aimée M. Carmody Walter Kolch 3 Boris N. Kholodenko Cristina De Ambrosi 2 Annalisa Barla Elia Biganzoli 4 Alessio Nencioni 1,5 Franco Patrone Alberto Ballestrero Gabriele Zoppoli Alessandro Verri and Silvio Parodi 1 Department of Internal Medicine Medical Specializations (DIMI), University Genoa, Italy Informatics, Bioengineering, Robotics Systems Engineering (DIBRIS), Biology Ireland, Conway...
Abstract Sea turtle populations are directly and indirectly under threat from a range of anthropogenic processes. Perhaps the most visibly apparent these is disfiguring tumor disease epizootic (animal epidemic) known as fibropapillomatosis. Fibropapillomatosis continues to spread geographically, with prevalence also growing at number affected sites globally. Environmental exposures seem key inducing development, possibly through weakening host immune systems point enabling pathogen-induced...