September 11, 2019

Khaliunaa Bayanbold and Krista Lingle Mullen defended their thesis projects this summer and completed the Pathology M.S. Program. This past July, Khaliunaa defended her thesis entitled miR-27a/b Suppression and Nrf2 Upregulation Promote Cr(VI) Transformed Carcinogenesis and Angiogenesis. She performed her thesis work in the laboratory of Dr. Ling-Zhi Liu where she investigated the molecular pathways by which the transcription factor Nrf2 and microRNAs contribute to heavy metal chromium Cr (VI) induced lung cancer. In addition to Dr. Liu, Drs. Bing-Hua Jiang and Andrean Simons-Burnett served on Khaliunaa’s thesis committee.

This past August, Krista Lingle Mullen defended her thesis entitled The Role of Transcription Factor FOXM1 in High-Risk Multiple Myeloma. Krista performed her thesis work in the laboratories of Dr. Siegfried Janz (primary mentor) and Dr. Miles Pufall where she explored the oncogenic role of the transcription factor FOXM1 in myeloma and whether it might serve as a therapeutic target. In addition to Drs. Janz and Pufall, Drs. Michael Knudson and Munir Tanas served on Krista’s thesis committee.