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Maria Cekanova, MS, RNDr, PhD

Education

• Ph.D. in Genetics, Pavol Josef Safarik University in Kosice, Slovakia 2000-2005
• RNDr. in Biology, P.J. Safarik University in Kosice, Slovakia 2000-2002
• M.S. in Biology and Chemistry with Honor, P.J. Safarik University in Kosice, Slovakia 1994-1999

Professional Experience

• 2009, Research Assistant Professor, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• 2005 - 2009, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• 2003 - 2005, Research Assistant, Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• 2000 - 2003, Research Assistant, Department of OB/GYN, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• 1999 - 2004, Scientist, Institute of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, P. J. Safarik University in Kosice, Slovakia

Research Interest

• isolation and characterization of canine primary cancer cell lines
• isolation and characterization of canine stem cells
• study the effects of NSAIDs in canine osteosarcoma cells
• study the effects of doxorubicin and its derivates in canine cancer cells
• characterization of new PET tracers for cancer imaging
• study new photosensitizing agents for photodynamic therapy (PDT) for cancer treatment and imaging

Teaching

• 1999 - 2000, Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, P. J. Safarik University in Kosice, Slovakia

Grant

• 2009 - 2010, Fort Dodge Animal Health/Pfize

Awards

• 2008, Award from AACR Pathobiology of Cancer: The Edward A. Smuckler Memorial Workshop, Snowmass Village, Colorado
• 1999, Dean's Award for excellent study results, Faculty of Science, P. J. Safarik University in Kosice, Slovakia

Professional Societies

• 2006, Associate member of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
• 2006, Associate member of the American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB)

Publications

• Cekanova M, Lee SH, McEntee MF and Baek SJ: "PPAR gamma ligands-induced KLF4 expression increased the NAG-1 expression in colorectal cancer cells." In preparation, 2009
• Cekanova M, Lee SH, Donnell RL, Sukhthankar M, Eling TE, Fischer SM, and Baek SJ: "Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug activated gene-1 (NAG-1) inhibits urethane-induced pulmonary tumorigenesis in transgenic mice." In press: Cancer Prev. Res., March 2009
• Peretich A, Cekanova M, Baek SJ, and Dhar M: "Regulation of Atp10c Transcriptional Activity during Adipogenesis in Mouse Adipocytes " In Press: Open J. of Obesity, February 2009
• Yamaguchi K, Cekanova M, McEntee MF, Neilson NR, Yoon JH, Fischer SM, and Baek SJ: "A novel PPAR ligand MCC-555 suppresses intestinal polyps in APC^Min/+ mice in PPAR-dependent and -independent manners" Mol. Cancer Ther., 2008; 7(9):2779-87
• Cekanova M, Yuan JS, Li X, Kim K, and Baek SJ: "Gene alterations by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ agonists in human colorectal cancer cells", Int. J. Oncol., 32: 809-819, 2008
• Lee SH, Cekanova M, and Baek SJ: "Multiple mechanisms are involved in 6-gingerol-induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in human colorectal cancer cells" Mol. Carcinog., 2008, 47:197-208
• Fernando R, Foster J, Bible A, Strom A, Pestell R, Rao M, Saxton A, Baek SJ, Yamaguchi K, Donnell R, Cekanova M, and Wimalasena J: "Breast cancer cells proliferation is inhibited by BAD: regulation of cyclin D1" J. Biol. Chem., 2007; 282(39):28864-73
• Cekanova M, Majidi M, Masi T, Al-Wadei HAN and Schuller HM: "Over-expressed Raf-1 and p-CREB are early markers for lung adenocarcinoma" Cancer, 2007, 109(6):1164-73
• Cekanova M, Masi JT, Plummer III HK, Majidi M, Fedorocko P, and Schuller HM: "Pulmonary fibroblasts stimulate the proliferation of cell lines from human lung adenocarcinomas" Anti-Cancer Drugs, 2006 (7):771-781
• Askari MDF, Tsao MS, Cekanova M, and Schuller HM: "Synergistic mitogenic signaling of the tobacco specific carcinogen, 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) and ethanol on immortalized human pancreatic duct epithelial cells" Pancreas, 2006, 33(1):53-62
• Schuller HM, Kabalka G, Smith G, Mereddy A, Akula M, and Cekanova M: "Detection of overexpressed COX-2 in precancerous lesions of hamster pancreas and lungs by molecular imaging: implications for early diagnosis and prevention" Chem Med Chem, 2006, 1(6):603-610
• Laag E, Majidi M, Cekanova M, Masi T, Takahashi T, and Schuller HM: "NNK activates ERK1/2 and CREB/ATF-1 via beta-1-AR and EGFR signaling in human lung adenocarcinoma and small airway epithelial cells" Int. J. Cancer, 2006 May,
• Plummer III HK, Dhar MS, Cekanova M, Schuller HM: Expression of G-Protein Inwardly Rectifying Potassium Channels (GIRKs) in lung cancer cell lines. BMC Cancer, 2005 August 18(5):104
• Masi T, Cekanova M, Walker K, Bernert H, Majidi M, Becker JM, Schuller HM: Nitrosamine 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) induced pulmonary adenocarcinomas in Syrian golden hamsters contain beta 2-adreneregic receptor single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Genes Chromosomes & Cancer, 2005 Oct;44(2):212-7
• Schuller HM and Cekanova M: NNK-induced hamster lung adenocarcinoma over-express *Β2-adrenergic and EGFR signaling pathways. Lung Cancer, 2005,49(1):35-45
• Bukovsky A, Indrapichate K, Fujiwara H, Cekanova M, Ayala ME, Dominguez R, Caudle MR, Wimalsena J, Elder RF, Copas P, Foster JS, Fernando RI, Henley DC, Upadhyaya NB: Multiple luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR) protein variants, interspecies reactivity of anti-LHR mAb clone 3B5, subcellular localization of LHR in human placenta, pelvic floor and brain, and possible role for LHR in the development of abnormal pregnancy, pelvic floor disorders and Alzheimer's disease. Reprod. Biol. Endocrinol., 2003, 1(1):46
• Bukovsky A, Caudle MR, Cekanova M, Fernando RI, Wimalasena J, Foster JS, Henley DC, Elder RF: Placental expression of estrogen receptor beta and its hormone binding variant--comparison with estrogen receptor alpha and a role for estrogen receptors in asymmetric division and differentiation of estrogen-dependent cells. Reprod. Biol. Endocrinol., 2003,1(1):36
• Bukovsky A, Cekanova M, Caudle MR, Wimalasena J, Foster JS, Henley DC, Elder RF: Expression and localization of estrogen receptor alpha protein in normal and abnormal term placentae and stimulation of trophoblast differentiation by estradiol. Reprod. Biol. Endocrinol., 2003, 1(1)13
• Bukovsky A, Cekanova M, Caudle MR, Wimalasena J, Foster JS, Keenan JA, Elder RF: Variability of placental expression of cyclin E low molecular weight variants. Biol. Reprod., 2002, 67(2):568-74
• Solar P, Cavarga I, Hofmanova J, Cekanova-Figurova M, Miskovsky P, Brezani P, Hrckova G, Kozubik A, Fedorocko P: Effect of acetazolamide on hypericin photocytotoxicity. Planta Med., 2002, 68(7): 658-60
• Bukovsky A, Copas P, Caudle MR, Cekanova M, Dassanayake T, Asbury B, Van Meter SE, Elder RF, Brown JB, Cross SB: Abnormal expression of p27kip1 protein in levator ani muscle of aging women with pelvic floor disorders - a relationship to the cellular differentiation and degeneration. BMC Clin. Pathol., 2001, 1(1): 4
• Cavarga I, Brezani P, Cekanova-Figurova M, Solar P, Fedorocko P, Miskovsky P: Photodynamic therapy of murine fibrosarcoma with topical and systemic administration of hypericin. Phytomedicine, 2001, 8(5): 325-30