Appointments:
Professor, Department of Biochemistry, Cross-appointed to Faculty of Medicine; Deputy Head (Graduate Studies); Program Lead, Atlantic Cancer Consortium, Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres, Terry Fox Research Institute
Affiliations:
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Research Interests:
Regulation of cell fate decisions by signaling pathways
Work in Dr. Christian’s lab is focused on how cells communicate with each other. This is especially important in the context of cancer because cancer cells are very good at modifying their environment in ways that help them to grow. One way that cancer cells communicate is by releasing small packages that contain a unique signature of proteins and genes. These packages are called extracellular vesicles. Cancer cells release thousands of extracellular vesicles that circulate throughout the body; no matter where the cancer cell itself is located. The function of these extracellular vesicles is often not known but the presence of extracellular vesicles carrying a cancer cell’s unique signature could tell us if cancer cells are present, growing, or shrinking. Current work in Dr. Christian’s lab on acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL), the most common cancer in kids, is focused on understanding how extracellular vesicles can be used to monitor cancer. A deeper understanding of the function of extracellular vesicles could also reveal ways that cancer could be targeted.
Involvement with BHCRI to date:
Dr. Christian is a BHCRI Senior Scientist and has served as both a panelist and scientific officer on a BHCRI Scientific Review Committee. As a PDF, Dr. Christian was a CRTP Award recipient.
Phone:
(709) 864-8550
Email:
Website:
Contact:
SN-3013/4019, Science building, Memorial University of Newfoundland, 232 Elizabeth Ave, St. John’s, NL CANADA A1B 3X9
Publications:
CD24 and IgM Stimulation of B Cells Triggers Transfer of Functional B Cell Receptor to B Cell Recipients Via Extracellular Vesicles. Hong-Dien Phan, Modeline N. Longjohn, Delania J. B. Gormley, Reilly H. Smith, May Dang-Lawson, Linda Matsuuchi, Michael R. Gold and Sherri L. Christian. J Immunol November 12, 2021, ji2100025; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.2100025
Pallegar, NK (nee Kendyala), Ayre, DC, and Christian, SL* (2015) Repression of CD24 expression by oncogenic Ras/Raf or Ras/PI3K is relieved by inhibition of Raf but not MEK or PI3K. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology. 3:47 doi: 10.3389/fcell.2015.00047
Ayre, DC, Elstner, M, Smith, NC, Moores, ES, Hogan, AM, and Christian, SL* (2015) Immature B cells Dynamically Regulate CD24 Expression and Release CD24-Containing Microvesicles Following Antibody Stimulation. Immunology. In Press. DOI: 10.1111/imm.12493
Komatsu, Y, Hirasawa, K., and Christian SL* (2015) Global gene analysis identifying genes commonly regulated by the Ras/Raf/MEK and type I IFN pathways. Genomics Data. 4: 84-87. DOI: 10.1016/j.gdata.2015.03.012
Smith, NC, Fairbridge, NA, and Christian, SL* (2015) Dynamic upregulation of CD24 in pre-adipocytes promotes adipogenesis. Adipocyte. 4(2):89-100. Published online: 15 Dec 2014
Komatsu, Y, Christian, SL, Ho, N, Pongnopparat, T, Licursi, M, and Hirasawa, K. (2014) Oncogenic Ras inhibits IRF1 to promote viral oncolysis. Oncogene. DOI: 10.1038/onc.2014.331
Christian, SL*, Rasley, BT, Roe, T, Moore, JT, Harris, MB and Drew, KL (2014) Habituation of Arctic ground squirrels (Urocitellus parryii) to handling and movement during torpor to prevent artificial arousal. Frontiers in Integrative Physiology. DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2014.00174
Christian, SL*, Zu, D, Licursi, M, Komatsu, Y, Pongnopparat, T, Codner, DA, Hirasawa, K* (2012) Suppression of IFN-induced transcription underlies IFN defects generated by activated Ras/MEK in human cancer cells. PlosONE. 7(9): e44267 *Corresponding authors
Dave, K.R, Christian, SL, Perez-Pinzon, MA, Drew, KL. (2012) Neuroprotection: lessons from hibernators (Review). Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part B: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology. 162:1-9.
Licursi, M, Christian, SL, Hirasawa, K. (2011) In vitro and in vivo comparison of viral and cellular IRESs for bicistronic vector expression. Gene Therapy. 3 March 2011; doi: 10.1038/gt.2011.11.
Christian, SL, Collier, TW, Zu D, Licursi, M, Hough, CM, and Hirasawa, K. (2009) Downregulation of STAT2 mediates the Ras/Raf/MEK pathway-induced inhibition of the IFN-alpha antiviral response. Journal of Virology. 83: 6717-26