Joshua T. Mendell is an American molecular biologist who is a professor of molecular biology at the
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UT Southwestern or UTSW) is a public academic health science center in Dallas, Texas. With approximately 23,000 employees, more than 3,000 full-time faculty, and nearly 4 million outpatient ...
, where he is a
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) is an American non-profit medical research organization headquartered in Chevy Chase, Maryland with additional facilities in Ashburn, Virginia. It was founded in 1953 by Howard Hughes, an American busin ...
Investigator. Before moving to UT Southwestern, Mendell was a Howard Hughes Medical Institute early career scientist
[HHMI biography]
/ref> at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (JHUSOM) is the medical school of Johns Hopkins University, a private research university in Baltimore, Maryland. Established in 1893 following the construction of the Johns Hopkins Hospital, th ...
. His molecular biology
Molecular biology is a branch of biology that seeks to understand the molecule, molecular basis of biological activity in and between Cell (biology), cells, including biomolecule, biomolecular synthesis, modification, mechanisms, and interactio ...
research examines microRNA
Micro ribonucleic acid (microRNA, miRNA, μRNA) are small, single-stranded, non-coding RNA molecules containing 21–23 nucleotides. Found in plants, animals, and even some viruses, miRNAs are involved in RNA silencing and post-transcr ...
(miRNA) regulation and function, with particular emphasis on miRNAs and cancer
Cancer is a group of diseases involving Cell growth#Disorders, abnormal cell growth with the potential to Invasion (cancer), invade or Metastasis, spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Po ...
.
Training and career
Mendell began working in a molecular biology laboratory when he was a teenager and continued to perform laboratory research as an undergraduate at Cornell University
Cornell University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university based in Ithaca, New York, United States. The university was co-founded by American philanthropist Ezra Cornell and historian and educator Andrew Dickson W ...
.[ He graduated with a BA in 1996 and was a member of the ]Delta Phi
Delta Phi () is a fraternal society established in Schenectady, New York, on November 17, 1827. Its first chapter was founded at Union College, and was the third and final member of the Union Triad. In 1879, William Raimond Baird's '' America ...
fraternity. Mendell pursued a Ph.D. and M.D.
A Doctor of Medicine (abbreviated MD, from the Latin ) is a medical degree, the meaning of which varies between different jurisdictions. In the United States, and some other countries, the ''MD'' denotes a professional degree of physician. This ge ...
at Johns Hopkins University, receiving the degrees in 2001 and 2003 respectively. He remained at Johns Hopkins as a faculty member before moving to University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in 2011.
Research
Mendell and members of his research group investigate post-transcriptional gene regulation. As a graduate student with Harry (Hal) Dietz at Johns Hopkins, Mendell researched how cells recognize and degrade messenger RNA
In molecular biology, messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) is a single-stranded molecule of RNA that corresponds to the genetic sequence of a gene, and is read by a ribosome in the process of synthesizing a protein.
mRNA is created during the ...
molecules with early stop codon
In molecular biology, a stop codon (or termination codon) is a codon (nucleotide triplet within messenger RNA) that signals the termination of the translation process of the current protein. Most codons in messenger RNA correspond to the additio ...
s, a process known as nonsense mediated decay. Mendell's interest in RNA led him into the field of microRNA.[
In 2005, Mendell reported in the journal '']Nature
Nature is an inherent character or constitution, particularly of the Ecosphere (planetary), ecosphere or the universe as a whole. In this general sense nature refers to the Scientific law, laws, elements and phenomenon, phenomena of the physic ...
'' that a gene often mutated in cancer cells, c-Myc
''Myc'' is a family of regulator genes and proto-oncogenes that code for transcription factors. The ''Myc'' family consists of three related human genes: ''c-myc'' ( MYC), ''l-myc'' ( MYCL), and ''n-myc'' ( MYCN). ''c-myc'' (also sometimes ...
, influences the expression of several miRNAs encoded in a cluster on human chromosome 13. These miRNAs in turn affect the expression of a c-Myc-induced transcription factor
In molecular biology, a transcription factor (TF) (or sequence-specific DNA-binding factor) is a protein that controls the rate of transcription (genetics), transcription of genetics, genetic information from DNA to messenger RNA, by binding t ...
, E2F1
Transcription factor E2F1 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''E2F1'' gene.
Function
The protein encoded by this gene is a member of the E2F family of transcription factors. The E2F family plays a crucial role in the control of cel ...
. This research demonstrated a potentially important role for miRNAs in the development of cancer. Mendell has followed up on this work with publications in high-impact journals including ''Nature Genetics
''Nature Genetics'' is a peer-reviewed scientific journal published by Nature Portfolio. It was established in 1992. It covers research in genetics. The chief editor is Tiago Faial.
The journal encompasses genetic and functional genomic studies ...
'', ''PNAS
''Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America'' (often abbreviated ''PNAS'' or ''PNAS USA'') is a peer-reviewed multidisciplinary scientific journal. It is the official journal of the National Academy of S ...
'', ''Molecular Cell
''Molecular Cell'' is a peer-reviewed scientific journal that covers research on cell biology at the molecular level, with an emphasis on new mechanistic insights. It was established in 1997 and is published two times per month. The journal is pu ...
'', ''Nature'', and ''Cell
Cell most often refers to:
* Cell (biology), the functional basic unit of life
* Cellphone, a phone connected to a cellular network
* Clandestine cell, a penetration-resistant form of a secret or outlawed organization
* Electrochemical cell, a de ...
'', among others.
In 2009, Mendell reported in the journal ''Cell'' that treating mice with therapeutic levels of specific miRNAs could suppress development of liver cancer. The publication generated media interest, including an article in ''The Times
''The Times'' is a British Newspaper#Daily, daily Newspaper#National, national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its modern name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its si ...
'' asking, "Is there a secret to eternal youth?"
Mendell has also published numerous review articles on miRNA regulation and function.
Family
Mendell credits his father, Ohio State University
The Ohio State University (Ohio State or OSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio, United States. A member of the University System of Ohio, it was founded in 1870. It is one ...
neurologist Jerry Mendell, with influencing his early interest and involvement in molecular biology research,[ and Mendell's first scientific publication was co-written with his father and other researchers.][
]
Awards and honors
* Howard Hughes Medical Institute Early Career Scientist Award (2009)
* Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Scholar (2008)
* Top Young Investigator of 2007 (''Genome Technology'' Magazine, 2007)
* Outstanding Young Scientist in the State of Maryland (Allan C. Davis Medal, 2007)
* Rita Allen Foundation Scholar (2006)
* March of Dimes Basil O'Connor Scholar (2004)
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mendell, Joshua T.
American pediatricians
Living people
Year of birth missing (living people)