Megan Keniry, Ph.D.

Education

• Ph.D. Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon. 2002.
• B.S. Interdisciplinary Studies in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, State University of New York at Albany, Albany, New York. 1995.

Areas of Expertise

• Signal transduction
• FOXO transcription factors
• PI3K pathway
• Cancer cell biology

Research

Cellular growth and survival require the systematic coordination of signaling networks that direct gene expression, cell cycle, growth, polarity, motility, metabolism and cellular identity. My laboratory investigates signal transduction events on the phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K) pathway with a focus on transcriptional outputs. PI3K has global effects on cellular signal transaction by increasing the concentration of the lipid second messenger phosphatidylinositol 3,4 ,5 trisphosphate (PIP3). This lipid activates proteins that promote cellular growth and survival. The PI3K pathway is almost universally altered in cancer as well as diabetes. In cancer, PI3K output is almost universally increased. Current laboratory projects include investigating transcriptional outputs of Forkhead box subfamily O (FOXO) transcription factors on the PI3K pathway and impacts on stem cells as well as cell fate.

Recent Publications

Salahuddin Ahmed and Megan Keniry and Narcedalia Anaya-Barbosa and Victoria Padilla and Md Javed and Robert Gilkerson and Acharan Narula and Eman Ibrahim and Karen Lozano."Oxymatrine Loaded Cross-Linked PVA Nanofibrous Scaffold: Design and Characterization and Anticancer Properties", 2023, Published, Macromol. Biosci.

Shania Pintor and A Lopez and D Flores and B Lozoya and B Soti and R Pokhrel and J Negrete and Michael Persans and Robert Gilkerson and Bonnie Gunn and Megan Keniry."FOXO1 promotes the expression of canonical WNT target genes in examined basal-like breast and glioblastoma multiforme cancer cells.", 2023, August, Published, FEBS open bio

Salahuddin Ahmed and Megan Keniry and Victoria Padilla and Narcedalia Anaya-Barbosa and Md Javed and Robert Gilkerson and Kithzia Gomez and Ali Ashraf and Acharan Narula and Karen Lozano."Development of pullulan/chitosan/salvianolic acid ternary fibrous membranes and their potential for chemotherapeutic applications", 2023, August, Published, 250, International Journal of Biological Macromolecules

David Flores and A Lopez and S Udawant and Bonnie Gunn and Megan Keniry."The FOXO1 inhibitor AS1842856 triggers apoptosis in glioblastoma multiforme and basal-like breast cancer cells.", 2023, February, Published, 2, 13, 352-362, FEBS open bio

Angela Chapman and Megan Keniry and Javier Macossay-Torres and Yailen Garza and Mario Almanza."Learning Science and Mathematics through Interdisciplinary and Authentic Practices", In Preparation; Not Yet Submitted, International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education

S Udawant and C Litif and A Lopez and Bonnie Gunn and Erin Schuenzel and Megan Keniry."PI3K Pathway Inhibition with NVP-BEZ235 Hinders Glycolytic Metabolism in Glioblastoma Multiforme Cells.", 2021, November, Published, 11, 10, Cells

Al Amin and Shamik Datta and Megan Keniry and Ahmed Touhami and Hasina Huq."Preparation and Characterization of DC Magnetron Sputtered Thin Films of Titanium, Silver, Gold and Their Compound", Submitted, Surface and interface analysis

Irma Garcia and F Calderon and P la Torre and S Vallier and Carmen Rodriguez and D Agarwala and Megan Keniry and W Innis-Whitehouse and Robert Gilkerson."Mitochondrial OPA1 cleavage is reversibly activated by differentiation of H9c2 cardiomyoblasts.", 2021, March, Published, 57, 88-96, Mitochondrion

N Blackburn and A Leandro and N Nahvi and M Devlin and M Leandro and I Martinez Escobedo and J Peralta and J George and B Stacy and Thomas Demaar and John Blangero and Megan Keniry and Joanne Curran."Transcriptomic Profiling of Fibropapillomatosis in Green Sea Turtles (Chelonia mydas) From South Texas.", 2021, February, Published, 12, 630988, Frontiers in immunology

N Vazquez and A Lopez and V Cuello and Michael Persans and Erin Schuenzel and W Innis-Whitehouse and Megan Keniry."NVP-BEZ235 or JAKi Treatment leads to decreased survival of examined GBM and BBC cells.", 2021, February, Published, 27, 100340, Cancer treatment and research communications