Christopher M. Counter | Scholars@Duke

Christopher M. Counter
Professor of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology

The Counter lab studies the molecular mechanisms underlying the evolution of normal cells into cancer. The lab is divided into two major areas studying key features of human cancers.

Immortalization: We have shown that the ability of cancer cells to keep dividing, or become immortal, is a fundamental aspect of tumorigenesis, and is due to elongation of telomeres. Current efforts focus on the molecular biology of telomere-binding proteins in regulating telomere length.

Proliferation: The ability of tumor cells to proliferate inappropriately is a hallmark of cancer. One gene that plays a key role in this process is the oncogene Ras. We have shown that Ras exerts its oncogenic signals through different proteins at different phases of cancer. Current studies focus on how these different pathways promote cancer and how to inhibit their activity.

Current Appointments & Affiliations

Professor of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Pharmacology & Cancer Biology, Basic Science Departments 2011
Assistant Professor in Radiation Oncology, Radiation Oncology, Clinical Science Departments 2020
Member of the Duke Cancer Institute, Duke Cancer Institute, Institutes and Centers 2002

Contact Information

C225 Lev Sci Res Ctr, Durham, NC 27708
Duke Box 3813, Durham, NC 27710
count004@mc.duke.edu (919) 684-9890

Background
Education, Training, & Certifications
- Postdoctoral Fellow, Whitehead Institute For Biomedical Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology - 1998
- Ph.D., McMaster University (Canada) 1996
- B.S., McMaster University (Canada) 1990
Duke Appointment History
- Assistant Professor in Radiation Oncology, Radiation Oncology, Clinical Science Departments 2006 - 2020
- Associate Professor of Pharmacology & Cancer Biology, Pharmacology & Cancer Biology, Basic Science Departments 2005 - 2011
- Assistant Research Professor in Radiation Oncology, Radiation Oncology, Clinical Science Departments 1998 - 2006
- Assistant Professor of Pharmacology & Cancer Biology, Pharmacology & Cancer Biology, Basic Science Departments 1998 - 2005
- Instructor, Temporary of Pharmacology & Cancer Biology, Pharmacology & Cancer Biology, Basic Science Departments 1998
Recognition
In the News
- NOV 24, 2014
  
  Five Faculty Named Fellows of American Association for the Advancement of Science
- APR 10, 2014
  
  A Bad Penny: Cancer’s Thirst For Copper Can Be Targeted
- APR 10, 2014 Daily Mail
  
  Cancer could be 'starved' by taking pills that remove copper from the body, say scientists
Awards & Honors
- AAAS Fellow. American Association for the Advancement of Science. 2014
- John J. Abel Award in Pharmacology. American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. 2006
Research
Selected Grants
- Genetic and Genomics Training Grant awarded by National Institutes of Health 2020 - 2025
- Pharmacological Sciences Training Grant awarded by National Institutes of Health 2020 - 2025
- Defining and targeting the molecular vulnerabilities of the PAX3-FOXO1 protein in rhabdomyosarcoma awarded by National Institutes of Health 2019 - 2024
- Viral Oncology Training Grant awarded by National Institutes of Health 1980 - 2024
- Duke Resident Physician-Scientist Program in Radiation Oncology and Radiology awarded by National Institutes of Health 2020 - 2024
- Medical Scientist Training Program awarded by National Institutes of Health 1997 - 2022
- Interrogating the RAS interactome for therapeutic vulnerabilities awarded by National Institutes of Health 2020 - 2022
- The role of NRF2 in breast cancer dormancy and recurrence awarded by National Institutes of Health 2019 - 2021
- The role of dietary copper in melanoma awarded by National Institutes of Health 2015 - 2021
- Translational Research in Surgical Oncology awarded by National Institutes of Health 2002 - 2021
- Transfusion Medicine and Hematology awarded by National Institutes of Health 1975 - 2021
- Defining RAS isoform- and mutation-specific roles in oncogenesis awarded by University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill 2016 - 2021
- Defining RAS isoform- and mutation-specific roles in oncogenesis awarded by University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill 2016 - 2021
- Defining RAS isoform- and mutation-specific roles in oncogenesis awarded by University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill 2016 - 2021
- Genetics Training Grant awarded by National Institutes of Health 1979 - 2020
- Organization and Function of Cellular Structure awarded by National Institutes of Health 1975 - 2020
- Pharmacological Sciences Training Program awarded by National Institutes of Health 1975 - 2020
- Identifying phosphatidylinositol metabolism vulnerabilities in cancer pathways awarded by National Institutes of Health 2019 - 2020
- Identification and validation of the PAX3-FOXO1 protein interactome awarded by St. Baldrick's Foundation 2018 - 2020
- Pharmacology Industry Internships for Ph.D. Students awarded by American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics 2017 - 2019
- Dynamic requirements of Ras signaling during cancer awarded by National Institutes of Health 2014 - 2019
- Thermo Lumos Tribrid High-Resolution Accurate-Mass Tandem Mass Spectrometer awarded by National Institutes of Health 2018 - 2019
- Duke University Program in Environmental Health awarded by National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences 2013 - 2019
- RalA signal transduction awarded by National Institutes of Health 2002 - 2019
- Elucidating the Role of Kras Specificity Determinants in Pancreatic Cancer awarded by Pancreatic Cancer Action Network 2017 - 2018
- Leveraging copper chelation as targeted therapy for BRAF-driven thyroid cancer awarded by Triangle Community Foundation 2015 - 2018
- Center for Molecular & Cellular Studies of Ped Disease awarded by National Institutes of Health 2003 - 2018
- The role of KRAS codon bias in tumorigenesis awarded by National Institutes of Health 2016 - 2017
- The effect of oncogenic Ras signaling strength on cancer awarded by National Institutes of Health 2013 - 2017
- A Platform for Real-time Drug Profiling of Patient-Derived Melanomas awarded by National Institutes of Health 2014 - 2016
- Cancer Biology Training Grant awarded by National Cancer Institute 1993 - 2016
- Examining infection-mediated metastasis with single-cell resolution awarded by National Institutes of Health 2014 - 2016
- Pleiotrophin, a paracrine regulator of hematopoietic stem cell fate awarded by University of California - Los Angeles 2014 - 2015
- Copper reduction as a novel therapy in BRAF-mutant positive cancers awarded by National Institutes of Health 2013 - 2015
- Reducing dietary copper for the treatment of BRaf mutation-positive melanoma awarded by National Institutes of Health 2013 - 2015
- JUN PROTEINS IN EPIDERMAL HOMEOSTASIS AND NEOPLASIA awarded by National Institutes of Health 2010 - 2015
- Instrumentation for Quantitative Phosphoproteomics and Acetylomics awarded by National Institutes of Health 2014 - 2015
- Evaluating the impact of KRas codon bias on pancreatic cancer awarded by National Institutes of Health 2012 - 2014
- The role of RalA in pancreatic tumorigenesis awarded by National Institutes of Health 2008 - 2013
- Small molecular weight eNOS inhibitors for the treatment of pancreatic cancer awarded by National Institutes of Health 2011 - 2013
- Preclinical evaluation of NOS inhibitors for the treatment of pancreatic cancer awarded by National Institutes of Health 2009 - 2011
- NF-kB, CDK4 and JNK in Epidermal Growth Regulation awarded by National Institutes of Health 2005 - 2010
- The Molecular Basis of Telomerase Function & Regulation awarded by National Institutes of Health 1999 - 2009
- Developing inhibitors of RalA function for the treatment of pancreatic cancer awarded by National Institutes of Health 2007 - 2009
- Targeting Functional Domains in Telomerase awarded by National Institutes of Health 2002 - 2004
External Relationships
- Denver Cancer Center
- Duke NUS Graduate Medical School
- Humacyte
- Merlon Inc
- National Cancer Intitute
- guidepiont
Publications & Artistic Works
Selected Publications
- Academic Articles
  - Peterson, Jackson, Siqi Li, Erin Kaltenbrun, Ozgun Erdogan, and Christopher M. Counter. “Expression of transgenes enriched in rare codons is enhanced by the MAPK pathway.” Sci Rep 10, no. 1 (December 17, 2020): 22166. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-78453-5.
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  - Sawyer, Jessica K., Zahra Kabiri, Ruth A. Montague, Scott R. Allen, Rebeccah Stewart, Sarah V. Paramore, Erez Cohen, Hamed Zaribafzadeh, Christopher M. Counter, and Donald T. Fox. “Exploiting codon usage identifies intensity-specific modifiers of Ras/MAPK signaling in vivo.” Plos Genet 16, no. 12 (December 2020): e1009228. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1009228.
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  - Li, Siqi, David M. MacAlpine, and Christopher M. Counter. “Capturing the primordial Kras mutation initiating urethane carcinogenesis.” Nat Commun 11, no. 1 (April 14, 2020): 1800. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-15660-8.
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  - Li, Siqi, Allan Balmain, and Christopher M. Counter. “A model for RAS mutation patterns in cancers: finding the sweet spot.” Nat Rev Cancer 18, no. 12 (December 2018): 767–77. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41568-018-0076-6.
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  - Fu, Jingjing, Yunkun Dang, Christopher Counter, and Yi Liu. “Codon usage regulates human KRAS expression at both transcriptional and translational levels.” J Biol Chem 293, no. 46 (November 16, 2018): 17929–40. https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.RA118.004908.
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  - Adhikari, Hema, and Christopher M. Counter. “Interrogating the protein interactomes of RAS isoforms identifies PIP5K1A as a KRAS-specific vulnerability.” Nat Commun 9, no. 1 (September 7, 2018): 3646. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-05692-6.
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  - Xu, MengMeng, Michael Casio, Danielle E. Range, Julie A. Sosa, and Christopher M. Counter. “Copper Chelation as Targeted Therapy in a Mouse Model of Oncogenic BRAF-Driven Papillary Thyroid Cancer.” Clin Cancer Res 24, no. 17 (September 1, 2018): 4271–81. https://doi.org/10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-17-3705.
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  - Kabiri, Zahra, Gediminas Greicius, Hamed Zaribafzadeh, Amanda Hemmerich, Christopher M. Counter, and David M. Virshup. “Wnt signaling suppresses MAPK-driven proliferation of intestinal stem cells.” J Clin Invest 128, no. 9 (August 31, 2018): 3806–12. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI99325.
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  - Sasine, Joshua P., Heather A. Himburg, Christina M. Termini, Martina Roos, Evelyn Tran, Liman Zhao, Jenny Kan, et al. “Wild-type Kras expands and exhausts hematopoietic stem cells.” Jci Insight 3, no. 11 (June 7, 2018). https://doi.org/10.1172/jci.insight.98197.
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  - Brady, Donita C., Matthew S. Crowe, Danielle N. Greenberg, and Christopher M. Counter. “Copper Chelation Inhibits BRAFV600E-Driven Melanomagenesis and Counters Resistance to BRAFV600E and MEK1/2 Inhibitors.” Cancer Res 77, no. 22 (November 15, 2017): 6240–52. https://doi.org/10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-16-1190.
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  - Anderson, Grace R., Peter S. Winter, Kevin H. Lin, Daniel P. Nussbaum, Merve Cakir, Elizabeth M. Stein, Ryan S. Soderquist, et al. “A Landscape of Therapeutic Cooperativity in KRAS Mutant Cancers Reveals Principles for Controlling Tumor Evolution.” Cell Rep 20, no. 4 (July 25, 2017): 999–1015. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2017.07.006.
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  - Ali, Moiez, Erin Kaltenbrun, Grace R. Anderson, Sarah Jo Stephens, Sabrina Arena, Alberto Bardelli, Christopher M. Counter, and Kris C. Wood. “Codon bias imposes a targetable limitation on KRAS-driven therapeutic resistance.” Nat Commun 8 (June 8, 2017): 15617. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms15617.
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  - Pershing, Nicole L. K., Chi-Fu Jeffrey Yang, MengMeng Xu, and Christopher M. Counter. “Treatment with the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor L-NAME provides a survival advantage in a mouse model of Kras mutation-positive, non-small cell lung cancer.” Oncotarget 7, no. 27 (July 5, 2016): 42385–92. https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.9874.
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  - Weyandt, Jamie D., John M. Carney, Elizabeth N. Pavlisko, MengMeng Xu, and Christopher M. Counter. “Isoform-Specific Effects of Wild-Type Ras Genes on Carcinogen-Induced Lung Tumorigenesis in Mice.” Plos One 11, no. 12 (2016): e0167205. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0167205.
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  - Counter, Chris. “Evaluating The Role Of Nitric Oxide Synthase In Oncogenic Ras-Driven Tumorigenesis.” Redox Biol 5 (August 2015): 417. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.redox.2015.09.023.
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  - Kashatus, Jennifer A., Aldo Nascimento, Lindsey J. Myers, Annie Sher, Frances L. Byrne, Kyle L. Hoehn, Christopher M. Counter, and David F. Kashatus. “Erk2 phosphorylation of Drp1 promotes mitochondrial fission and MAPK-driven tumor growth.” Mol Cell 57, no. 3 (February 5, 2015): 537–51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molcel.2015.01.002.
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  - Issaq, Sameer H., Kian-Huat Lim, and Christopher M. Counter. “Sec5 and Exo84 foster oncogenic ras-mediated tumorigenesis.” Mol Cancer Res 8, no. 2 (February 2010): 223–31. https://doi.org/10.1158/1541-7786.MCR-09-0189.
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  - Lim, Kian-Huat, Donita C. Brady, David F. Kashatus, Brooke B. Ancrile, Channing J. Der, Adrienne D. Cox, and Christopher M. Counter. “Aurora-A phosphorylates, activates, and relocalizes the small GTPase RalA.” Mol Cell Biol 30, no. 2 (January 2010): 508–23. https://doi.org/10.1128/MCB.00916-08.
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  - Petersen, Thomas H., Thomas Hitchcock, Akihito Muto, Elizabeth A. Calle, Liping Zhao, Zhaodi Gong, Liqiong Gui, et al. “Utility of telomerase-pot1 fusion protein in vascular tissue engineering.” Cell Transplant 19, no. 1 (2010): 79–87. https://doi.org/10.3727/096368909X478650.
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  - O’Hayer, Kevin M., Donita C. Brady, and Christopher M. Counter. “ELR+ CXC chemokines and oncogenic Ras-mediated tumorigenesis.” Carcinogenesis 30, no. 11 (November 2009): 1841–47. https://doi.org/10.1093/carcin/bgp198.
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  - Kendellen, Megan F., Katharine S. Barrientos, and Christopher M. Counter. “POT1 association with TRF2 regulates telomere length.” Mol Cell Biol 29, no. 20 (October 2009): 5611–19. https://doi.org/10.1128/MCB.00286-09.
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  - Naini, Sarasija, Katherine T. Etheridge, Stacey J. Adam, Stephen J. Qualman, Rex C. Bentley, Christopher M. Counter, and Corinne M. Linardic. “Defining the cooperative genetic changes that temporally drive alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma.” Cancer Res 68, no. 23 (December 1, 2008): 9583–88. https://doi.org/10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-07-6178.
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  - Lee, Yi-Shan, Kian-Huat Lim, Xing Guo, Yoshiharu Kawaguchi, Yasheng Gao, Tomasa Barrientos, Peter Ordentlich, Xiao-Fan Wang, Christopher M. Counter, and Tso-Pang Yao. “The cytoplasmic deacetylase HDAC6 is required for efficient oncogenic tumorigenesis.” Cancer Res 68, no. 18 (September 15, 2008): 7561–69. https://doi.org/10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-08-0188.
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  - Barrientos, Katharine S., Megan F. Kendellen, Brian D. Freibaum, Blaine N. Armbruster, Katherine T. Etheridge, and Christopher M. Counter. “Distinct functions of POT1 at telomeres.” Mol Cell Biol 28, no. 17 (September 2008): 5251–64. https://doi.org/10.1128/MCB.00048-08.
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  - Tomlinson, Rebecca L., Eladio B. Abreu, Tania Ziegler, Hinh Ly, Christopher M. Counter, Rebecca M. Terns, and Michael P. Terns. “Telomerase reverse transcriptase is required for the localization of telomerase RNA to cajal bodies and telomeres in human cancer cells.” Mol Biol Cell 19, no. 9 (September 2008): 3793–3800. https://doi.org/10.1091/mbc.e08-02-0184.
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  - Freibaum, Brian D., and Christopher M. Counter. “The protein hSnm1B is stabilized when bound to the telomere-binding protein TRF2.” J Biol Chem 283, no. 35 (August 29, 2008): 23671–76. https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.M800388200.
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  - Lim, Kian-Huat, Brooke B. Ancrile, David F. Kashatus, and Christopher M. Counter. “Tumour maintenance is mediated by eNOS.” Nature 452, no. 7187 (April 3, 2008): 646–49. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature06778.
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  - Etheridge, Katherine T., Sarah A. Compton, Katharine S. Barrientos, Sezgin Ozgur, Jack D. Griffith, and Christopher M. Counter. “Tethering telomeric double- and single-stranded DNA-binding proteins inhibits telomere elongation.” J Biol Chem 283, no. 11 (March 14, 2008): 6935–41. https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.M708711200.
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  - Ancrile, Brooke B., Kevin M. O’Hayer, and Christopher M. Counter. “Oncogenic ras-induced expression of cytokines: a new target of anti-cancer therapeutics.” Mol Interv 8, no. 1 (February 2008): 22–27. https://doi.org/10.1124/mi.8.1.6.
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  - Adam, Stacey J., and Christopher M. Counter. “A method to generate genetically defined tumors in pigs.” Methods Enzymol 439 (2008): 39–51. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0076-6879(07)00404-1.
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  - Linardic, Corinne M., and Christopher M. Counter. “Genetic modeling of Ras-induced human rhabdomyosarcoma.” Methods Enzymol 438 (2008): 419–27. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0076-6879(07)38028-2.
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  - Schook, L. B., K. Kuzmuk, S. Adam, L. Rund, K. Chen, M. Rogatcheva, M. Mazur, C. Pollock, and C. Counter. “DNA-based animal models of human disease: from genotype to phenotype.” Dev Biol (Basel) 132 (2008): 15–25. https://doi.org/10.1159/000317140.
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  - Rogatcheva, Margarita B., Krista L. Fritz, Laurie A. Rund, Callie B. Pollock, Jonathan E. Beever, Christopher M. Counter, and Lawrence B. Schook. “Characterization of the porcine ATM gene: towards the generation of a novel non-murine animal model for Ataxia-Telangiectasia.” Gene 405, no. 1–2 (December 15, 2007): 27–35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gene.2007.08.014.
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  - Banik, S. S. R., and C. M. Counter. “From bread to bedside: What budding yeast has taught us about the immortalization of cancer cells,” December 1, 2007, 123–39. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-5963-6_5.
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  - Ancrile, Brooke, Kian-Huat Lim, and Christopher M. Counter. “Oncogenic Ras-induced secretion of IL6 is required for tumorigenesis.” Genes Dev 21, no. 14 (July 15, 2007): 1714–19. https://doi.org/10.1101/gad.1549407.
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  - Linardic, Corinne M., Sarasija Naini, James E. Herndon, Chimen Kesserwan, Stephen J. Qualman, and Christopher M. Counter. “The PAX3-FKHR fusion gene of rhabdomyosarcoma cooperates with loss of p16INK4A to promote bypass of cellular senescence.” Cancer Res 67, no. 14 (July 15, 2007): 6691–99. https://doi.org/10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-06-3210.
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  - Adam, S. J., L. A. Rund, K. N. Kuzmuk, J. F. Zachary, L. B. Schook, and C. M. Counter. “Genetic induction of tumorigenesis in swine.” Oncogene 26, no. 7 (February 15, 2007): 1038–45. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.onc.1209892.
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  - Lim, Kian-Huat, Kevin O’Hayer, Stacey J. Adam, S Disean Kendall, Paul M. Campbell, Channing J. Der, and Christopher M. Counter. “Divergent roles for RalA and RalB in malignant growth of human pancreatic carcinoma cells.” Curr Biol 16, no. 24 (December 19, 2006): 2385–94. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2006.10.023.
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  - Freibaum, Brian D., and Christopher M. Counter. “hSnm1B is a novel telomere-associated protein.” J Biol Chem 281, no. 22 (June 2, 2006): 15033–36. https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.C600038200.
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  - Kendall, S DiSean, Stacey J. Adam, and Christopher M. Counter. “Genetically engineered human cancer models utilizing mammalian transgene expression.” Cell Cycle 5, no. 10 (May 2006): 1074–79. https://doi.org/10.4161/cc.5.10.2734.
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  - Baines, Antonio T., Kian-Huat Lim, Janiel M. Shields, John M. Lambert, Christopher M. Counter, Channing J. Der, and Adrienne D. Cox. “Use of retrovirus expression of interfering RNA to determine the contribution of activated K-Ras and ras effector expression to human tumor cell growth.” Methods Enzymol 407 (2006): 556–74. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0076-6879(05)07045-X.
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  - O’Hayer, Kevin M., and Christopher M. Counter. “A genetically defined normal human somatic cell system to study ras oncogenesis in vivo and in vitro.” Methods Enzymol 407 (2006): 637–47. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0076-6879(05)07050-3.
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  - Kendall, S DiSean, Corinne M. Linardic, Stacey J. Adam, and Christopher M. Counter. “A network of genetic events sufficient to convert normal human cells to a tumorigenic state.” Cancer Res 65, no. 21 (November 1, 2005): 9824–28. https://doi.org/10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-05-1543.
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  - Lim, Kian-Huat, and Christopher M. Counter. “Reduction in the requirement of oncogenic Ras signaling to activation of PI3K/AKT pathway during tumor maintenance.” Cancer Cell 8, no. 5 (November 2005): 381–92. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ccr.2005.10.014.
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  - Kassem, Moustapha, Jorge Burns, and Basem Abd-Allah. “Blood vessels engineered from human cells.” Lancet 366, no. 9489 (September 10, 2005): 891–92. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(05)67311-4.
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  - Poh, Melissa, Matthew Boyer, Amy Solan, Shannon L. M. Dahl, Dawn Pedrotty, Soma S. R. Banik, J Andrew McKee, Rebecca Y. Klinger, Christopher M. Counter, and Laura E. Niklason. “Blood vessels engineered from human cells.” Lancet 365, no. 9477 (June 18, 2005): 2122–24. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(05)66735-9.
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  - Lim, Kian-Huat, Antonio T. Baines, James J. Fiordalisi, Michail Shipitsin, Larry A. Feig, Adrienne D. Cox, Channing J. Der, and Christopher M. Counter. “Activation of RalA is critical for Ras-induced tumorigenesis of human cells.” Cancer Cell 7, no. 6 (June 2005): 533–45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ccr.2005.04.030.
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  - Linardic, Corinne M., Diane L. Downie, Stephen Qualman, Rex C. Bentley, and Christopher M. Counter. “Genetic modeling of human rhabdomyosarcoma.” Cancer Res 65, no. 11 (June 1, 2005): 4490–95. https://doi.org/10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-04-3194.
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  - Veldman, Timothy, Katherine T. Etheridge, and Christopher M. Counter. “Loss of hPot1 function leads to telomere instability and a cut-like phenotype.” Curr Biol 14, no. 24 (December 29, 2004): 2264–70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2004.12.031.
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  - Banik, Soma S. R., and Christopher M. Counter. “Characterization of interactions between PinX1 and human telomerase subunits hTERT and hTR.” J Biol Chem 279, no. 50 (December 10, 2004): 51745–48. https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.M408131200.
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  - Swanson, Kelly S., Meredith J. Mazur, Kapil Vashisht, Laurie A. Rund, Jonathan E. Beever, Christopher M. Counter, and Lawrence B. Schook. “Genomics and clinical medicine: rationale for creating and effectively evaluating animal models.” Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 229, no. 9 (October 2004): 866–75. https://doi.org/10.1177/153537020422900902.
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  - Lim, Kian-Huat, and Christopher M. Counter. “Leveling the playing field.” Mol Cell 15, no. 4 (August 27, 2004): 491–92. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molcel.2004.08.014.
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  - Armbruster, Blaine N., Corinne M. Linardic, Tim Veldman, Niharika P. Bansal, Diane L. Downie, and Christopher M. Counter. “Rescue of an hTERT mutant defective in telomere elongation by fusion with hPot1.” Mol Cell Biol 24, no. 8 (April 2004): 3552–61. https://doi.org/10.1128/mcb.24.8.3552-3561.2004.
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  - Yeh, Elizabeth, Melissa Cunningham, Hugh Arnold, Dawn Chasse, Teresa Monteith, Giovanni Ivaldi, William C. Hahn, et al. “A signalling pathway controlling c-Myc degradation that impacts oncogenic transformation of human cells.” Nat Cell Biol 6, no. 4 (April 2004): 308–18. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncb1110.
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  - Rogatcheva, Margarita M., Laurie A. Rund, Kelly S. Swanson, Brandy M. Marron, Jonathan E. Beever, Christopher M. Counter, and Lawrence B. Schook. “Creating porcine biomedical models through recombineering.” Comp Funct Genomics 5, no. 3 (2004): 262–67. https://doi.org/10.1002/cfg.404.
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  - Guo, Chuanhai, Blaine N. Armbruster, David T. Price, and Christopher M. Counter. “In vivo regulation of hTERT expression and telomerase activity by androgen.” J Urol 170, no. 2 Pt 1 (August 2003): 615–18. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.ju.0000074653.22766.c8.
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  - McKee, J Andrew, Soma S. R. Banik, Matthew J. Boyer, Nesrin M. Hamad, Jeffrey H. Lawson, Laura E. Niklason, and Christopher M. Counter. “Human arteries engineered in vitro.” Embo Rep 4, no. 6 (June 2003): 633–38. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.embor.embor847.
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  - Rich, Jeremy N., Qing Shi, Mark Hjelmeland, Thomas J. Cummings, Chien-Tsun Kuan, Darell D. Bigner, Christopher M. Counter, and Xiao-Fan Wang. “Bone-related genes expressed in advanced malignancies induce invasion and metastasis in a genetically defined human cancer model.” J Biol Chem 278, no. 18 (May 2, 2003): 15951–57. https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.M211498200.
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  - Armbruster, Blaine N., Katherine T. Etheridge, Dominique Broccoli, and Christopher M. Counter. “Putative telomere-recruiting domain in the catalytic subunit of human telomerase.” Mol Cell Biol 23, no. 9 (May 2003): 3237–46. https://doi.org/10.1128/mcb.23.9.3237-3246.2003.
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  - Counter, Christopher M., William Press, and Carolyn C. Compton. “Telomere shortening in cultured autografts of patients with burns.” Lancet 361, no. 9366 (April 19, 2003): 1345–46. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(03)13042-5.
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  - Hamad, Nesrin M., Soma S. R. Banik, and Christopher M. Counter. “Mutational analysis defines a minimum level of telomerase activity required for tumourigenic growth of human cells.” Oncogene 21, no. 46 (October 10, 2002): 7121–25. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.onc.1205860.
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  - Banik, Soma S. R., Chuanhai Guo, Allyson C. Smith, Seth S. Margolis, D Ashley Richardson, Carlos A. Tirado, and Christopher M. Counter. “C-terminal regions of the human telomerase catalytic subunit essential for in vivo enzyme activity.” Mol Cell Biol 22, no. 17 (September 2002): 6234–46. https://doi.org/10.1128/mcb.22.17.6234-6246.2002.
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  - Hamad, Nesrin M., Joel H. Elconin, Antoine E. Karnoub, Wenli Bai, Jeremy N. Rich, Robert T. Abraham, Channing J. Der, and Christopher M. Counter. “Distinct requirements for Ras oncogenesis in human versus mouse cells.” Genes Dev 16, no. 16 (August 15, 2002): 2045–57. https://doi.org/10.1101/gad.993902.
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  - Etheridge, Katherine T., Soma S. R. Banik, Blaine N. Armbruster, Yusheng Zhu, Rebecca M. Terns, Michael P. Terns, and Christopher M. Counter. “The nucleolar localization domain of the catalytic subunit of human telomerase.” J Biol Chem 277, no. 27 (July 5, 2002): 24764–70. https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.M201227200.
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  - Shi, Songtao, Stan Gronthos, Shaoqiong Chen, Anand Reddi, Christopher M. Counter, Pamela G. Robey, and Cun-Yu Wang. “Bone formation by human postnatal bone marrow stromal stem cells is enhanced by telomerase expression.” Nat Biotechnol 20, no. 6 (June 2002): 587–91. https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt0602-587.
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  - Armbruster, B. N., S. S. Banik, C. Guo, A. C. Smith, and C. M. Counter. “N-terminal domains of the human telomerase catalytic subunit required for enzyme activity in vivo.” Mol Cell Biol 21, no. 22 (November 2001): 7775–86. https://doi.org/10.1128/MCB.21.22.7775-7786.2001.
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  - Guo, C., D. Geverd, R. Liao, N. Hamad, C. M. Counter, and D. T. Price. “Inhibition of telomerase is related to the life span and tumorigenicity of human prostate cancer cells.” J Urol 166, no. 2 (August 2001): 694–98.
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  - Rich, J. N., C. Guo, R. E. McLendon, D. D. Bigner, X. F. Wang, and C. M. Counter. “A genetically tractable model of human glioma formation.” Cancer Res 61, no. 9 (May 1, 2001): 3556–60.
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  - Hu, P. P., X. Shen, D. Huang, Y. Liu, C. Counter, and X. F. Wang. “The MEK pathway is required for stimulation of p21(WAF1/CIP1) by transforming growth factor-beta.” J Biol Chem 274, no. 50 (December 10, 1999): 35381–87. https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.274.50.35381.
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  - Hahn, W. C., C. M. Counter, A. S. Lundberg, R. L. Beijersbergen, M. W. Brooks, and R. A. Weinberg. “Creation of human tumour cells with defined genetic elements.” Nature 400, no. 6743 (July 29, 1999): 464–68. https://doi.org/10.1038/22780.
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  - Xie, Y., C. Counter, and E. Alani. “Characterization of the repeat-tract instability and mutator phenotypes conferred by a Tn3 insertion in RFC1, the large subunit of the yeast clamp loader.” Genetics 151, no. 2 (February 1999): 499–509.
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  - Counter, C. M., W. C. Hahn, W. Wei, S. D. Caddle, R. L. Beijersbergen, P. M. Lansdorp, J. M. Sedivy, and R. A. Weinberg. “Dissociation among in vitro telomerase activity, telomere maintenance, and cellular immortalization.” Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 95, no. 25 (December 8, 1998): 14723–28. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.95.25.14723.
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  - Kolquist, K. A., L. W. Ellisen, C. M. Counter, M. Meyerson, L. K. Tan, R. A. Weinberg, D. A. Haber, and W. L. Gerald. “Expression of TERT in early premalignant lesions and a subset of cells in normal tissues.” Nat Genet 19, no. 2 (June 1998): 182–86. https://doi.org/10.1038/554.
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  - Counter, C. M., M. Meyerson, E. N. Eaton, L. W. Ellisen, S. D. Caddle, D. A. Haber, and R. A. Weinberg. “Telomerase activity is restored in human cells by ectopic expression of hTERT (hEST2), the catalytic subunit of telomerase.” Oncogene 16, no. 9 (March 5, 1998): 1217–22. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.onc.1201882.
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  - Meyerson, M., C. M. Counter, E. N. Eaton, L. W. Ellisen, P. Steiner, S. D. Caddle, L. Ziaugra, et al. “hEST2, the putative human telomerase catalytic subunit gene, is up-regulated in tumor cells and during immortalization.” Cell 90, no. 4 (August 22, 1997): 785–95. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0092-8674(00)80538-3.
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  - Counter, C. M., M. Meyerson, E. N. Eaton, and R. A. Weinberg. “The catalytic subunit of yeast telomerase.” Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 94, no. 17 (August 19, 1997): 9202–7. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.94.17.9202.
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  - Counter, C. M. “The roles of telomeres and telomerase in cell life span.” Mutat Res 366, no. 1 (October 1996): 45–63. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0165-1110(96)90006-8.
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  - Bacchetti, S., and C. Counter. “Telomeres and telomerase in human cancer (review).” Int J Oncol 7, no. 3 (September 1995): 423–32.
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  - Counter, C. M., J. Gupta, C. B. Harley, B. Leber, and S. Bacchetti. “Telomerase activity in normal leukocytes and in hematologic malignancies.” Blood 85, no. 9 (May 1, 1995): 2315–20.
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  - Counter, C. M., F. M. Botelho, P. Wang, C. B. Harley, and S. Bacchetti. “Stabilization of short telomeres and telomerase activity accompany immortalization of Epstein-Barr virus-transformed human B lymphocytes.” J Virol 68, no. 5 (May 1994): 3410–14. https://doi.org/10.1128/JVI.68.5.3410-3414.1994.
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  - Counter, C. M., H. W. Hirte, S. Bacchetti, and C. B. Harley. “Telomerase activity in human ovarian carcinoma.” Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 91, no. 8 (April 12, 1994): 2900–2904. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.91.8.2900.
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  - Harley, C. B., N. W. Kim, K. R. Prowse, S. L. Weinrich, K. S. Hirsch, M. D. West, S. Bacchetti, H. W. Hirte, C. M. Counter, and C. W. Greider. “Telomerase, cell immortality, and cancer.” Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant Biol 59 (1994): 307–15. https://doi.org/10.1101/sqb.1994.059.01.035.
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  - Harley, C. B., H. Vaziri, C. M. Counter, and R. C. Allsopp. “The telomere hypothesis of cellular aging.” Exp Gerontol 27, no. 4 (July 1992): 375–82. https://doi.org/10.1016/0531-5565(92)90068-b.
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  - Counter, C. M., A. A. Avilion, C. E. LeFeuvre, N. G. Stewart, C. W. Greider, C. B. Harley, and S. Bacchetti. “Telomere shortening associated with chromosome instability is arrested in immortal cells which express telomerase activity.” Embo J 11, no. 5 (May 1992): 1921–29.
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- Conference Papers
  - GREIDER, C. W., C. AUTEXIER, A. A. AVILION, K. COLLINS, L. A. HARRINGTON, L. L. MANTELL, K. R. PROWSE, et al. “TELOMERES AND TELOMERASE - BIOCHEMISTRY AND REGULATION IN SENESCENCE AND IMMORTALIZATION.” In Chromosome, edited by J. S. Heslopharrison and R. B. Flavell, 115–25. BIOS SCIENTIFIC PUBLISHERS LTD, 1993.
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Teaching & Mentoring
Recent Courses
- PHARM 393: Research Independent Study 2021
- PHARM 394: Research Independent Study 2021
- PHARM 493: Research Independent Study 2021
- PHARM 494: Research Independent Study 2021
- PHARM 393: Research Independent Study 2020
- PHARM 394: Research Independent Study 2020
- PHARM 493: Research Independent Study 2020
- PHARM 494: Research Independent Study 2020
- PHARM 393: Research Independent Study 2019
- PHARM 394: Research Independent Study 2019
- PHARM 493: Research Independent Study 2019
- PHARM 494: Research Independent Study 2019

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