Helen Chun

Title: Assistant Professor
Department: Biology
Phone: 310-243-3397
Email: hchun@csudh.edu
Office Location: NSM A-138
Laboratory Location: NSM B-138

Research Interests:

ATM is a large protein kinase that recognizes DNA double-stranded breaks and initiates the appropriate pathways required to address this damage. ATM activates several protein substrates known to stimulate cell checkpoint function, DNA damage repair and apoptosis. Individuals lacking functional ATM protein are diagnosed with ataxia-telangiectasia (more commonly known as A-T), a genetic neurodegenerative disorder that leaves patients to being hypersensitive to ionizing radiation, predisposed to cancer and immunodeficient. We are interested in describing the relationship between ATM and the early events in apoptotic pathways in cells that have acquired extensive and irreparable DNA damage. We believe that understanding the relationship between ATM-dependent pathways and apoptosis will result in a more comprehensive knowledge of cell death, and ultimately present novel methods to manipulate human cells into living or dying in various types of illnesses.

Highest degree obtained: Ph.D.

Discipline: Cellular and Molecular Pathology

Institution/Year: University of California, Los Angeles; 2002

Thesis Title/Director: The Ataxia-Telangiectasia Gene Product (condensed); Dr. Richard Gatti

Master's Degree:

Discipline: The Ataxia-Telangiectasia Gene Product (condensed); Dr. Richard Gatti

Bachelor's Degree:

Discipline: Biology

Institution/Year: Smith College; 1993

Positions since highest degree earned:

Assistant Professor of Biology, CSU Dominguez Hills, CA, 2004-present
Adjunct Faculty, Santa Monica College, CA, 2004
Adjunct Faculty, CSU Northridge, CA, 2004
Postdoctoral Researcher, UC Los Angeles, CA, 2002-2003
Associate Editor of Student Research Journal, CSU Northridge, CA, 1995-present

Grants:

NIH Research Supplements to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research Programs
Graduate Student Support, #3R15GM080694-01S1
August 2007 – July 2008

NIH Academic Research Enhancement Award (R15)
Project: “ATM Regulation via PP2A and Ceramide”, # 1R15GM080694-01
March 2007 – February 2010

CSUDH, Sally Casanova Memorial RSCAAP Mini-grant
January – May 2005

Awards and Recognitions:

Member: American Association of Cancer Research (2005 – present)

Publications:

Lai, C-H, Chun, H.H., Nahas, S.A., Mitui, M., Gamo, KM., Du, L., Gatti, R.A. (2004) Correction of ATM gene function by aminoglycoside-induced read-through of premature termination codons. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA 101, 15676-15681.

Butch, A.W., Chun, H.H., Nahas, S.A., Gatti, R.A. (2004) Immunoassay to Measure Ataxia-Telangiectasia Mutated Protein in Cellular Lysates. Clin. Chem. 50, 2302-2308.

Chun, H.H., Cary, R.B., Lansigan, F., Rawlings, D.J., Gatti, R.A. (2004) DNA Stimulated ATM Activity Using Purified Protein from Vaccinia Virus Expression System. Biochem Biophy Res Commun. 322, 74-81.

Mitui, M, Nahas, S.A., Chun, H.H., Gatti, R.A. (2004) Diagnosis of Ataxia-telangiectasia: ATM Mutations Associated with Cancer. Cancer Diagnostics: Current and Future Trends. Humana Press, p 473-488.

Chun, H.H., Gatti, R.A. (2004) Ataxia-Telangiectasia and its Phenotypic Variants. DNA Repair 8-9, 1187-1196.

Chun, H.H., Sun, X., Nahas, S.A., Teraoka, S., Lai, C-H., Concannon, P., Gatti, R.A. (2003) Improved diagnostic testing for ataxia-telangiectasia by immunoblotting of nuclear lysates for ATM protein expression. Mol. Genet. Metab. 80, 437-443.

Sun, X., Becker-Catania, S.G., Chun, H.H., Hwang, M.J., Huo, Y., Wang, Z., Mitui, M., Sanal, O., Chessa, L., Crandall, B., Gatti., R.A. (2002) Early diagnosis of ataxia-telangiectasia using radiosensitivity testing. J. Pediatr. 140, 724-731.

Chun, H.H., Castellvi-Bel, S., Wang, Z., Nagourney, R.A., Plaeger, S., Becker-Catania, S.G., Naeim, F., Sparkes, R.S., Gatti., R.A. (2002) TCL-1, MTCP-1, and TML-1 gene expression profile in non-leukemic clonal proliferations associated with ataxia-telangiectasia. Int. J. Cancer 97, 726-731.

Gatti, R.A., Becker-Catania, S.G., Chun, H.H., Sun, X., Mitui, M., Lai, C-H, Khanlou, N., Babaei, M., Cheng, R., Clark, C., Huo, Y., Udar, N.C., Iyer, R.K. (2001) The pathogenesis of ataxia-telangiectasia: Learning from a Rosetta Stone. Clinical Reviews in Allergy and Immunology. 20, 87-108.

Telatar, M., Teraoka, S., Wang, Z., Chun, H.H., Liang, T., Castellvi-Bel, S., et al., Udar, N., Borresen-Dale, A-L., Chessa, L., Bernatowska-Matuszkiewicz, E., Porras, O., Watanabe, M., Junker, A., Concannon, P., Gatti, R.A. (1998) Ataxia-telangiectasia: Identification and detection of founder-effect mutations in the ATM gene in ethnic populations. Am. J. Hum. Genet. 62, 86-97.

Presentations:

Lai, C-H., Du, L., Chun, H.H., Nahas, S.A., Gamo, K.M., Gatti, R.A. (2005) Correction of ATM Gene Function by Readthrough of Premature Termination Codons. Poster presented at the 2005 International Workshop on Ataxia-Telangiectasia, ATM and the DNA Damage Response, Belgirate, Italy

Chun, H.H., Cary, R.B., Gatti, Rawlings, D.J., Gatti, R.A. (2003) Purification and Characterization of Vaccinia Expressed FLAG-ATM Protein. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Human Genetics, Los Angeles, California

Nahas, S.A., Chun, H.H., Gatti, R.A. (2003) Immunoblotting of ATM Protein and Kinase Activity for Diagnosing A-T. Poster presented at the International Workshop on Ataxia-Telangiectasia 2003, Queensland, Australia

Butch, A., Chun, H.H., Sun, X., Gatti, R.A. (2002) Laboratory diagnosis of Ataxia-telangiectasia. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Federation of Clinical Immunology Societies, San Francisco, California.

Butch, A., Chun, H.H., Sun, X., Gatti, R.A. (2002) Immunoassay for ATM (Ataxia-
Telangiectasia, mutated) protein. Talk was presented at the annual meeting of the Association of Clinical Scientists, Salt Lake City, Utah

Chun, H.H., Gatti, R.A. (2002) Measurement of nuclear ATM protein and PI-3 kinase
function. Poster was presented at the Ataxia-telangiectasia and ATM: 2002 International Symposium, Boston, Massachusetts.

Chun, H.H., Gatti, R.A. (2002) Structure/function studies of the ATM protein. Poster was presented at the Keystone Symposium, Structural Genomics: From Gene Sequence to Function, Breckenridge, Colorado.

Sun, X., Mitui, M., Chun, H., Crandall, B., Gatti., R. (2001) Clustering of ATM mutations in A-T patients with intermediate radiosensitivity. Poster was presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Human Genetics, San Diego, California.

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Last updated September 12, 2007 by mk