Erika M. Whitney, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Biology

Morgan State University
Baltimore, MD

Education

B.S., Chemistry, Spelman College, 1994
B.S., Chemical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 1994
Ph.D., Bioengineering, Univ. of California-Berkeley/Univ. of California-San Francisco, 2000
FIRST Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Medicine, Division of Digestive Diseases, 2002-2005

Research / Teaching Statement

I am currently examining the pathways of genes involved in cell cycle control that are p-53 dependent and independent. These genes have been influenced by over expression of KLF4, KLF4 knockouts, and by DNA damage in different cancer cells. I have been using both cDNA and oligonucleotide based microarray techniques. I have also done extensive data mining and analysis in order to find significant genes affected in the KLF4 pathway, and I am researching the genes involved in the DNA damage pathway.

In the teaching realm, I plan to influence the class-environment and encourage transfer by having the class use small groups and learn about research topics overlapping the class topics. I have been able to expose undergraduates to the fundamentals of Genetics (Transcription, Translation, and Gene Mapping), and grad students the applications of Microarray technology. My aim is to incorporate research and computational applications into teaching. I stress team learning and including peer reviewed articles in the curriculum. The end result will be a student who is aware of the abundant and available resources and prepared to utilize them to a large extent.

 

Recent Puiblications

Whitney, E.M, Ghaleb, A.M., Chen, X., Yang, V.W. (2006) Transcriptional profiling of the cell cycle checkpoint gene Kruppel-like factor 4 reveals a global inhibitory function in macromolecular biosynthesis.  Gene Expression, 13:85-96.

Holtzclaw, J.D., Eisen, A., Whitney, E.M., Penumetcha, M., Hoey, J.J., and Kimbro, K.S. (2006) Incorporating a New Bioinformatics Component into Genetics at a Historically Black College: Outcomes and Lessons. CBE Life Sci Educ, 5:52-64.

Chen, X., Whitney, E.M., Gao, S.Y., Yang, V.W. (2003) Transcriptional profiling of Kruppel-like factor 4 reveals a function in cell cycle regulation and epithelial differentiation. J. Mol. Biol. 326(3):665-677.

  

Morgan State University
Department of Biology
Key Hall, room 162
1700 East Cold Spring Lane
Baltimore MD 21251
Tel: 443.885.3873 
Email: ewhitney@jewel.morgan.edu

Emory University School of Medicine
Department of Physiology
Atlanta, GA 30322-3110
(404) 727-7410 Office ~ (404) 727-2648 FAX
 For questions or comments, contact the webmaster at FIRST@emory.edu.