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Education

Faculty

Dr. Howard Beall

Dr. Howard Beall Professor
Email: howard.beall@umontana.edu
Phone: (406) 243-5112




Howard Beall arrived at The University of Montana in July 1997 as an Assistant Professor. He earned a Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Florida in 1991 under the supervision of Professor Kenneth Sloan. He completed postdoctoral training in biochemical and molecular toxicology under the guidance of Professor David Ross at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and served there as an Assistant Research Professor and Assistant Professor before coming to UM. He was promoted to Associate Professor in September 2000.

Research Statement

Our research program bridges the general areas of toxicology and medicinal chemistry. Our interests are in (1) discovery of novel targeted anticancer drugs and their mechanisms of toxicity and (2) cardiovascular toxicity of environmental metals and metalloids.

  1. 1. NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1, DT-diaphorase) is an enzyme that is overexpressed in many tumors and preneoplastic tissues. We are studying the role of NQO1 in the bioreductive activation of novel antitumor quinones that are structurally similar to naturally occurring anticancer compounds. Activation by NQO1 produces toxic metabolites that can selectively inhibit growth of cancer cells that have elevated NQO1 activity.

  2. 2. Arsenic exposure has been linked to cardiovascular diseases and developmental toxicity, but few studies have examined the mechanisms involved. Our specific interests are in reactive oxygen and nitrogen species generated by cells in response to  arsenic exposure and the regulatory molecules and pathways involved in atherosclerosis and vascular development.

Recent Publications

Hassani, M., Cai, W., Koelsch, K.H., Holley, D.C., Rose, A.S., Olang, F., Lineswala, J.P., Holloway, W.G., Gerdes, J.M., Behforouz, M. and Beall, H.D. Lavendamycin antitumor agents: structure-based design, synthesis and NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) model validation with molecular docking and biological studies. J. Med. Chem. 51:3104-3115 (2008). PMID: 18457384.

Gajewski, M.P., Beall, H., Schneider, M., Stranahan, S.M., Mosher, M.D., Rider, K.C. and Natale, N.R. Bis-anthracenyl isoxazolyl amides have enhanced anticancer activity. Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 19:4067-4069 (2009). PMCID: PMC2731571.