Personal Summary

After completing undergraduate work in biology at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Dr. Pershouse earned a Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences under the guidance of Professor Elton Stubblefield at the University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences in Houston. Following a postdoctoral fellowship at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center under the supervision of Professor Peter Steck, and a brief postdoctoral associate position at Baylor College of Medicine with Drs Craig Chinault and Allan Bradley, he joined the faculty at The University of Montana as a Research Assistant Professor in September of 2000, was promoted to Assistant Professor in 2002, and to Associate Professor in 2007.

Education

Texas Tech University, Lubbock,Texas  BS 08/1980  Biology

Univ. of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, Texas Ph.D. 05/1993 Biomedical Sciences

UTM.D. Anderson Cancer Center Dept. of Neurology, Houston, Texas Post-doc 05/1998 Cancer Genetics

Baylor College of Medicine Dept. of Human and Molecular Genetics, Houston, Texas Post-doc 07/2000 Genetics/Genomics

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Courses Taught

Ethics for Biomedical Scientists (course co-coordinator and co-instructor)

Pharmacogenetics-Gene expression analysis; Gene therapy

Physiological Systems- Introduction,Lung anatomy, Genomics, Digestive, Urinary (Fall Course coordinator from 2010-2011)

Clinical Oncology for Pharmacists Elective (Course coordinator; lead lecturer)

Pharmaceutical Sciences Lab-Respiration, Urinalysis, Measurement, Suppositories

Integrated Studies-various; ethics, fraudulent prescriptions, experience reports

American Indian Health Issues-Cancer in American Indians

Native American Medicine and Health-Cancer/ Tribal vs. Western Treatments

PreMed 101: The Science of Health Professions Success, HMED 140. This course currently is enrolled at 30 students and will be taught both Fall and Spring of each year.

 

 

Teaching Experience

Past Instructor in several courses in the Toxicology Graduate Program

Principles of Toxicology 1-Carcinogenesis

Principles of Toxicology 2-Metals Toxicity/DNA Repair /Carcinogenesis

Cellular and Molecular Toxicology-Tumor Suppressors/Oncogenes (Course Coordinator)

Respiratory Toxicology-Asbestos Toxicology

Topics in Toxicology (Cancer) (Course Coordinator and primary lecturer)

 

Instructor in several courses in the general graduate student curriculum

Advanced Cellular Biochemistry-Bioinformatics and the Human Genome Project

Ethics for Biomedical Scientists (course co-coordinator and co-instructor)

Molecular Pharmacology-Toxicogenomics

Pharmacogenetics-Gene expression analysis; Gene therapy

Biochemical Methods Course (Course Coordinator)

Neuroscience 2-Brain Tumors

 

Instructor in several Pharmacy Courses

Physiological Systems- Lung anatomy, Genomics, Digestive, Urinary (Fall Course coordinator from 2010-2011)

Clinical Oncology for Pharmacists Elective (Course coordinator; lead lecturer)

Pharmaceutical Sciences Lab-Respiration, Measurement, Aliquot Method

Pharmacology/Toxicology-Introduction/History of Cancer/Cancer Therapeutics

Integrated Studies-various; ethics, fraudulent prescriptions, experience reports

Intro to Pharmacy-Research Careers

Recent Advances in Clinical Medicine-History/Introduction to Cancer

Anti-Cancer Therapy-Elective-Carcinogenesis

American Indian Health Issues-Cancer in American Indians

REACH summer course-Respiratory and Digestive systems, Respiratory lab

Native American Medicine and Health-Cancer/ Tribal vs. Western Treatments

Biochemistry-Guest lectures in Genetic Code and Transcriptional Regulation

Pharmacokinetics-Guest lecture in the Anatomy of the Digestive and Urinary Systems

 

STEER summer program didactic co-coordinator (10 week summer program; funded by NIEHS);lectures in Intro to Research Principles, Scientific Method, Lab Survival, Ethics, Laboratory Measurement methods, Carcinogenesis, Cell Cycle. Responsible for a local Environmental Toxicology Lab Tour, picnic, raft trip, poster session organization, program logistics, public relations, and planning for future summer programs (STEER is a five year grant).

General Campus-wide courses

I coordinate a new course under the title PreMed 101: The Science of Health Professions Success, HMED 140. This course currently is enrolled at 30 students and will be taught both Fall and Spring of each year.

Field of Study

A long-term goal of my projects has been to understand the genetic lesions that take place during tumor development and how they work together to increase the aggressiveness of tumors. We have created shRNA constructs that allow the knockdown of specific protein expression in either tumor model cell lines or “normal” cells derived from the tissue of tumor origin. This allows a close examination of the downstream and phenotypic effects attributable to the gene of interest. In human mesothelial cells, we have been successful in knocking down MDMX, PTEN and NF2; three genes with possible TP53-regulatory functions. Our future investigations will explore the possibility of targeting crucial genes or proteins in the PTEN/PI3K/ MTOR/ AKT/MDM2/TP53 pathway by CRISPR/Cas9 knockout to create more relevant and stable in vitro models of human mesothelioma to improve treatment.  I have studied the molecular genetics of cancer my entire career. I was a member of one of the groups that concurrently discovered PTEN (MMAC1). PTEN is now one of the key genes utilized to scan for cancer predisposition in broad populations. I am also extensively involved in undergraduate, graduate and professional education at UM. I am the Coordinator of several courses in the pharmacy and graduate curriculum offered by our department (Clinical Oncology for Pharmacists; Pharmacy Lab; and Introduction to Cancer Biology). I co-coordinate the Biomedical Research Ethics course required for RCR training of graduate students in our department. I have graduated two PhD students and one MS student and have served on multiple student advisory committees. I am currently Director of Premedical Student Advising for the University and counsel 100-120 premedical students a year. My laboratory has trained numerous undergraduates during my career and continues to train bright PreMedical students. 

Selected Publications

Yoo CW, Brilz EM, Pershouse M, and Putnam E. Gene Pathways Discovery in Mesotheliomas using Local Causal Discovery Algorithm. 2012 Communications in Statistics-Simulation and Computation 41:10 1840-1859.

James R, Tsosie R, Sahota P, Parker M, Dillard D, Sylvester I, Lewis J, Klejka J, Muzquiz L, Olsen P, Whitener R, Burke W plus the Kiana Group: Allen M, Bonham V, Boyer B, Caldwell S, Claw K, Dorfman E, Fabsitz R, Finley J, Garrison N, Hopkins S, Kavanaugh B, Klejka J, Lewis J, Long R, Montgomery M, Nicori J, Parker M, Pershouse M, Rodriguez L, Sigo R, Starks H, Sylvester I, Thomas LR, Thomas T, Thummel K, Trinidad SB, Tsosie R, Yracheta J, McGlone West K, and Woodahl E. Exploring Pathways to Trust: A Tribal Perspective on Data Sharing. Genetic Medicine 2014 November 16(11) 820-826.

Melisa Bunderson Schelvan, Amy Erbe, Corbin Schwanke, and Mark A. Pershouse. Suppression of the MDM4 gene causes changes in cell cycle control in a human mesothelial cell line responsive to UV exposure. Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis  2009 Dec;50(9):753-9.

Mark A. Pershouse, Melisa Bunderson Schelvan, Corbin Schwanke  Omics Information Resource, a chapter from Information Resources in Toxicology (4th Edition) Edited by Wexler, Hakkinen, Mohapatra & Stoss, National Library of Medicine. Published by Elsevier. In press 2007.

Mark A Pershouse, Melisa Bunderson Schelvan, Amy Erbe, Corbin Schwanke, Elizabeth Putnam.  Toxicoinformatics Information Resource, a chapter from  Information Resources in Toxicology (4th Edition) Edited by Wexler, Hakkinen, Mohapatra & Stoss, National Library of Medicine. Published by Elsevier. In press 2007.

Larson SJ, Putnam EA, Schwanke CM, and Pershouse MA. (2007) Potential surrogate markers for gamma-hydroxybutyrate administration may extend the detection window from 12 to 48 hours. Journal of Analytical Toxicology. 31:15-22.

Mark A. Pershouse, Shane Heivly, and Teri Girtsman (2006) The role of SV40 in malignant mesothelioma and other human malignancies. In press Inhalation Toxicology.

Kruzelock RP, Cuevas BD, Wiener JR, Xu FJ, Yu Y, Pershouse M, Lovell MM, Killary AM, Mills GB, and Bast RC.  "Functional evidence for an ovarian cancer tumor suppressor gene on chromosome 22 by microcell-mediated chromosome transfer."  Oncogene. 19(55) 6277-6285: 2000.

Misra A, Pellarin M, Hu L, Kunwar S, Perhouse M, Lamborn KR, Deen DF, Feuerstein BG.(2006) Chromosome transfer experiments link regions on chromosome 7 to radiation resistance in human glioblastoma multiforme.Genes Chromosomes Cancer 45(1):20-30.

Pershouse MA*, Li J*, Brundage E, Di Wm, Bradley A, and Chinault, AC. (first authors equal) "A 3 cM BAC Contig from Mouse Chromosome 11 surrounding BRCA1 in the Human 17 Syntenic Region."  Genomics. 69(1): 139-142. 2000.

Steck PA, Lin H, Langford LA, Jasser SA, Koul D, Yung WK, and Pershouse, MA. "Functional and molecular analyses of 10q deletions in human gliomas."  Genes Chromosomes Cancer. 24(2):135-43. 1999.

Lin H, Bondy ML, Langford LA, Hess KR, Delclos GL, Wu X, Chan W, Pershouse, MA, Yung WK, and Steck, PA. "Allelic deletion analyses of MMAC/PTEN and DMBT1 loci in gliomas: relationship to prognostic significance."  Clinical Cancer Research. 4(10):2447-54. 1998.

Teng DH-F, Hu R, Lin H, Davis T, Iliev D, Frye C, Swedlund B, Hansen B, Vinson VL, Gumpper LE, Ellis L, El-Naggar A, Frazier M, Jasser S, Langford L, Lee J, Mills GB, Pershouse MA, Pollack RE, Tornos C, Troncoso P, Yung WKA, Fujii G, Berson A, Bookstein R, Bolen JB, Tavtigian ST, and Steck PA: "MMAC1/PTEN mutations in primary tumor specimens and tumor cell lines."  Cancer Research. 57: 5221-5225. 1997.

Pershouse M, Stubblefield E, Hadi A, Pereira-Smith O, Yung WKA, and Steck P: "Suppression of transformation and tumorigenicity after transfer of chromosome 4 into a human glioblastoma multiforme cell line."  Genes, Chromosomes, and Cancer. 20:260-267. 1997.

Steck PA, Pershouse MA, Jasser SA, Yung WKA, Lin H, Ligon AH, Langford LA, Baumgard ML, Hattier T, Davis T, Frye C, Hu R, Swedlun, B, Teng DHF, and Tavtigian SV.  "Identification of a candidate tumor suppressor gene, MMAC1, at chromosome 10q23.3 that is mutated in multiple advanced cancers."   Nature Genetics. 15: 356-362. 1997.

Pershouse MA, el Naggar A, Hurr K, Yung WKA, and Steck P: "Deletion mapping of chromosome 4 in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma."  Oncogene. 14:369-373. 1997.

Publications

Morales CT, Muzquiz LI, Howlett K, Bodnar B, Finley V, Incashola T, Mathias C, Laukes C, Beatty P, Burke W, Pershouse MA, Putnam EA, Trinidad SB, James R, and Woodahl EL. Partnership with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes: Establishing and Advisory Committee for Pharmacogenetic Research. Prog Community Health Partnersh. 2016 Summer;10(2):173-83.
 

James R, Tsosie R, Sahota P, Parker M, Dillard D, Sylvester I, Lewis J, Klejka J, Muzquiz L, Olsen P, Whitener R, Burke W plus the Kiana Group: Allen M, Bonham V, Boyer B, Caldwell S, Claw K, Dorfman E, Fabsitz R, Finley J, Garrison N, Hopkins S, Kavanaugh B, Klejka J, Lewis J, Long R, Montgomery M, Nicori J, Parker M, Pershouse M, Rodriguez L, Sigo R, Starks H, Sylvester I, Thomas LR, Thomas T, Thummel K, Trinidad SB, Tsosie R, Yracheta J, McGlone West K, and Woodahl E. Exploring Pathways to Trust: A Tribal Perspective on Data Sharing. Genetic Medicine 2014 November 16(11) 820-826.
 

Fohner A, Muzquiz LI, Austin MA, Gaedigk A, Gordon A, Thornton T, Rieder MJ, Pershouse MA, Putnam EA, Howlett K, Beatty P, Thummel KE, Woodahl EL. Pharmacogenetics in American Indian Populations: Analysis of CYP2D6, CYP3A4, CYP3A5, and CYP2C9 in the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes.  Pharmacogenetics and Genomics. 2013 Aug;23(8):403-14.
 

Yoo CW, Brilz EM, Pershouse M, and Putnam E. Gene Pathways Discovery in Mesotheliomas using Local Causal Discovery Algorithm. 2012 Communications in Statistics-Simulation and Computation 41:10 1840-1859.

 

Leyva FJ, Pershouse MA, Holian A. Modified low density lipoproteins binding requires a lysine cluster region in the murine macrophage scavenger receptor class A type II.Mol Biol Rep. 2010 Jul;37(6):2847-2852.
 

Leyva FJ, Pershouse MA. Quantitative and qualitative methods using fluorescence microscopy for the study of modified low density lipoproteins uptake.Scanning. 2009 Jul-Aug;31(4):167-173.
 

 Pershouse M.A., Smartt A.M., Schwanke C.M., and Putnam E.A. Differences in gene expression profiles from asbestos-treated SPARC-null and wild type mouse lungs. Genomics 2009 Aug;94(2):101-9. Epub 2009 May 13.

 

   Melisa Bunderson Schelvan, Amy Erbe, Corbin Schwanke, and Mark A. Pershouse. Suppression of the MDM4 gene causes changes in cell cycle control in a human mesothelial cell line responsive to UV exposure. Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis  2009 Dec;50(9):753-9.
 

 

    Putnam E.A., Smartt A., Brezinski M., Groves A., Schwanke C.M., and Pershouse M.A. (2008) Gene expression changes after exposure to Six-mix in a mouse model.Journal of Immunotoxicology 5(2): 139-144.

 

Larson SJ, Putnam EA, Schwanke CM, and Pershouse MA. (2007) Potential surrogate markers for gamma-hydroxybutyrate administration may extend the detection window from 12 to 48 hours.Journal of Analytical Toxicology 31:15-22.

 

Mark A. Pershouse, Shane Heivly, and Teri Girtsman (2006) The role of SV40 in malignant mesothelioma and other human malignancies.Inhalation Toxicology 18:995-1000. 

 

Misra A, Pellarin M, Hu L, Kunwar S, Perhouse M, Lamborn KR, Deen DF, Feuerstein BG.(2006) Chromosome transfer experiments link regions on chromosome 7 to radiation resistance in human glioblastoma multiforme.Genes Chromosomes Cancer 45(1):20-30.

 

Jean C. Pfau, Mark A. Pershouse, and Elizabeth A. Putnam. (2006) Conference Summary. Directions and Needs in Asbestos Research: New Insights.Inhalation Toxicology 18(12):919-923.

 

Jared M Brown, Corbin M Schwanke, Mark A Pershouse, Jean C Pfau, and Andrij Holian (2005) Effects of Rottlerin on Silica-Exacerbated Systemic Autoimmune Disease in New Zealand Mixed Mice  Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol  2005 Dec;289(6):L990-8. Epub 2005 Jul 22.

 

Brown, JM, Pfau, JC, Pershouse, MA, and Holian, A. (2004) Silica, apoptosis, and autoimmunity. Journal of Immunotoxicology 1(3,4):177-187.
 

Kruzelock RP, Cuevas BD, Wiener JR, Xu FJ, Yu Y, Pershouse M, Lovell MM, Killary AM, Mills GB, and Bast RC. (2000) Functional evidence for an ovarian cancer tumor suppressor gene on chromosome 22 by microcell-mediated chromosome transfer.  Oncogene 19(55) 6277-6285.
 

Pershouse MA*, Li J*, Brundage E, Di Wm, Bradley A, and Chinault, AC. (2000) (first authors equal)A 3 cM BAC Contig from Mouse Chromosome 11 surrounding BRCA1 in the Human 17 Syntenic Region.  Genomics 69(1): 139-142.

 

Steck PA, Lin H, Langford LA, Jasser SA, Koul D, Yung WK, and Pershouse, MA. (1999) Functional and molecular analyses of 10q deletions in human gliomas.  Genes Chromosomes Cancer. 24(2):135-43. 

 

Lin H, Bondy ML, Langford LA, Hess KR, Delclos GL, Wu X, Chan W, Pershouse, MA, Yung WK, and Steck, PA. (1998) Allelic deletion analyses of MMAC/PTEN and DMBT1 loci in gliomas: relationship to prognostic significance.  Clinical Cancer Research. 4(10):2447-54. 

 

Hadi AH, Pershouse MA, Jasser S, Hong YK, Yung WKA, and Steck PA. (1998) Differentially expressed gene products in glioblastoma cells suppressed for tumorigenicity. Journal of NeuroVirology 4: 217-226. 
 

Teng DH-F, Hu R, Lin H, Davis T, Iliev D, Frye C, Swedlund B, Hansen B, Vinson VL, Gumpper LE, Ellis L, El-Naggar A, Frazier M, Jasser S, Langford L, Lee J, Mills GB, Pershouse MA, Pollack RE, Tornos C, Troncoso P, Yung WKA, Fujii G, Berson A, Bookstein R, Bolen JB, Tavtigian ST, and Steck PA: (1997) MMAC1/PTEN mutations in primary tumor specimens and tumor cell lines.  Cancer Research 57: 5221-5225. 

 

Pershouse M, Stubblefield E, Hadi A, Pereira-Smith O, Yung WKA, and Steck P: (1997) Suppression of transformation and tumorigenicity after transfer of chromosome 4 into a human glioblastoma multiforme cell line. Genes, Chromosomes, and Cancer 20:260-267.

 

Steck PA, Pershouse MA, Jasser SA, Yung WKA, Lin H, Ligon AH, Langford LA, Baumgard ML, Hattier T, Davis T, Frye C, Hu R, Swedlun, B, Teng DHF, and Tavtigian SV (1997) Identification of a candidate tumor suppressor gene, MMAC1, at chromosome 10q23.3 that is mutated in multiple advanced cancers.   Nature Genetics 15: 356-362. 

 

Hadi Ligon A, Pershouse MA, Jasser SA, Yung WKA, and Steck PA (1997) Identification of a novel gene product ,RIG, that is down-regulated in human glioblastoma.  Oncogene 14:1075-1081. 

 

Pershouse MA, el Naggar A, Hurr K, Yung WKA, and Steck P (1997) Deletion mapping of chromosome 4 in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.  Oncogene 14:369-373. 

 

Akeyson EW, McCutcheon IE, Pershouse M, Steck PA, and Fuller GN (1996) Primitive neuroectodermal tumor of the median nerve. Case report with cytogenetic analysis.  Journal of Neurosurgery 85:163-169. 

 

Fueyo J, Gomez-MAnzano C, Yung WKA, Zhang W, Lee PSY, Majumder S, Pershouse M, Levin VA, and Kyritsis AP (1995) A frequent polymorphism in exon 1 of the p16/CDKN2 gene. Molecular and Cellular Probes 9:465-466.

 

Steck PA, Ligon AH, Cheong P, Yung WKA, and Pershouse MA (1995) Two tumor suppressive loci on chromosome 10 involved in human glioblastomas.  Genes, Chromosomes, and Cancer, 12:255-261. 
 

Pershouse M, Stubblefield E, Hadi A, Killary A, Yung W, and Steck P (1993) Analysis of the functional role of chromosome 10 loss in human glioblastomas.  Cancer Research 53: 5043-5050. 

 

Stubblefield E, and Pershouse M (1992) The direct formation of microcells from mitotic cells for use in chromosome transfer.  Somatic Cell and Molecular Genetics 18(6): 485-491. 

 

Brinkley B, Zinkowski R, Mollon W, Davis F, Pisegna M, Pershouse M, and Rao P (1988) Movement and segregation of kinetichores experimentally detached from mammalian chromosomes. Nature 336: 251-254. 

 

Johnson T, Katz R, and Pershouse M (1988) Flow cytometry applications in cytopathology.  Analytical and Quantitative Cytology. 10(6): 423-458.

 

Barlogie B, Alexanian R, Pershouse M, Smallwood L, and Smith L (1985) Cytoplasmic immunoglobulin content in multiple myeloma.  Journal of Clinical Investigation. 76:765-769. 

 

Kantarjian H, Barlogie B, Pershouse M, Swartzendruber D, Keating M, McCredie K, and Freireich E: (1985) Preferential expression of double-stranded ribonucleic acid (DSRNA) in tumor vs. normal cells - biologic and clinical implications. Blood 66(1):39-46. 

 

BOOK CHAPTERS
 

Mark A. Pershouse, Melisa Bunderson Schelvan, Corbin Schwanke  (2009) Omics Information Resource, a chapter from Information Resources in Toxicology (4^thEdition) Edited by Wexler, Hakkinen, Mohapatra & Stoss, National Library of Medicine. Published by Elsevier.

 

Mark A Pershouse, Melisa Bunderson Schelvan, Amy Erbe, Corbin Schwanke, Elizabeth Putnam. (2009) Toxicoinformatics Information Resource, a chapter from Information Resources in Toxicology (4^thEdition) Edited by Wexler, Hakkinen, Mohapatra & Stoss, National Library of Medicine. Published by Elsevier.

 

Stubblefield E, Steck P, and Pershouse M. (1997) Microcell transfer of chromosomes from mitotic cells.: In Cell Biology: A Laboratory Handbook. Second Edition : Julio E. Celis. 

 

Saya H, Pershouse M, and Steck P. (1995) Molecular Genetics of Primary Brain Tumors.  In Molecular Basis of Oncology. Ed: E.J. Freireich and S.A. Stass. Blackwell Science, Inc. Cambridge, MA. 

 

Stubblefield E, and Pershouse M. (1994) Microcell transfer of chromosomes from mitotic cells.: In Cell Biology: A Laboratory Handbook.:Julio E. Celis.

•  

Affiliations

AACR
ASHG
NAAHP
 

Professional Experience

1980-1987                   Research Assistant, (UT MD Anderson Cancer Center)

1987-1993                   Graduate Student,  (Dr. T Elton Stubblefield, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center)

1993-1998                   Postdoctoral Fellow,  (Dr. Peter Steck, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center)1998-2000Postdoctoral Associate,  (Dr. A Craig Chinault, Dr. Allan Bradley, Baylor College of Medicine)

1999-2000                   Co-Director Microarray Fabrication Core, Baylor College of Medicine

2000-2002                   Research Assistant Professor, University of Montana

2000-2008                   Director Microarray Core facility, University of Montana

2002-2007                   Assistant Professor, University of Montana

2007-                           Associate Professor, University of Montana

2008-                           Tenured Associate Professor, University of Montana

2013-                           Director of Premedical Sciences Program

Honors / Awards

Rho Chi Honor Society Teacher of the Month for February 2015 
Outstanding Teacher-Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences 2010-2011
Patent awarded for discovery of the MMAC1 gene (PTEN) 2002 
American Brain Tumor Association Post-Doctoral Fellowship 1994-1996  
NIH Predoctoral Training Grant in Molecular Genetics of Cancer 1989-1992