Christopher Moree Email & Phone Number

My first research initiative came in the Myer's Lab investigating the mechanism of recBDC. RecBCD is an enzyme in E. coli. involved in the process of DNA double-strand break repair via homologous recombination. It paradoxically goes about this function; this enzyme has default bi-directional powerful exonuclease activity, capable of degrading an entire chromosome is left unregulated. However, upon encountering the CHI sequence, it switches to only 5’-3’ exonuclease activity, which is important to facilitate homologous recombination. It is essential to understand this process because DNA and double-strand break repair mechanisms are present in every living organism and remain not fully understood. We hypothesized that this change occurs due to the loss of the recD subunit, which acts as a toggle switch between the exonuclease and the recombinase activity.Furthermore, we believe that the enzyme is degraded on the chromosome by the AAA+ superfamily family of chaperones and proteases in the presence of the recA protein when its job is complete. We intended to test our hypotheses by calculating the half-life of the three subunits at different points after inducing DNA damage using luciferase activity produced by the HiBit protein tagging system. We also planned to measure the half-lives of the subunits under AAA+^- and recA^- conditions.My second research experience came in the Brambilla Lab in the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis. Currently, there are only treatments for preventing the worsening of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) but none for the actual demyelination. I worked with Dr. Placido Illiano as he investigated demyelinating diseases to find a treatment focused on remyelination. One of the lab findings was that Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor 2 (TNFR2) can be overexpressed in vivo and it plays a role in regulating pro-repair (M2) or damage-inducing (M1) phentoype in MS.As a clinical research assistant for Sylvester, I assist in various research projects by speaking with patients about donating their excess tissue and processing their samples. Some of the studies I contribute to are as follows:Phenotypic Analysis and Functional Investigation of B-Cells and Other Immune Cells Isolated from Human Tumor Samples Genomic and Non-Genomic Factors Associated with Breast Cancer Evaluating the Microbiome of Patients with Urolithiasis and Renal Cell Carcinoma Avanzando Caminos (Leading Pathways): The Hispanic/Latino Cancer Survivorship Cohort Study I also process blood draws and bone marrow biopsies to extract mononuclear cells for research.

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  Research Assistant

  Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center

  Aug 2021 - Present - Miami, Florida, United States