Lucas Tadeu Bidinotto, MSc., PhD candidate
Graduate StudentLucas has been with the BCRL since June of 2009. Lucas received his degree in Biological Sciences (2006) at Institute of Biosciences (Universidade Estadual Paulista, Botucatu, Brazil) and received his Master's degree (2009) in Sciences at Botucatu Medical School (Universidade Estadual Paluista). He is currently working towards his Ph.D. in Sciences at Botucatu Medical School, in collaboration with Fox Chase Cancer Center. Lucas has been involved in several projects of the BCRL regarding the effects of diet in the tamoxifen treatment, and the effects of synthetic peptides in the breast development. His interests outside of the laboratory are related to music and nature.
215-728-8758, Lucas.Bidinotto@fccc.edu
Silvana A. A. Correa de Noronha, PhD
Visiting ScientistSilvana is a post-doctoral researcher who recently obtained a Young Investigator grant from FAPESP, to be developed at Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, Brazil where she also obtained her titles of Bachelor and Doctorate in Health Science. Last year she earned a post-doctoral grant from CAPES to join the BCRL in Nov 2009 where she will stay for one year. Here she has been improving her skills in breast cancer cell culture, in phenotypical assays and in molecular biology related tasks. Her work in Brazil aims to study breast cancer and the possible association with some rennin angiotensin system (RAS) components.
215-728-8234, Silvana.CarreadeNoronha@fccc.edu
Sandra V. Fernandez, PhD
Assistant Research ProfessorSandra has been a member of the BCRL since September 2002. Sandra received her doctoral degree in 1996 at Luis F. Leloir Institute (University of Buenos Aires, Argentina). At the BCRL, Sandra is involved in several projects: 1) "Genomic Basis of Reproductive History on Breast Cancer". The major goals of this project are to characterize the specific gene expression profile of women at "low" and "high" risk of developing breast cancer due to reproductive history. 2) "Epigenetic Changes Induced by Estrogens and Xenoestrogens in Breast Cancer". The main objective of this application is to determine whether the xenoestrogenic substances bisphenol A (BPA) and butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP) play a role in the initiation of human breast cancer, and if so, whether this effect is mediated by epigenetic mechanisms. 3) "Breast Cancer Therapy by Differentiation Gene Activation". The major goals of this project is to determine whether the protection from mammary cancer induced by treatment of virgin rats with hCG is the result of the induction of a specific genomic imprinting that is specific for this hormone. Additionally, Sandra is serving on a grant review committee for the New Jersey State Commission on Cancer Research.
Her interests outside of the laboratory include reading and gardening and some of her favorite books include Songbird by Walter Zacharius and Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon.
215-728-4778, Sandra.Fernandez@fccc.edu
Ricardo Lopez, PhD
Research AssociateRicardo joined the BCRL in September of 2007. He received his doctoral degree from the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina in 2004. His Research Focus is in the study the genomic changes in mammary gland produced by different endocrine disruptors, the effects of the diet in rat tumor development, and characterization and validation of the genomic signature of pregnancy in the mammary gland.
215-728-3922, Ricardo.Lopez@fccc.edu
Samuel M. Ribeiro de Noronha, MSc
Visiting ScientistSamuel is a PhD candidate (FAPESP Grant) from Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, Brazil where he also obtained titles of Bachelor of Science and his Master of Science. Last year he earned a grant from CAPES to join the BCRL in Nov 2009 where he will stay for one year. Here he has been improving his skills in tissue culture and in molecular biology related tasks.
215-728-5289, Samuel.RibeirodeNoronha@fccc.edu
Patricia Russo, MFA
Research Technician IIPatricia has been with the BCRL since 2003, during which time she has worked on a variety of projects related to genomic expression and estrogen induced tumorigenesis in SCID mice. Her interests beyond the laboratory include urban studies, creative writing and competitive distance running.
215-728-3635, pa_russo@fccc.edu
Julia Santucci-Pereira, PhD
Technical SpecialistJulia has been in the BCRL since February 2006. Julia received her degree in Biomedical Sciences (2004) at Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, Brazil. In 2009, Julia completed her doctoral thesis "2,3,7,8 tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) Effect on the Global Gene Expression of the Rat Mammary Gland During the Development" at the same university, in collaboration with Fox Chase Cancer Center. Julia has been involved in several projects in the BCRL, such as prevention of breast carcinogenesis and effect of environment contaminants in the development of the mammary gland. Her major interest is in analyses of high-throughput data using Bioinformatics tools. In addition, Julia loves music and enjoys dancing in her free time.
215-728-5294, P2055, Julia.Pereira@fccc.edu
Fathima Sheriff, MD
Research AssociateFathima has been a member of the BCRL since 2000 and is actively involved in several projects. She earned her Medical Degree in Russia, and after several years working in her native Sri Lanka, she came to the Unites States in 1998. At the BCRL she served as Radiation Safety Officer and laboratory coordinator, and is currently the coordinator for the Breast Cancer Environment Centers at Fox Chase Cancer Center, and the Cooperative Breast Cancer Tissue Registry. She was awarded the Special Contributors award by Fox Chase Cancer Center in 2004. Her main goal is to help fight Breast Cancer, but when she's taking a break from that, she enjoys gardening.
215-728-5344, FS_Sheriff@fccc.edu
Johana Vanegas, MD
Postdoctoral AssociateJohana joined the BCRL in December, 2002. She received her medical degree from La Fundación Universitaria Juan N. Corpas in December 2000, in Bogotá, Colombia. She first joined the laboratory as a volunteer scientist in December 2002, and was appointed as a post-doctoral associate in May 2003. Johana obtained a research training fellowship for 3 years, from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) that allowed her to study clock gene expression during the Sprague Dawley rat mammary gland development. She also studying the protective effect of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in chemically induced mammary gland carcinogenesis in Sprague Dawley rats.
215-728-5632, je_vanegas@fccc.edu
Luz Vargas
VolunteerLuz has given her generous support the BCRL since 2003. Luz serves as a liaison to the advocate community, and has played a key role in the organization of the "A Day in the Life of the Breast Cancer Research Lab" workshops, as well as assisting BCRL staff with various day to day needs.