Spinella, Michael J
Education
PhD, Albany Medical College
Postdoctoral training in molecular therapeutics at Medical College of Virginia and the Massey Cancer Center
Academic Positions
Instructor at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth
Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth
Investigator at Norris Cotton Cancer Center
Research Interests
My research is focused on molecular mechanisms of cancer therapy and mechanism of chemoresistance. Research is focused on uncovering mechanisms that account for the curability of testicular germ cell tumors in order to apply this knowledge to the design of novel therapies for common solid tumors refractory to current therapy. Other interests include the concept of induced differentiation therapy and the identification of mechanistic links between stem cell pluripotency and cancer.
My lab has made several key contributions to understanding transcriptional mechanisms linked to the retinoic acid induced differentiation of testicular cancer and to the curability and resistance of testicular cancer through global gene expression and genome-wide analysis. This includes our finding that testicular cancer cells display a hyperactive p53 response to chemotherapy that is tightly linked to their curability. The goal of the lab is to leverage this information toward success in treating other solid tumors including glioblastoma and breast cancer.
Recently my lab has made the discovery that testicular germ cell tumors, even those resistant to cisplatin, highly overexpress DNA methyltransferase 3B (DNMT3B) and have increased sensitivity to very low doses of DNA demethylating agents compared to somatic cancer cells. This work has provided the rationale for ongoing phase I and planned phase II clinical trials being conducted with collaborators at Indiana University Medical School. Our current working model is that testicular cancer cells possess unique epigenetic states that are tightly linked to the biology of this disease. Understanding these mechanisms will inform epigenetic-based therapies for refractory testicular cancers and other solid tumors.
Links
Professional Affiliations
Professional AffiliationsAmerican Association for the Advancement of Science
The American Association for Cancer Research
American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology
Patents
Thomas T. Andersen, Michael J Spinella, Endothelin antagonists. US Patent #5492892T
Michael J. Spinella, Maroun J. Beyrouthy, Compositions for inhibiting growth of cancer stem cells. US Patent #20120156312
Michael J. Spinella, Maroun J. Beyrouthy, Method and kit for determining sensitivity to decitabine treatment. US Patent #20130023439
Michael J. Spinella, Maroun J. Beyrouthy, Method for determining sensitivity to decitabine treatment. US Patent #20150197813
Michael J. Spinella, Ph.D.
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Michael J. Spinella, Maroun J. Beyrouthy, Method for identifying and inhibiting growth of chemotherapeutic-resistant cancers. US Patent #20150174163
Selected Service Activities
- NIH Peer Review Committee: Basic Mechanisms of Cancer Therapeutics 2, 2020-present
- Guest Editor, Special Issue, Pathogenesis and Experimental Therapeutics of Testicular Germ Cell Tumors in the journal "Cancers"
- Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, Editorial Board Member, 2009-present
- Current Pharmacology, Editorial Board Member, 2014-present
- Translational Oncogenomics, Editorial Board Member, 2006-present; Editor and Chief, 2009-2014
- Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Editorial Board Member, 2010-present
- NIH Peer Review Committee: Fellowship Panel, 2014-2016
- US Army Breast Cancer Research Program Review Committee, 2000-2016
- NIH Peer Review Committee: Prevention, Control and Population Sciences, 2008-2010
- NIH Peer Review Committee: Cancer Genetics, 2010, 2016
- VA Oncology Merit Review Panel, 2013-2016
- Empire State Stem Cell Review Panel, 2010-2013
- American Institute for Cancer Research Peer Review Committee, 2006-2011
- American Cancer Society Peer Review Committee, 2000-2005
Honors and Awards
1989-1991, National Research Service Award Predoctoal Fellowship
1991, American Physiology Society, Proctor and Gamble Research Award, FASEB
1992, National Research Service Award, Doctoral Fellowship National Cancer Institute
1998-2003, NIH Howard Temin Award, National Cancer Institute
2002, Award from the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics to Host the New England Pharmacologists Meeting, Dartmouth Medical School
2004, Dean’s Faculty Excellence Award for Translational Research, Dartmouth Medical School