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Headshot of Jack Yalowich

Jack Yalowich, PhD

Professor

Pharmaceutics and Pharmacology

532 Parks Hall

yalowich.1@osu.edu
(614) 688-5980

Professional Interests

Dr. Yalowich’s lab focuses on mechanisms of action and resistance to a class of anticancer agents known as DNA topoisomerase IIα (TOP2α; 170 kDa ) inhibitors, such as the anticancer agent etoposide. Ongoing projects characterize alternative RNA processing/intronic polyadenylation of TOP2α pre-mRNA that results in formation of a 90 kDa truncated form of TOP2α in acquired resistance to etoposide. Strategies to circumvent drug resistance involve CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing to restore proper RNA splicing function in resistant cells. In addition, the role of micro-RNAs as determinants of anticancer drug resistance is under investigation. Finally, the Yalowich lab actively collaborates with Dr. Mark-Mitton-Fry from the Division of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy to evaluate the mechanisms of action and efficacy of newly synthesized Novel Bacterial Topoisomerase Inhibitors (NBTIs).

Biography

Dr. Yalowich’s educational background includes a B.A. in Biology and Chemistry from Lehigh University, a Ph.D. in Biochemical Pharmacology from S.U.N.Y Buffalo studying anticancer drugs that target the essential enzyme Thymidylate synthase, and postdoctoral training at the Medical College of Virginia (antifolate studies) and University of Florida, evaluating DNA topoisomerase II inhibitors where his research focus has remained.  His first academic position was at St. Jude Children’s Hospital in Memphis, TN as an Assistant Member, followed by a position as Assistant Professor and tenured Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.  In 2010, he joined the faculty of The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy as Professor (and Chair 2015-2017) in the Division of Pharmacology (since 2020 the Division of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacology). Aside from maintaining a productive and funded research enterprise, Dr. Yalowich has chaired two separate NIH peer-review panels and serves on the executive committee for the Division of Cancer Pharmacology at the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. 

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Education

  • 1974 - BA, Chemistry & Biology, Lehigh University
  • 1980 - PhD, Biochemical Pharmacology, State University of New York at Buffalo
  • 1980-1983, Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Medicine, Medical College of Virginia

Honors

  • 2017 - Present: Secretary-Treasurer; Division for Cancer Pharmacology; American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
  • 2016 - Present: Editorial Board; Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
  • 2015-2017: Chair; Division of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University
  • 2012-2016: Chair; Molecular Targets for Cancer Intervention [ZRG BMCT-C (01)] study section, National Cancer Institute (NCI/NIH)
  • 2004-2009: Chair (2007-2009) and Chartered Member; Basic Mechanism of Cancer Therapeutics (BMCT) study Section, National Cancer Institute (NCI/NIH)
  • 1999-2005: Chair (2004 & 2005) and Member; Panel G: Experimental Therapeutics, Carcinogenesis, & Medicinal Chemistry study section, National Cancer Institute of Canada (NCIC)
  • 1984-1986: Special Fellow; Leukemia Society of America

Publications