Stuart S. Berr
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Stuart S. Berr, Ph.D.
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Research Interests:
A number of recent studies have shown that our body’s immune system plays a key role in cancer growth and spread. In order to examine the relationship between inflammation and the subsequent development and progression of cancer, we have been developing tools to selectively image both inflammation and lung cancer. The most critical cancer-promoting inflammatory cell appears to be tumor associated macrophages (TAMs). Our most recent work has been aimed towards designing liposome based nanoparticles that are selectively taken up by TAMs and can deliver payloads of material to them. The liposomes can be loaded with radioactive material for non-invasive imaging, or with therapeutic agents that can kill either the complicit immune cells and/or proximal cancer cells. We will use the cancer imaging methodology we have developed to assess the anti-cancer effect of the liposome treatment. In addition to the development of imaging methods, we have successfully developed animal models of lung cancer. These include the implementation of a mouse that develops lung cancer upon injection of a carcinogen found in cigarette smoke. We have also installed a small-animal cigarette smoking chamber that is being used to induce lung inflammation and cancer in mice.
A number of recent studies have shown that our body’s immune system plays a key role in cancer growth and spread. In order to examine the relationship between inflammation and the subsequent development and progression of cancer, we have been developing tools to selectively image both inflammation and lung cancer. The most critical cancer-promoting inflammatory cell appears to be tumor associated macrophages (TAMs). Our most recent work has been aimed towards designing liposome based nanoparticles that are selectively taken up by TAMs and can deliver payloads of material to them. The liposomes can be loaded with radioactive material for non-invasive imaging, or with therapeutic agents that can kill either the complicit immune cells and/or proximal cancer cells. We will use the cancer imaging methodology we have developed to assess the anti-cancer effect of the liposome treatment. In addition to the development of imaging methods, we have successfully developed animal models of lung cancer. These include the implementation of a mouse that develops lung cancer upon injection of a carcinogen found in cigarette smoke. We have also installed a small-animal cigarette smoking chamber that is being used to induce lung inflammation and cancer in mice.
Below is an A/J mouse with urethane induced lung cancer. The tumor is clearly visualized in both CT and PET. This particular tumor is glucose avid as demonstrated by the increased uptake of FDG.
Training:
B.A. - Chemistry (A.C.S.), 1977
Grinnell College
Grinnell, Iowa
Ph.D. - Physical Chemistry, 1986
Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem, NC and Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN
Publications:
1. Locke L, Berr SS, Kundu B. Image-Derived Input Function from Cardiac Gated Maximum a Posteriori Reconstructed PET Images in Small Animals. Submitted to Molecular Imaging & Biology, online first ( http://www.springerlink.com/content/40l6225873x354px/fulltext.pdf) 2010.
2. Anderson JD, Epstein FH, Meyer CH, Hagspiel KD, Wang H, Berr SS, Harthun NL, Weltman A, DiMaria JM, Kramer CM. Multifactorial Determinants of Functional Capacity in Peripheral Arterial Disease: Uncoupling of Calf Muscle Perfusion and Metabolism. JACC, 54-7:628-635, 2009.
3. Locke LW, Chordia MD, Zhang Y, Kundu B, Kennedy D, Landseadel J, Fairchild KD, Berr SS, Linden J, Pan P. A novel neutrophil-specific PET imaging agent: cFLFLF-PEG-64Cu. J Nucl Med, 50:790–797, 2009. IF=5.915.
4. Zhang Y, Kundu B, Fairchild KD, Locke LW, Berr SS, Linden J, Pan D. Synthesis of Novel Neutrophil-Specific Imaging Agents for Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Imaging. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters. 17(24):6876-8, 2007 Dec 15. IF=2.538.
5. Berr SS,* Xu Y, Roy RJ, Williams MB, French BA. Serial, Multi-Modality Assessment of Myocardial Infarction in Mice using MRI and microPET Provides Complementary Information on the Progression of Scar Formation. Circulation. 115, 428-429. 2007. Not yet cited, IF=11.6, Rank 1 of 72 cardiovascular journals.
6. Wu Y, McRoberts K, Frierson HF, Jr, Conaway M, Berr SS, Theodorescu D. Neuromedin U is a downstream target of the metastasis suppressor RhoGDI2 and promotes lung metastasis, tumorigenicity and cancer cachexia. Oncogene, 26(5):765-73, 2007. Not yet cited, IF= 6.872.
7. Berr SS,* Roy RJ, French BA, Yang Z, Gilson W, Kramer CM, Epstein FH. Black-Blood Gradient-Echo Cine Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Mouse Heart. Magn Reson Med, 53:1074-1079, 2005. Cited 8 times, IF=3.508, Rank 10 of 83 medical imaging journals.
8. Segars WP, Tsui BMW, Frey EC, Johnson GA, Berr SS. Development of a 4D Digital Mouse Phantom for Molecular Imaging Research. Molecular Imaging and Biology, 6(3), 149-159, 2004. Cited 16 times.
9. Yang Z, Berr SS, Gilson WD, Toufektsian M-C, French BA. Simultaneous Evaluation of Infarct Size and Cardiac Function in Intact Mice by Contrast-Enhanced Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging Reveals Contractile Dysfunction in Non-Infarcted Regions Early After Myocardial Infarction. Circulation, 109:1161-1167, 2004. Cited 25 times, IF=11.6, Rank 1 of 72 cardiovascular journals.
10. Manka D, Gilson W, Sarembock I, Ley K, Berr SS.* Noninvasive In Vivo Magnetic Resonance Injury-Induced Neointima Formation in the Carotid Artery of the Apolipoprotein-E Null Mouse. J Magnetic Resonance Imaging, 12:790-794, 2000.
11. Mai VM, Berr SS.* MR Perfusion Imaging of Pulmonary Parenchyma Using Pulsed Arterial Spin Labeling Techniques: FAIRER and FAIR. J Magnetic Resonance Imaging, 9(3):483-487, 1999. Cited 50 times, IF=2.47, Rank 22 of 83 medical imaging journals.
12. Lee KS, Schottler F, Collins JL, Lanzino G, Couture D, Rao A, Hiramatsu K, Goto Y, Hong SC, Caner H, Yamamoto H, Chen ZF, Bertram E, Berr S, Omary R, Scrable H, Jackson T, Goble J, Eisenman L. A genetic animal model of human neocortical heterotopia associated with seizures. Journal of Neuroscience. 17(16):6236-42, 1997. Cited 61 times, IF= 7.506.
13. Mugler JP III, Driehuys B, Brookeman JR, Cates GD, Berr SS, Bryant RG, Daniel TM, de Lange EE, Downs JH III, Erickson CJ, Happer W, Hinton DP, Kassel NF, Maier T, Phillips CD, Saam BT, Sauer KL, Wagshul ME. MR imaging and spectroscopy using hyperpolarized 129Xe gas: preliminary human results. Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. 37(6):809-15, 1997. Cited 142 times, IF=3.508, Rank 10 of 83 medical imaging journals.
14. Berr SS, Jones RRM, Johnson JS. The Effect of Counterion on the Size and Charge of Alkyltrimethylammonium Halide Micelles as a Function of Chain Length and Concentration as Determined by Small-Angle Neutron Scattering. J Phys Chem, 96:5611-5614, 1992. Cited 89 times, IF= 4.033.
15. Berr SS.* Solvent Isotope Effects on Alkytrimethylammonium Bromide Micelles as a Function of Chain Length. J Phys Chem, 91:4760, 1987. Cited 112 times, IF= 4.033.
