print

Janice M. Spence, Ph.D.

Research Assistant Professor
of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Lymphoma Genesis and Transformation

URMC Labs
601 Elmwood Ave., Rm 2-3653
Rochester, NY 14642-8608
Tel: (585) 275-8861
Fax: (585) 276-2200

Jan_Spence@urmc.rochester.edu

Dr. Spence is working with Dr. Richard Burack, Director of Hematopathology, in studying the mechanisms involved in lymphomagenesis and lymphoma transformation. The focus of the research is to identify mechanisms directly relevant to human disease.

Qualifications

Ph.D. Microbiology, University of Rochester 2001
Postdoctoral Fellow, Microbiology, 2001-2007

Professional Activities

2005 University of Rochester Medical Center Developmental Grant
2001 Melvin A. Hare Award for Excellence in Research
1995 Melvin A. Hare Award for Excellence in Teaching

As an adjunct faculty member, Dr. Spence has developed and taught introductory and upper level microbiology courses at SUNY Brockport, Rochester Institute of Technology, and St. John Fisher College.

Research Overview

I am working in the laboratory of W. Richard Burack, M.D., Ph.D, Director of the Hematopathology Department of Strong Memorial Hospital.  Research goals include the development and validation of novel approaches to the diagnosis of hematopoietic malignancies, with special emphasis on lymphomas. Unlike leukemias, in which genetic aberrations generate fusion proteins with mixed regulation and functionality, the characteristic genetic lesion in non-Hodgkins lymphomas involve gene dysregulation through their chromosomal translocation into the IG and TCR regions, which are highly expressed in lymphocytes. Many of these translocations are balanced, which prevents their identification through CGH array methodologies and requires genetic karyotyping and/or FISH for diagnosis, assays which are technically sophisticated.  Our approach is two-fold. First, we are developing diagnostic assays based on relatively simple technologies that can be used to identify the common balanced translocations associated with non-Hodgkins lymphomas, suitable for use in a wide-range of diagnostic settings. Second, we are looking to identify a large number of chromosomal markers in lymphomas that will allow for the sub-categorization of these malignancies with regard to clinical outcomes and therapeutic responses. This exploratory approach is based on a novel use of array technologies, using custom oligo arrays to analyze labeled primer extension products which initiate within the well-characterized IG/TCR locations. This use of primer extension products as the analyte allows for the identification of normal gene regions translocated into highly expressed sites, adding the ability to determine spatial proximity to standard CGH arrays.

 

Publications

Halldórsdóttir, A.M. , J.M. Spence , J.P. Spence , N.L. Bartlett, and W. R.Burack. 2008. Combining high-resolution genomic methods to quantify subkaryotypic copy number variants in follicular lymphoma. Submitted

Isabella, V., L. F. Wright, K. Barth, J. M. Spence, S. Grogan, C. A. Genco and V. L. Clark. 2008. Cis- and trans-acting elements involved in regulation of norB (norZ), the gene encoding nitric oxide reductase in Neisseria gonorrhoeae.  Microbiology. 154: 226-239

Spence, J. M., L. Wright, and V. L. Clark.  Laboratory Maintenance of Neisseria gonorrhoeae.  Current Protocols in Microbiology 2008 Feb; Chapter 4: Unit 4A.1.  John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Spence JM, Tyler RE, Domaoal RA, Clark VL. L12 enhances gonococcal transcytosis of polarized Hec1B cells via the lutropin receptor. Microb Pathog. 2002 Mar;32(3):117-25.

Spence JM, Clark VL. Role of ribosomal protein L12 in gonococcal invasion of Hec1B cells. Infect Immun. 2000 Sep;68(9):5002-10.

Spence JM, Chen JC, Clark VL. A proposed role for the lutropin receptor in contact-inducible gonococcal invasion of Hec1B cells. Infect Immun. 1997 Sep;65(9):3736-42.

Anderson CL, Spence JM, Edwards TS, Nusbacher J. Characterization of a polyvalent antibody directed against the IgG Fc receptor of human mononuclear phagocytes. J Immunol. 1985 Jan;134(1):465-70.