National Cancer Institute - Cancer.gov

Nichelle Whitlock

Nichelle C. Whitlock, Ph.D., M.P.H.

  • Center for Cancer Research
  • National Cancer Institute
Prostate Cancer Genetics Section

RESEARCH SUMMARY

Dr. Whitlock is a cancer biologist interested in identifying genomic, genetic, and epigenetic alterations in localized prostate cancer that promote disease progression. Using whole transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) and the Assay for Transposase-Accessible Chromatin sequencing (ATAC-seq), her current research seeks to identify biomarkers that differentiate indolent from aggressive prostate cancer and shape the differential biology of the MYC oncogene in early vs. advanced disease.

Areas of Expertise

1) Transcriptome analysis, 2) Molecular epidemiology, 3) Prostate cancer molecular pathology, 4) Organoid cultures, 5) Statistical computing.

Publications

Selected Key Publications

MEIS1 down-regulation by MYC mediates prostate cancer development through elevated HOXB13 expression and AR activity

Nichelle C. Whitlock, Shana Y. Trostel, Scott Wilkinson, Nicholas T. Terrigino, S. Thomas Hennigan, Ross Lake, Nicole V. Carrabba, Rayann Atway, Elizabeth D. Walton, Berkley E. Gryder, Brian J. Capaldo, Huihui Ye, Adam G. Sowalsky
Oncogene. 2020.
Full-Text Article
[ Journal Article ]

Age and Tumor Differentiation-Associated Gene Expression Based Analysis of Non-Familial Prostate Cancers

Shashwat Sharad, Travis C. Allemang, Hua Li, Darryl Nousome, Anson Tai Ku, Nichelle C. Whitlock, Adam G.Sowalsky, Jennifer Cullen, Isabell A. Sesterhenn, David G. McLeod, Shiv Srivastava, Albert Dobi
Frontiers in Oncology. 2021.
Full-Text Article
[ Journal Article ]

Nascent Prostate Cancer Heterogeneity Drives Evolution and Resistance to Intense Hormonal Therapy

Scott Wilkinson, Huihui Ye, Fatima Karzai, Stephanie A. Harmon, Nicholas T. Terrigino, David J. VanderWeele, John R. Bright, Rayann Atway, Shana Y. Trostel, Nicole V. Carrabba, Nichelle C. Whitlock, Stephanie M. Walker, Rosina T. Lis, Houssein Abdul Sater, Brian J. Capaldo, Ravi A. Madan, James L. Gulley, Guinevere Chun, Maria J. Merino, Peter A. Pinto, Daniela C. Salles, Harsimar B. Kaur, Tamara L. Lotan, David J. Venzon, Peter L. Choyke, Baris Turkbey, William L. Dahut, Adam G. Sowalsky
European Urology. 2021.
Full-Text Article

EZH2 inhibition activates a dsRNA-STING-interferon stress axis that potentiates response to PD-1 checkpoint blockade in prostate cancer

Katherine L. Morel, Anjali V. Sheahan, Deborah L. Burkhart, Sylvan C. Baca, Nadia Boufaied, Yin Liu, Xintao Qiu, Israel Cañadas, Kevin Roehle, Max Heckler, Carla Calagua, Huihui Ye, Constantia Pantelidou, Phillip Galbo, Sukanya Panja, Antonina Mitrofanova, Scott Wilkinson, Nichelle C. Whitlock, Shana Y. Trostel, Anis A. Hamid, Adam S. Kibel, David A. Barbie, Atish D. Choudhury, Mark M. Pomerantz, Christopher J. Sweeney, Henry W. Long, David J. Einstein, Geoffrey I. Shapiro, Stephanie K. Dougan, Adam G. Sowalsky, Housheng Hansen He, Matthew L. Freedman, Steven P. Balk, Massimo Loda, David P. Labbé, Brian M. Olson, Leigh Ellis
Nature Cancer. 2021.
Full-Text Article

Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen Is a Biomarker for Residual Disease following Neoadjuvant Intense Androgen Deprivation Therapy in Prostate Cancer

John R. Bright, Rosina T. Lis, Anson T. Ku, Nicholas T. Terrigino, Nichelle C. Whitlock, Shana Y. Trostel, Nicole V. Carrabba, Stephanie A. Harmon, Baris Turkbey, Scott Wilkinson, Adam G. Sowalsky
Journal of Urology. 2022.
Full-Text Article