Cole Riley Bolen

Affiliate Member

Research Program:

Cancer Biology

Faculty Rank:

Graduate Assistant

Campus:

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

College:

College of Medicine

Department:

Neuroscience

Cancer Research Interest

Disease Site Focus: Brain
Research Focus Area: Carcinogenesis
Type of Research: Translational
Research Keywords: Pituitary Adenoma, Oncogene, Musashi, Post-transcriptional regulation
Research Interest Statement: I am a 4th-year graduate student working in the lab of Dr. Angus MacNicol. We specialize in the study of the RNA-binding protein, Musashi. Due to Musashi's known role as an oncogene and recent discovery of a novel, truncated C-terminal Musashi isoform, we are continuing to explore the regulation, function, and localization of Musashi and its isoforms in disease pathogenesis and progression. Especially given Musashi’s expression and function in determining stem cell self-renewal and terminal cell fate, its role in cancer is of particular interest. We utilize a number of in vitro and in vivo models to specifically view Musashi function through the lens of pituitary plasticity. Due to the gland’s bony confines combined with its role as a master endocrine regulator, pituitary cellular function and composition is uniquely situated as a model niche of homeostatic and induced plasticity for the study of cell fate instability and resulting cancer pathogenesis.

Miles TK, Odle AK, Byrum SD, [et al., including Bolen CR]. Anterior Pituitary Transcriptomics Following a High-Fat Diet: Impact of Oxidative Stress on Cell Metabolism. Endocrinology. 2023 165(2). PMID: 38103263. PMCID: PMC10771268.