Jody M. Modarelli, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Biology and Chemistry
207 Colton Hall
330.569.5987
modarellijm@hiram.edu
Education
University of Akron, B.S.
University of Akron, Ph.D.
Teaching Interests
I currently teach courses in general biochemistry, intermediate biochemistry, research techniques in biochemistry, and virology.
Research Interests
My research interests are in the area of cancer metabolomics and stems from my interests in cancer biology and lipid chemistry. Metabolomics is the systematic study of the unique chemical fingerprints that specific cellular processes leave behind. Small molecular metabolites can be the end products of molecules like cholesterol or proteins. Metabolic profiling gives a “snapshot” of the physiology of the cell. My goal is to take the existing knowledge of biochemistry to address diseases such as cancer. These goals can be accomplished by studying biological samples from cancer patients and comparing them to those of healthy patients, and then determining whether the lipid metabolic products increase or decrease in the diseased sample. One way to accomplish this goal is by extracting the lipids from the sample using organic solvents, and studying them using a bioanalytical technique called massed spectrometry (MS). Mass spectrometry is sometimes likened to a molecular scale, and identifies the metabolites by their mass-to-charge (m/z) ratio.
Currently in my biochemistry lab, students are extracting lipids (phase I) from healthy patients and patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC). RCC is the number one kidney cancer and accounts for 90% of all kidney cancers. RCC is considered a silent disease because it isn’t usually found until it has metastasized or spread to other organs (stage III or IV). The recovery rate in stage III or IV is approximately 5%. If caught early, stage I, the recovery rate is approximately 95%. We are in the process of looking at lipid metabolites with the hope of finding a biomarker (indicator of the disease) for early stage RCC. We are using both gas chromatography (GC) and liquid chromatography (LC) MS. Once we identify a biomarker, we will collaborate with Professor Colleen Fried in the Department of Chemistry at Hiram College to synthesize a biomarker standard for both phase I and phase II of the study. Phase II of the study will then involve the development of alternative biochemical methods for detecting the biomarker, such as enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA).
Personal Interests
Running (my passion), power yoga, biking, hiking (I love the outdoors!)
Selected Publications
- “Differentiation of Dry Age Related Macular Degeneration from Healthy Controls by ELISA”, Modarelli, J. M.; Walker, T. J. Amer. Med. Assoc. (prepared-awaiting industrial approval).
- “Determination of Lysophosphatidic Acid as a Biomarker for Early Stage Ovarian Cancer by LC-ESI MS”, Modarelli, J. M.; Shan, L.; Bosykh, D. Biol. Chem. (prepared-awaiting patent).
- "Strain Differentiation and Determination of Capsid Proteins of Coxsackievirus by MALDI-MS" Modarelli, J. M.; Shoemaker J. A.; Fout, G. S.; Dahling, D. R. Anal. Chem. (prepared-awaiting EPA approval).
- "Intrinsic Chemistry of Na+-Coordinated Peptide Radicals: Prevalence for Radical-Induced Dissociation" Modarelli, J. M.; Modarelli, D. A.; Polce, M. J.; Wesdemiotis, C. J. Am. Chem. Soc., in preparation.
- "Li+-Coordinated Polyglycol Radicals: Ion Molecule Reactions with Alkenes and Ethers" Modarelli, J. M.; Polce, M. J.; Wesdemiotis, C. Euro J. Mass Spectrom. 2004, 10, 909-920.
- "Alkali Metal Ion Binding to Amino Acids Versus their Methyl Esters: Affinity Trends and Structural Changes in the Gas Phase". Talley (Modarelli), J.M.; Cerda, B.A.; Ohanessian, G.; Wesdemiotis, C. Chem.-Eur. J. 2002, 8(6), 1377-1388.
- "Synthesis and Structural Characterization of an Imidazolium-Linked Cyclophane and the Silver Complex of an N-Heterocyclic Carbene-Linked Cyclophane" Garrison, J.C.; Simons, R.S.; Talley (Modarelli), J.M.; Wesdemiotis, C.; Tessier, C.A.; Youngs, W.J. Organometallics 2001, 20(7), 1276-1278.