1
  		• Home
  		• Advisory Board
  		• Art in Science
  		• Career Opportunity
  		• Did you know
  		• Faculty
  		• Clubs and Seminars
  		• Pictures
  		• Recent Publications
  		• Scientific Programs
  		• Shear Stress Calculator
  		• Staff
  		• Students
  		• Tissue and Cell Culture Core
  		• Training Programs

    1
  		• American Heart Association
  		• American Physiological Society
  		• American Thoracic Society
  		• Biomedical Library
  		• College of Medicine
  		• Google
  		• National Institutes of Health
  		• University of South Alabama
  		• University Library
  		• Mobile Weather
     
    1

    1
    NIH - Funded Training in Cell Signaling & Lung Pathobiology
    		 
     

    Natavia Middleton, B.S.
    Phone: (251) 460-6786
    Fax: (251) 460-6798
    nsm304@jaguar1.usouthal.edu

     
    EDUCATION
    2003 B.S. in Biology with emphasis in Education and Chemistry, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina
       
    2008 Ph.D. in Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology/Lung Biology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, Anticipated completion: August
      Dissertation: Implications in gene regulation by chromatin remodeling enzymes in hypoxic pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAECs)
     

    PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
    2000 Undergraduate Research Assistant, Biological Sciences, South Carolina State University, Orangeburg, SC
    PIs: Dr. Ajoy Chakrabarti and Dr. Johnnie Jenkins
       
    2001 Volunteer in Cardiology Unit, Palmetto Baptist Hospital, Columbia, SC, 2001- 2003
       
    2002 Undergraduate Research Assistant, Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, 2000-2003
    PI: Johannes Stratmann
       
    2004 Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Pharmacology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, 2004-present
    PI: Dr. Mark N. Gillespie
     
    HONORS AND AWARDS
    2004 NIH Institutional Training Grant Fellow- Cell Signaling and Lung Pathobiology through the University of South Alabama Center for   Lung Biology, 2004-2006
       
    2006 ASPET/MARC Minority Graduate Student Travel Award, FASEB, San Francisco, California, April   
       
    2007 Abstract Winner, Minority Research Trainee Forum, Adventura, Florida, September
       
    2008 ASPET/MARC Minority Graduate Student Travel Award, FASEB, San Diego, California, April
       
    2008 2nd place, contest for giving scientific presentations, IDL course 650
     
    PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES AND ORGANIZATIONS

    American Society of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET)

    American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

    Basic Medical Sciences Student Organization
     
    TEACHING EXPERIENCE
    2001 Afterschool Tutor, Women’s and Children’s Shelter, Columbia, SC
       
    2002 Student Teacher: Chemistry, Spring Valley High School, Columbia SC 
       
    2003 Student Teacher: Physics, Dreher High School, Columbia SC 
    Mentor Teacher: Randolph Brooks
       
    2005 Instructor: Cell Biology, Biomedical Enrichment and Recruitment Program, University of South Alabama
       
    2006 Instructor: Cell Biology, Biomedical Enrichment and Recruitment Program, University of South Alabama
       
    2007 Course Director and Instructor: Cell Biology, Biomedical Enrichment and Recruitment Program, University of South Alabama
       
    2008 Course Director and Instructor: Cell Biology, Biomedical Enrichment and Recruitment Program, University of South Alabama
     
    UNIVERSITY EXPERIENCE
    2001 Women in Leadership-Student Member, University of South Carolina, SC
       
    2002 Women in Leadership-Student Member, University of South Carolina, SC
       
    2004 Basic Medical Science Student Organization, University of South        Alabama, Mobile, AL
       
    2005 Vice President, Basic Medical Science Student Organization, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL
       
    2005 Presenter, Expanding Your Horizons Conference, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL
       
    2006 Graduate Program Executive Committee Student Representative 2005-2006, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL
       
    2006 Event Judge, Science Olympiad, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL
       
    2006 Presenter, Expanding Your Horizons Conference, University of South Alabama,    Mobile, AL
       
    2006 Editorial Board Member, Did you Know Archives, Center of Lung Biology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL
       
    2006 President, Basic Medical Science Student Organization, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL
       
    2007 Editorial Board Member, Did you Know Archives, Center of Lung Biology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL
       
    2007 Basic Medical Science Student Organization, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL
       
    2008 Editorial Board Member, Did you Know Archives, Center of Lung Biology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL
     
    INVITED LECTURES
    2005 Graduate Student Orientation Seminar: How to Survive Graduate School, Basic Medical Sciences Program, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama
       
    2006 Graduate Student Orientation Seminar: Why you should and want to go to Graduate School, Summer Scrubs, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama
       
    2007 The hypoxia-induced recruitment of HDAC1 to the VEGF promoter of pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAECs), Minority Trainee Research Forum, Aventura, Florida
     
    FUNDING
    Southeast Affiliate American Heart Association Predoctoral Fellowship; Chromatin Remodeling and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Expression in Hypoxia; 7/1/2006-6/30/2008; $36,000. Principal Investigator: Natavia Middleton

     
    PRESENTATIONS
    2005 Research in Progress, Center of Lung Biology, University of South Alabama, March
       
    2005 Research in Progress, Center of Lung Biology, University of South Alabama, November
       
    2006 Poster: Hypoxia-induced oxidative base modifications in the VEGF promoter pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAECs) may alter chromatin remodeling, FASEB, San Francisco, April
       
    2006 Poster: HIF-1 Dependent Recruitment of Chromatin-Remodeling Enzymes to the Hypoxic Response Element of the VEGF Gene in Pulmonary Artery Endothelial Cells (PAECs), American Thoracic Society, San Diego, May
       
    2006 Research in Progress, Center of Lung Biology, University of South Alabama, October
       
    2007 Poster: Hypoxia-induced recruitment of HDAC1 to the VEGF promoter of pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAECs), FASEB, Washington D.C., March
       
    2007 Research in Progress, Center of Lung Biology, University of South Alabama, October
       
    2007 Poster: Hypoxia-induced recruitment of HDAC1 to the VEGF promoter of pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAECs), College of Medicine Research Forum, University of South Alabama, October
       
    2008 Poster: Regulation of VEGF mRNA expression in hypoxic pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAECs) by histone deacetylases (HDACs), FASEB, San Diego, April
       
    2008 The hypoxia-induced recruitment of HDAC1 to the VEGF promoter of pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAECs), College of Medicine, University of South Alabama, June
       

    ABSTRACTS AND PUBLICATIONS

    Middleton, N.S., Gillespie, M.N., Hypoxia-induced oxidative base modifications in the VEGF promoter of pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAECs) may alter chromatin remodeling. FASEB J., 20(4):428.16, 2006.

    Middleton, N.S., Gillespie, M.N., HIF-1 Dependant Recruitment of Chromatin-Remodeling Enzymes to the Hypoxic Response Element of the VEGF Gene in Pulmonary Artery Endothelial Cells (PAECs). American Thoracic Society, 3:A866, April 2006. 

    Middleton, N.S., Gorodnya, O., Ruchko, M.R., and Gillespie, M.N., Hypoxia-induced recruitment of HDAC1 to the VEGF promoter of pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAECs). FASEB J., 21(6)762.13, 2007.

    Middleton, N.S., Gorodnya, O.,  Ruchko, M.R., and Gillespie, M.N., Regulation of VEGF mRNA expression in hypoxic pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAECs) by histone deacetylases (HDACs). FASEB J., 22:1115.18, 2008.

    Ruchko, M.F., Gorodnya, O., Pastukh, V., Swiger, B., Middleton, N.S., Wilson, G.L., and Gillespie, M.N., Hypoxia-induced oxidative base modification in the VEGF hypoxic response element are associated with transcriptionally active nucleosomes. (manuscript in preparation).

    Middleton, N.S., Gorodnya, O., Ruchko, M.F., and Gillespie, M.N., Mechanism by which histone deacetylases regulate VEGF mRNA expression in hypoxic pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAECs). (manuscript in preparation).