Shala L. Thomas
slthom2@emory.edu
________________________________________________________________________________
EDUCATION
Doctor of Philosophy, Pharmacology
Emory University, Atlanta, GA
 Doctoral Candidate, Cumulative GPA: 3.95
 Emphasis of study: Cancer Pharmacology & Signal Transduction
 Expected graduation date: Fall 2008
2003-present
Bachelor of Science, Biochemistry
Xavier University of LA, New Orleans, LA
1999-2003
 Cumulative GPA: 4.00, summa cum laude
_____________________________________________________________________________________
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Dissertation Research, Department of Pharmacology
Emory School of Medicine 2003-present
 Investigating disruption of cell survival and proliferative pathways by curumin analogs as
well as potential combination treatments for lung cancer; Haian Fu, PhD, Advisor
 Studying effects of the natural compound curcumin and novel curcumin analogs on the
microtubule cytoskeleton; Paraskevi Giannakakou, PhD, Advisor
Graduate Rotation, Department of Chemistry
Emory University
 Synthesized and purified HIV drug analogs; Dennis Liotta, PhD, Advisor
2003
Senior Thesis Research, Pharmaceutical Sciences
Xavier University of LA
2001-2003
 Examined the effects of commonly used organophosphate pesticides on the endocrine
system and hormone-receptor binding; Thomas Wiese, PhD, Advisor
Summer Research Intern, Molecular Biology/Genetics
U of Chicago, Chicago, IL
2002
 Studied the process somatic hypermutation of antibody molecules important for host
immune responses; Ursula Storb, MD, Advisor
Summer Research Intern, Microbiology
NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY
2001
 Studied the structure and function relationship of the subunits of the SWI/SNF chromatin
remodeling complex; Naoko Tanese, PhD, Advisor
_____________________________________________________________________________
MEDICAL/SCIENCE COMMUNICATIONS
MEDICAL WRITING
Healtheva.com
 Medical forum writer focusing on basic and clinical cancer research
 Summarize recent medical research for registered physicans and scientists
2007-present
TEACHING
Principles of Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology
Emory University
2005
 Peer instructor for the PROMISE postbaccalaureate program students
 Led weekly review sessions for seven students for introductory pharmacology material
Frontiers in Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology
Emory University
2005
 Teacher assistant for class concerning the breakthroughs and techniques in pharmacology
 Assisted in student grant writing and critiqued grant proposals
PRESENTATIONS
 Thomas SL, Khuri F, Snyder JP, Liotta D, Fu H. Synergistic anticancer potential of the
combination of p38 MAPK inhibition and EF24, a curcumin analog in A549 human lung
cancer cells. AAAS/Packard Graduate Scholars Meeting. Washington, D.C. October,
2007. (poster), 2nd Annual NIH Graduate Student Festival. Bethesda, MD. October, 2007


(poster), AACR Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Conference. Philadelphia, PA. December
2007. (poster)
Thomas SL, O’Brate A, Malik S, Sun, A, Liotta D, Snyder J, Giannakakou P. “Anti-HIF
Mechanism of Curcumin and its Analog EF24”. American Association of Cancer
Research National Meeting. Washington DC. April 1-5, 2006 (oral).
Thomas SL, Malik S, Sun A, Liotta D, Snyder J, Giannakakou P. “Curcuminoids: An
Investigation Behind the Anticancer Mechanism”. American Association of Cancer
Research (AACR) National Meeting. Aneheim, CA. April 16-20, 2005 (poster)
PUBLICATIONS
 Thomas SL, Zhao J, Khuri F, Snyder JP, Liotta D, Fu H. “Synergistic anticancer
potential of the combination of p38 MAPK inhibition and EF24, a curcumin analog in
A549 human lung cancer cells”. In preparation.
 Thomas SL, O’Brate AM, Zhong D, Zhou W, Snyder JP, Liotta D, Giannakakou P.
“EF24, a novel curcumin analog, disrupts the microtubule cytoskeleton and inhibits HIF1α”. In preparation.
 Kasinski A, Du Y, Thomas SL, Sun A, Khuri FR, Snyder J, Liotta D, Fu H. (2007)
Inhibition of NFkB by a novel Curcumin Analogue. In preparation.
 Ganesh T, Yang C, Noris A, Glass T, Bane S, Ravindra R, Banerjee A, Metaferia B,
Thomas SL, Giannakakou P, Alcaraz AA, Lakdawla AS, Snyder JP, Kingston DG.
Evaluation of the Tubulin-Bound Paclitaxel Conformation: Synthesis, Biology and SAR
Studies of C-3’ Bridged Paclitaxel Analogs. J Med Chem. 2007 Feb 22;50(4):713-25.
 Marcus AI, O’Brate AM, Buey RM, Zhou J, Thomas SL, Khuri FR, Andreu JM, Diaz F,
Giannakakou P. “Farnesyltransferase Inhibitors reverse taxane resistance”. Cancer Res.
2006 Sep 1;280(12):8838-46.
 Marcus AI, Peters U, Thomas SL, Garrett S, Zelnak A, Kapoor T, Giannakakou P.
“Mitotic kinesin inhibitors induce mitotic arrest and cell death in Taxol-resistant and sensitive cancer cells”. J Biol Chem. 2005 Mar 25;280(12):11569-77.
____________________________________________________________________________________
LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE
Student Representative, Pharamcology Program Executive Board
2006-present
Parntership for Prescription Assistance Outreach Street Team
2004
Emory Black Graduate Student Association, Executive Board
2004-2007
ACS Student Affliate Chemistry Club, President
2002-2003
_____________________________________________________________________________________
AWARDS AND HONORS
Drug Development & Pharmacogenomics Academy
2007
NIH National Graduate Student Festival
2007
Biotechnology Institute Minority and Indigenous Fellows Program
2006
Facilitating Academic Careers in Engineering and Science Fellowship
2005
American Association for Cancer Research Minority Scholar Travel Award
2005/2006
Emory Minority Graduate Fellowship
2003
Packard Foundation/American Assoc. for the Advancement of Science Graduate Fellowship
2003
American Chemical Society Local Section Senior Chemistry Major Award
2003
_____________________________________________________________________________________
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
American Society of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
2006-present
2
American Association for Cancer Research
2005-2007
American Association for the Advancement of Science
2004-2005
_____________________________________________________________________________________
3