André S. Bachmann, PhD, MS
	Associate Professor (Researcher), Cancer Research Center of Hawai‘i; Adjunct Associate Professor, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, John A. Burns School of Medicine PhD (Biology), University of Zürich, Switzerland; MS (Microbiology), University of Zürich, Switzerland abachmann@crch.hawaii.edu

Publication list via PubMed

Resesarch Focus

The Bachmann lab is active in three major project areas. The primary focus is on the identification and characterization of novel, biologically-active natural product molecules and polyamine inhibitors that target key cell signaling and metabolic pathways relevant in cancer development. In particular, we are interested in a cancer of the sympathetic nervous system referred to as neuroblastoma (NB) which occurs predominantly in infants and young children. The overarching theme of my research is to generate a platform of lead compounds which can be further developed into viable drug therapeutics. At the cellular level, we wish to understand the precise mechanism(s) and cell signaling pathways activated by such lead compounds by employing three-dimensional (3D) structure analyses as well as cancer cell biology and biochemical methods. At the clinical level, we wish to advance our drug candidates to viable drugs for the treatment of pediatric cancer patients. We actively collaborate with several U.S. and European universities and hospitals, for example, the University of California at San Francisco (UCSF) the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, the Vermont Children's Hospital and NCI-designated Cancer Research Center, the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), the University of Zurich in Switzerland, the Max Planck Society in Dortmund and the Technical University Munich in Germany, and the University of Amsterdam Medical Center in the Netherlands.

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Selected Publications

Koomoa D.T., Borsics T., Feith D.J., Coleman C.S., Wallick C.J., Gamper I., Pegg A.E. and Bachmann A.S. (2009): Inhibition of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase by the competitive inhibitor SAM486A connects polyamine metabolism with p53-Mdm2-Akt/PKB regulation and apoptotic cell death in neuroblastoma, Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, 8, 2067-2075.

Clerc J., Groll M., Illich D.J., Bachmann A.S., Huber R., Schellenberg B., Dudler R. and M. Kaiser (2009): Synthetic and structural studies on Syringolin A and B reveal critical determinants of selectivity and potency of proteasome inhibition. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences U S A, 106, 6507-6512.

Koomoa D.T., Yco L.P., Borsics T., Wallick C.J. and Bachmann A.S. (2008): Ornithine decarboxylase inhibition by DFMO activates opposing signaling pathways via phosphorylation of both Akt/PKB and p27Kip1 in neuroblastoma. Cancer Research, 68, 9825-9831.

Groll M., Schellenberg B., Bachmann A.S., Archer C.R., Huber R., Powell T.K., Lindow S., Kaiser M. and Dudler R. (2008): A plant pathogen virulence factor inhibits the eukaryotic proteasome by a novel mechanism. Nature, 452, 755-758.

Geerts D., Wallick C.J., Koomoa D.T., Koster J., Versteeg R., Go, R.V. and Bachmann A.S. (2007): Expression of PRA1 domain family, member 2 (PRAF2) in neuroblastoma: correlation with clinical features, cellular localization, and cerulenin-mediated apoptosis regulation. Clinical Cancer Research, 13, 6312-6319.

Wallick C.J., Gamper I., Thorne M., Feith D.J., Takasaki K.Y., Wilson S.M., Seki J.A., Pegg A.E., Byus C.V. and Bachmann A.S. (2005): Key role for p27Kip1, retinoblastoma protein Rb, and MYCN in polyamine inhibitor-induced G1 cell cycle arrest in MYCN-amplified human neuroblastoma cells. Oncogene, 24, 5606-5618.

Active Grants

A.S. Bachmann, Principal Investigator
NIH 5R01 CA111419-04
"Role of polyamines in MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma"
2006-2010

A.S. Bachmann, Principal Investigator
NIH 3R01 CA111419-04S1
"Research supplements to promote diversity in health-related research"
2007-2010

A.S. Bachmann, Principal Investigator
NIH 3R01 CA111419-04S2
"Research supplement in response to the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act"
2009-2010

A.S. Bachmann, Principal Investigator
Hawaii Community Foundation (HCF) 09ADVC-45411
"In Vivo Efficacy of Novel Proteasome Inhibitors in Neuroblastoma”
2009-2011

A.S. Bachmann, Principal Investigator
Hawaii Business and Entrepreneur Acceleration Mentors (HiBEAM)
"In vivo efficacy of novel proteasome inhibitor syringolin A in neuroblastoma"
2008-2010

A.S. Bachmann, Principal Investigator
Magic Water Foundation (Pediatric Cancer Research) A-2009-02246
"Neuroblastoma research"
2009-2011

D.T. Koomoa, Principal Investigator
Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF)
“DFMO-based Combination Therapy for Advanced Stage Neuroblastoma”
2009-2011

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