Nathalie Y. R. Agar, Ph.D.
Research Fellow, Black Laboratory
Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital

221 Longwood Ave.
Room 121
Boston , MA , 02115
Tel: 617-278-0176
Fax: 617-232-9029
nagar@rics.bwh.harvard.edu

One of my current research projects consists of the initial characterization of a protein involved in glioma cellular movement, affecting both invasion and division. Mass spectrometry analysis of the purified protein, from two different cell lines, indicates that the protein potentially interacts with ß-actin and some intermediate filaments constituting a major lead in identifying this novel protein function. As an actor in cellular movement, this novel protein activity could become an interesting target for anti-cancer drug development. This project is lead in collaboration with Dr. Rolando Del Maestro from McGill University , with whom I initiated the project. In the same interest of improving the care of neurooncology patients, I have been developing a mass spectrometry imaging project in collaboration with Dr. Jeffrey Agar from Brandeis University . This new method of characterizing brain tumor tissue specimens will enable us to obtain extensive and accurate molecular information at the time of surgery, contributing greatly to the design of efficient personalized treatment.


Research Background

Education

B.Sc., Biochemistry , Laval University, Quebec, Canada, 1997

Ph.D., Chemistry , Concordia University , Montreal, Canada, 2002

Postdoctoral Training

2002-2005 Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Brain Tumor Research Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

2005-present Department of Neurosurgery, Harvard Medical School , Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston , MA , USA


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