UROLOGY RESEARCH FACULTY
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Natasha Kyprianou, Ph.D.
James F. Hardymon Chair of Urology Research
Professor of Surgery/Urology
Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry
Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Professor of Toxicology
(859) 323-9812
e-mail: nkypr2@email.uky.edu
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Kyprianou Lab Research Focus
Our research efforts focus on the identification of the molecular changes in the apoptotic cell death signaling contributing to the development and progression of human prostate cancer. Current studies using in vitro and in vivo approaches investigate the molecular mechanisms and cellular events functionally involved in the impairment of transforming growth factor-beta signaling pathway and the resulting loss of apoptosis and cell cycle regulation in urologic tumors. At the translational level, our work seeks to characterize novel molecular markers for prostate and bladder cancer progression to metastastic disease and therapeutic response to androgen-ablation and radiotherapy, using pathological specimens of human tumors. At the mechanistic level, our research investigations utilize proteomics technology to dissect the mechanism of anoikis signaling in prostate cancer cells and optimize the molecular targeting of key apoptosis regulators for the treatment of metastatic prostate cancer. Key publications from this lab can be found here.
Kyprianou Lab Personnel
 | Hong Pu, MD, Ph.D
I received my M.D. from Jiangxi Medical College in China. In the beginning of my career as a physician I was a Research Assistant and Assistant Professor at Shanghai Railway Medical School in China. In 1991, I moved to Japan where I earned my Ph.D. degree in Cell Biology, Institute of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Okayama University Medical School, Japan in 1998. Afterwards I worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow and Research Associate at Okayama University Medical School in Japan before I moved to the US as a Research Associate in the Department of Surgery at the University of Kentucky. I am currently a Staff Scientist in the Department of Urology and in charge of the transgenic mouse projects. My research focuses on transforming growth factor-beta (TGF- beta) signaling pathway during prostate cancer progression in animal models. In my free time I enjoy spending time with my family, music and making delicious Asian food.
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Brian Zhu, MD, Ph.D.
I am a post-doctoral research fellow in Urology and Molecular Biochemistry and an American Urological Association ( AUA) Research Scholar. I received both my MD and PhD degrees in China Medical University. I came to US to pursue research training in cancer biology. I joined Dr. Kyprianou’ laboratory in 2004 to apply proteomic technology to study novel TGF-beta signaling effectors in apoptosis in prostate cancer. Besides science, I like trivial pursuit, music and home improvement. Because my background as a surgeon, I’m capable of fixing living and non-living things. |
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Menglei Zhu, MD, Ph.D.
I am a graduate student in the Toxicology Program at UK. I grew up in North China and graduated from Peking University with a degree in Medicine. I came to pursue a Ph.D. degree at the University of Kentucky in 2004. I joined Dr. Kyprianou’s laboratory to study the mechanisms of androgen receptor signaling deregulation contributing to the development of hormone-refractory prostate cancer. Besides science, I like cooking, sewing and shopping.
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 | Shinichi Sakamoto, MD, Ph.D.
I am an urologist and a clinician-scientist from Japan. I grew up in Yokohama, Japan and have received both my MD and Ph D degrees from Chiba University, Japan in 2005. Chiba is a University town geographically close to Tokyo and well known for the location of Narita International Airport as well as the long east coast beach that provides wonderful waves and surfing opportunities. As a young university student I used to be a competitive Surfer as well as Baseball player. I was semi-finalist at the surfing tournaments a few times and I won the baseball league (Kanto Medical League) championship twice.
Now at the University of Kentucky, I am “surfing” non-stop in the Urology Research Laboratory to catch the “biggest wave” towards curing prostate cancer and saving lives.
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 | Joanne Collazo
I am a Master’s student in the Toxicology program at UK. I grew up in Vega Baja a small town near the beach on the beautiful island of Puerto Rico. I received my BS degree in Natural Sciences from the University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras campus. I came to pursue a Master’s Degree and a Ph.D. Degree in Toxicology and to start a new life in Kentucky with my husband and best friend Herminio. I joined Dr. Kyprianou’s laboratory as a Research Assistant to help Dr. Hong Pu with the transgenic mouse projects that focus on the transforming growth factor (TGF-beta) signaling pathway during prostate cancer progression in animal models. My passions are: the ocean, science, reading and learning new things.
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 | Dustin Gayheart
I am a medical student at the University of Kentucky in the class of 2010. I was born and raised in Richmond, Kentucky. I completed my Bachelors of Science degree in Agriculture Biotechnology from the University of Kentucky in 2006. During my first-year of Medical School I received the General Clinical Research Center Mentored Student Award, which provides grants to students in the College of Medicine to pursue research during their medical training. Under Dr. Kyprianou’s mentorship, my research project is to study the phenotype of PARP-knockout mice and use that model for apoptosis-based therapeutic targeting in cancer. Outside of school I enjoy horse-riding and gardening and spending time with my family, especially my wife Dana and daughter Hadley.
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