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Heidi S. Erickson, PhD

Present Title & Affiliation

Primary Appointment

Assistant Professor, Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

Bio Statement

 I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Thoracic/Head & Neck Medical Oncology, and a member of the Thoracic Molecular Pathology Lab (TMPL) at UT MD Anderson Cancer Center. One of my major research interests is technology/technique development for analyzing tissue-based biomarkers and molecular characterization of tumors for treatment and prevention of lung cancer and squamous cell carcinomas. I have expertise in molecular biomarker profiling and analysis of microdissected normal and neoplastic tissues and technology/technique development for analyzing tissue-based biomarkers in lung, prostate, and esophageal cancers. Dr. Erickson is actively involved in the UT Lung SPORE, a Co-Investigator within the BATTLE clinical trials program for personalized medicine in lung cancer, and serves as liason to MDACC Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory (clinical component for patient care). I will be actively participating in management committee meetings, coordinating and managing communications, and interacting with the other Cores, Projects, and Clinicians in this project. This will include frequent communication among project members and constructing a realistic research plan, timeline, and budget to ensure that the milestones are achieved. 

Education & Training

Degree-Granting Education

2002 University of Arizona, Tuscon, AZ, PHD, Pathobiology; Min: Microbiology & Immunology
1997 Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi, TX, MS, Mariculture
1991 Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, BS, Biomedical Science

Postgraduate Training

2004-2008 Post-Doctoral Cancer Research Training Award Fellow, Pathogenetics, National Institutes of Health (NIH) /National Cancer Institute (NCI), Bethesda, MD

Experience/Service

Academic Appointments

CRTA Post-Doctoral Fellow, Pathogenetics Unit, Laboratory of Pathology and Urologic Oncology Branch, National Institutes of Health (NIH) /National Cancer Institute (NCI), Bethesda, MD, 2004-2008
Technical Information Specialist, Institutional Animal Care Use Committees, Animal Welfare Information Center, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Beltsville, MD, 2002-2003

Other Appointments/Responsibilities

Faculty Senate, Senator –THNMO, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center,, Houston, TX, 2010-present
Representative, NIH Biospecimens Coordinating Committee, Bethesda, MD, 2007-2008
Representative, NCI Advanced Technology Center Safety Committee, Gaithersburg, MD, 2006-2008
NCI Basic Science Representative, NIH Fellows Committee (NIH FelCom), Bethesda, MD, 2005-2007
Joint Subcommittee on Aquaculture (JSA), United States Federal Congressional Subcommittee, Washington, DC, 2002-2003
Representative, United States Federal Interagency Program Planning Committee USDA/ARS/CSREES, Aquaculture, ARS-NAL, Washington, DC, 2002-2003

Consultantships

Consultant, National Institutes of Health (NIH) Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), Division of Epidemiology, Statistics & Prevention Research, Epidemiology Branch and Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Branch, Bethesda, 2009-2011

Honors and Awards

2011-present Clinical Research Loan Repayment Program Award, NIH
2009 Kleberg Center for Molecular Markers Technology Development Award, Biomarker Analysis of Fine Needle Aspirates for NCSLC Personalized Medicine
2008 Federal Technology Transfer Award, NCI
2007 Federal Technology Transfer Award, NCI
2006 Federal Technology Transfer Award, NCI
2004-2008 Cancer Research Training Award Fellowship, NCI
2002 Best Abstract Award
1996 Best Abstract Award

Professional Memberships

AACR
Member, 2004-present
ASCO
Member, 2008-present
IASLC
Member, 2008-present
NIH Biospecimens Coordinating Committee
Member, 2007-2008
Society of Integrative Oncology
Abstract Review Committee, Judge, 2007
Basic Science Research Session, Moderator, 2007
Member, 2006-2008
Scientific Program Committee Member, 2006-2008

Selected Publications

Peer-Reviewed Original Research Articles
1. Erickson HS, Rodriguez-Canales J, Albert PS, Ylaya C, Mukherjee S, Hu N, Goldstein AM, Chuaqui R, Taylor PR, Hewitt SA, Emmert-Buck MR. Interrogation of Chromosome 13q12-14 in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma. The Open Pathology Journal. In Press.
2. Welsh JW, Likhacheva A, Byers LA, Diao L, Wang J, Allen PK, Minna, JD, Ihle NT, Powis G, Das AK, Erickson HS, Girard L,. KRAS Mutation Status: Implications for Outcome in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer after Definitive Radiation Therapy. In Press.
3. Sen B, Peng S, Tang X, Erickson HS, Galindo H, Mazumdar T, Stewart DJ, Wistuba I, Johnson FM. Kinase-Impaired BRAF Mutations in Lung Cancer Confer Sensitivity to Dasatinib. Sci Transl Med 4(136):136ra70, 5/30/2012. PMID: 22649091.
4. Erickson HS. Measuring Molecular Biomarkers in Epidemiologic Studies: Laboratory Techniques and Biospecimen Considerations. Stat Med. e-Pub 5/17/2012. PMID: 22593027.
5. Yan W, Shih JH, Rodriguez-Canales J, Tangrea MA, Ylaya K, Hipp J, Player A, Hu N, Goldstein AM, Taylor PR, Emmert-Buck MR, Erickson HS. Identification of unique expression signatures and therapeutic targets in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. BMC Res Notes 5(1):73, 2012. e-Pub 1/26/2012. PMCID: PMC3283499.
6. Zhu L, Yan W, Rodriguez-Canales J, Rosenberg AM, Hu N, Goldstein AM, Taylor PR, Erickson HS, Emmert-Buck MR, Tangrea MA. MicroRNA analysis of microdissected normal squamous esophageal epithelium and tumor cells. Am J Cancer Res 1(5):574-584, 2011. PMCID: PMC3142940.
7. Erickson HS, Gannot G, Tangrea MA, Chuaqui RF, Gillespie JW, Emmert-Buck MR. High throughput screening of normal and neoplastic tissue samples. Comb Chem High Throughput Screen 13(3):253-67, 3/2010. PMID: 20015016.
8. Mukherjee S, Roth MJ, Dawsey SM, Yan W, Rodriguez-Canales J, Erickson HS, Hu N, Goldstein AM, Taylor PR, Richardson AM, Tangrea MA, Chuaqui RF, Emmert-Buck MR. Increased matrix metalloproteinase activation in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. J Transl Med 8:91, 2010. e-Pub 10/5/2010. PMCID: PMC2958908.
9. Erickson HS, Josephson JW, Vira M, Albert PS, Gillespie JW, Rodriguez-Canales J, Pinto PA, Chuaqui RF, Emmert-Buck MR, Coleman JA. Influence of hypoxia induced by minimally invasive prostatectomy on gene expression: implications for biomarker analysis. Am J Transl Res 2(3):210-22, 2010. e-Pub 4/10/2010. PMCID: PMC2892411.
10. Armani M, Rodriguez-Canales J, Gillespie J, Tangrea M, Erickson H, Emmert-Buck MR, Shapiro B, Smela E. 2D-PCR: a method of mapping DNA in tissue sections. Lab Chip 9(24):3526-34, 12/21/2009. e-Pub 10/12/2009. PMCID: PMC2910845.
11. Mukherjee S, Richardson AM, Rodriguez-Canales J, Ylaya K, Erickson HS, Player A, Kawasaki ES, Pinto PA, Choyke PL, Merino MJ, Albert PS, Chuaqui RF, Emmert-Buck MR. Identification of EpCAM as a molecular target of prostate cancer stroma. Am J Pathol 175(6):2277-87, 12/2009. e-Pub 10/2009. PMCID: PMC2789605.
12. Erickson HS, Albert PS, Gillespie JW, Rodriguez-Canales J, Marston Linehan W, Pinto PA, Chuaqui RF, Emmert-Buck MR. Quantitative RT-PCR gene expression analysis of laser microdissected tissue samples. Nat Protoc 4(6):902-22, 2009. e-Pub 5/21/2009. PMCID: PMC2760821.
13. Erickson HS, Gillespie JW, Emmert-Buck MR. Tissue microdissection. Methods Mol Biol 424:433-48, 2008. PMID: 18369881.
14. Richardson AM, Woodson K, Wang Y, Rodriguez-Canales J, Erickson HS, Tangrea MA, Novakovic K, Gonzalez S, Velasco A, Kawasaki ES, Emmert-Buck MR, Chuaqui RF, Player A. Global expression analysis of prostate cancer-associated stroma and epithelia. Diagn Mol Pathol 16(4):189-97, 12/2007. PMID: 18043281.
15. Erickson HS, Albert PS, Gillespie JW, Wallis BS, Rodriguez-Canales J, Linehan WM, Gonzalez S, Velasco A, Chuaqui RF, Emmert-Buck MR. Assessment of normalization strategies for quantitative RT-PCR using microdissected tissue samples. Lab Invest 87(9):951-62, 9/2007. e-Pub 7/23/2007. PMID: 17643124.
16. Gannot G, Tangrea MA, Erickson HS, Pinto PA, Hewitt SM, Chuaqui RF, Gillespie JW, Emmert-Buck MR. Layered peptide array for multiplex immunohistochemistry. J Mol Diagn 9(3):297-304, 7/2007. PMCID: PMC1899424.
17. Rodriguez-Canales J, Hanson JC, Tangrea MA, Erickson HS, Albert PS, Wallis BS, Richardson AM, Pinto PA, Linehan WM, Gillespie JW, Merino MJ, Libutti SK, Woodson KG, Emmert-Buck MR, Chuaqui RF. Identification of a unique epigenetic sub-microenvironment in prostate cancer. J Pathol 211(4):410-9, 3/2007. PMID: 17278115.
18. Grover AC, Tangrea MA, Woodson KG, Wallis BS, Hanson JC, Chuaqui RF, Gillespie JW, Erickson HS, Bonner RF, Pohida TJ, Emmert-Buck MR, Libutti SK. Tumor-associated endothelial cells display GSTP1 and RARbeta2 promoter methylation in human prostate cancer. J Transl Med 4:13, 2006. e-Pub 3/2006. PMCID: PMC1420331.
19. Gannot G, Tangrea MA, Gillespie JW, Erickson HS, Wallis BS, Leakan RA, Knezevic V, Hartmann DP, Chuaqui RF, Emmert-Buck MR. Layered peptide arrays: high-throughput antibody screening of clinical samples. J Mol Diagn 7(4):427-36, 10/2005. PMCID: PMC1876163.
20. Erickson HS, Poulos BT, Tang KF, Bradley-Dunlop D, Lightner DV. Taura syndrome virus from Belize represents a unique variant. Dis Aquat Organ 64(2):91-8, 4/18/2005. PMID: 15918471.
21. Erickson HS, Zarain-Herzberg M, Lightner DV. Detection of Taura syndrome virus (TSV) strain differences using selected diagnostic methods: diagnostic implications in penaeid shrimp. Dis Aquat Organ 52(1):1-10, 11/7/2002. PMID: 12517000.
22. Erickson HS. Penaeus stylirostris Larval Development Stages as Viewed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Microscopy Research and Technique. Submitted.

Abstracts
1. Xie Y, Xiao G, Coombes KR, Behrens C, Solis LM, Raso G, Girard L, Erickson HS, Roth J, Heymach JV, Moran C, Danenberg K, Minna JD, Wistuba II. Robust gene expression signature from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded samples predicts prognosis of non-small-cell lung cancer patients. Clin Cancer Res 17(17):5705-14, 9/2011. e-Pub 7/2011. PMCID: PMC3166982.
2. Erickson HS, Gillespie J, Asante J, Rodriguez-Canales J, Josephson JW, Pinto PA. Advancing Cancer Research through Biospecimen Science. Clinical Pathology Prostate Tissue Relational Database. Submitted.
3. Yan W, Shih J, Raso M, Rodriguez-Canales J, Behrens C, Wistuba I, Erickson HS,. Characterization of targeted-therapy related molecular biomarkers from NSCLC ever-smokers versus never-smokers by a novel qRT-PCR for microdissected tissues methodology. AACR-IASLC Joint Conference on Molecular Origins of Lung Cancer. Submitted.
4. Erickson HS, Gillespie J, Asante J, Rodriguez-Canales J, Josephson J. Clinical Pathology Prostate Tissue Relational Database. Experimental Biology (EB). Joint EB, ASIP Annual Meeting 2007. Submitted.
5. Mukherjee S, Richardson A, Rodriguez-Canales J, Erickson HS, Player A. EpCAM: A Stromal Target for Prostate Cancer. 2008 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), 99th Annual Meeting 2008. Submitted.
6. Erickson HS, Rodriguez-Canales J, Albert P, Yan W, MukherjeeS, Hu N, Goldstein A. Expression Analysis of Transcripts on Chromosome Band 13q12 in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma. American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), 100th Annual Meeting, 2009. Submitted.
7. Galindo H, Suraokar M, Behrens C, Woods DM, Kalhor N, Aldape K, Fujimoto J, Herbst R, Erickson HS, Wistuba I. Identification of Prostate Stem Cell Antigen (PSCA) as a Potential Marker for Lung Cancer Brain Metastasis. American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), 102nd Annual Meeting, 2011. Submitted.
8. Erickson HS, Hanson NE, Stemke-Hale K, Galindo H, Giri U, McDowell C, Girard L, Lee J. MALDI-TOF MS Mutation Analysis for NSCLC Circulating Tumor Cells. International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC), 14th World Conference on Lung Cancer. Submitted.
9. Yan W, Shih J, Rodriguez-Canales J, Hu N, Goldstein A, Taylor P, Emmert-Buck M, Erickson HS. Measurement of Intra-Tumor Transcriptome Heterogeneity in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma. AACR-NCI Conference on Systems Biology: Confronting the Complexity of Cancer. Submitted.
10. Rodriguez J, Hanson J, Richardson A, Novakovic K, Erickson HS, Pinto PA, Linehan WM,. Methylation of isolated CpGs of the GSTP1 promoter in non-neoplastic prostate tissues: possible early preneoplastic changes?. 2007 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), 98th Annual Meeting 2007. Submitted.
11. Yan W, Shih J, Rodriguez-Canales J, Hipp J, Player A, Hu N, Erickson HS. Molecular Pathway Analysis of Esophageal Squamous Cell Differentiation versus Carcinoma Formation. American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), 101th Annual Meeting, 2010. Submitted.
12. Erickson HS, Rodriguez-Canales J, Albert P, Mukherjee S, Hu N, Goldstein A. Searching for 13q Key Players in Esophageal Squamous-Cell Carcinogenesis by qRT-PCR of Microdissected Tissues. The 5th NCI Early Detection Research Network (EDRN) Scientific Workshop 2008. Submitted.
13. Yan W, Shih J, Raso G, Rodriguez-Canales J, Behrens C, Vali A. Papadimitrakopoulou V, Herbst RS, Emmert-Buck MR, Wistuba I, Erickson HS. Targeted-therapy related molecular biomarker characterization in NSCLC smokers and never-smokers bya novel qRT-PCR for microdissected tissues methodology. American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), 101th Annual Meeting, 2010,. Submitted.
14. Gillespie J, Moore H, Dang H, Espina B, Player A, Kawasaki E, Erickson HS,. The NCI Biospecimen Research Network. Experimental Biology 2007. Submitted.

Book Chapters
1. Erickson HS, Gillespie JW, Emmert-Buck MR. Tissue Microdissection. In: 2D PAGE: Sample Preparation and Fractionation, Volume 1. Series: Methods in Molecular Biology. 424. Ed(s) Anton Posch. Methods in Molecular Biology Book Series. Humana Press, Inc: Totowana, New Jersey, 2008. ISBN: ISBN: 978-1-58829-722-8.

Grant & Contract Support

Title: SBIR: “Comprehensive, High Sensitivity Mutation Profiling of Clinical FFPE Tumor Samples”
Funding Source: NIH/NCI
Role: Co-Principal Investigator
Duration: 9/1/2011 - 8/31/2012
 
Title: Comprehensive Analysis of Clinically Actionable Mutations
Funding Source: Asuragen, Inc
Role: Principal Investigator-MDACC
Duration: 9/2011 - 8/2012
 
Title: BATTLE-2: Personalizing Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) Therapy
Funding Source: NIH/NCI
Role: Co-Investigator
Duration: 4/1/2011 - 3/31/2016
 
Title: Personalizing NSCLC Therapy: Exploiting KRAS activated pathways
Funding Source: NIH/NCI
Role: Co-Investigator
Duration: 4/1/2011 - 3/31/2016
 
Title: A Biomarker-integrated Study in Previously Treated Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (BATTLE-II)
Funding Source: Merck
Role: Co-Investigator
Principal Investigator: Papadimitrakopoulou
Duration: 12/10/2010 - 12/31/2014
 
Title: Mutation Analysis of Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Lung
Funding Source: AstraZeneca Research Collaboration Alliance
Role: Co-Investigator
Duration: 10/25/2010 - 10/31/2012
 
Title: Personalizing Medicine: The Identification of Biomarkers for Predicting Response to Treatment in Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer
Funding Source: V-Foundation for Cancer Research Translational Grant
Role: Principal Investigator
Duration: 10/1/2010 - 9/30/2013
 
Title: Antibody-free microfluidic isolation and molecular analysis of circulating cancer cells
Funding Source: Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT)
Role: Co-Investigator
Duration: 5/1/2010 - 4/30/2013
 
Title: Stand Up To Cancer Dream Team: Bioengineering and Clinical Applications of Circulating Tumor Cell Chip
Funding Source: American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
Role: Co-Investigator
Principal Investigator: Haber
Duration: 12/1/2009 - 11/30/2012
 
Title: Biomarker Analysis of Fine Needle Aspirates (FNA) for NCSLC Personalized Medicine
Funding Source: Kleberg Center for Molecular Markers Technology Development
Role: Principal Investigator
Duration: 12/1/2009 - 11/30/2011
 
Title: BATTLE-2 Biomarker Analysis of Core Needle Biopsies and Fine Needle Aspirates
Funding Source: Cohen-Reinhauch Foundation
Role: Co-Investigator
Duration: 10/1/2008 - 9/30/2010
 
Title: Lung SPORE Grant UT-SWMC/UT-MDACC, Core B
Funding Source: NIH/NCI
Role: Collaborator
Duration: 8/1/2008 - 7/31/2013

Last updated: 8/30/2012