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Julie A. Ellerhorst, MD, PhD

Present Title & Affiliation

Primary Appointment

Associate Professor, Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology - Research, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Faculty Member, The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX

Research Interests

I am involved in several melanoma research projects.  We are studying the role of hormones of the thyroid control loop, specifically, TRH and TSH, in the promotion of melanoma.  We are also examining the nitric oxide-producing enzyme iNOS as a predictor of outcome for patients with advanced melanoma as well as the regulation of iNOS by upstream activating mutations of the MAPK pathway.  In addition, I am part of a research group studying the tumor suppressor molecule MDA-7 as gene therapy for patients with melanoma.

My second area of interest is renal cell carcinoma (RCC). We have found that autoimmunity-associated HLA class II haplotypes are associated with favorable outcomes for patient with RCC.  We are now investigating the molecular and genetic basis for that association.

Office Address

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
1515 Holcombe Blvd.
Unit Number: Unit 362
Houston, TX 77030
Room Number: Y8.5361
Phone: 713-792-8990
Fax: 713-563-3531
Email: jaellerh@mdanderson.org

Education & Training

Degree-Granting Education

1998 University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, PHD, Tumor Biology
1984 Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, MD, Medicine

Postgraduate Training

1999-2002 Postdoctoral Fellow (Research), The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
1988-1991 Clinical Fellow, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
1985-1988 Intern and Resident, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
1984-1985 Postdoctoral Fellow, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX

Board Certifications

2003 Recertification, Medical Oncology
1994 Subspecialty of Medical Oncology
1988 American Board of Internal Medicine

Experience/Service

Academic Appointments

Associate Professor, Department of Experimental Therapeutics, Division of Cancer Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2005-2010

Selected Publications

Peer-Reviewed Original Research Articles
1. Ellerhorst JA, Prieto VG, Ekmekcioglu S, Broemeling L, Yekell S, Chada S, Grimm EA. Loss of MDA-7 expression with progression of melanoma. J Clin Oncol 20(4):1069-74, 2/15/2002. PMID: 11844832.
2. Ellerhorst JA, Hildebrand WH, Cavett JW, Fernandez-Vina MA, Hodges S, Poindexter N, Fischer H, Grimm EA. Heterozygosity or homozygosity for 2 HLA class II haplotypes predict favorable outcomes for renal cell carcinoma treated with cytokine therapy. J Urol 169(6):2084-8, 6/2003. PMID: 12771724.
3. Ellerhorst JA, Cooksley CD, Broemeling L, Johnson MM, Grimm EA. High prevalence of hypothyroidism among patients with cutaneous melanoma. Oncol Rep 10(5):1317-20, Sep-Oct, 9/2003. PMID: 12883700.
4. Ekmekcioglu S, Ellerhorst JA, Mumm JB, Zheng M, Broemeling L, Prieto VG, Stewart AL, Mhashilkar AM, Chada S, Grimm EA. Negative association of melanoma differentiation-associated gene (mda-7) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in human melanoma: MDA-7 regulates iNOS expression in melanoma cells. Mol Cancer Ther 2(1):9-17, 1/2003. PMID: 12533668.
5. Ellerhorst JA, Sendi-Naderi A, Johnson MK, Cooke CP, Dang SM, Diwan AH. Human melanoma cells express functional receptors for thyroid-stimulating hormone. Endocr Relat Cancer 13(4):1269-77, 12/2006. PMID: 17158770.
6. Ellerhorst JA, Ekmekcioglu S, Johnson MK, Cooke CP, Johnson MM, Grimm EA. Regulation of iNOS by the p44/42 mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway in human melanoma. Oncogene 25(28):3956-62, 6/2006. e-Pub 2/2006. PMID: 16474847.
7. Ekmekcioglu S, Ellerhorst JA, Prieto VG, Johnson MM, Broemeling LD, Grimm EA. Tumor iNOS predicts poor survival for stage III melanoma patients. Int J Cancer 15(4):861-6, 8/15/2006. e-Pub 2006. PMID: 16557582.
8. Uffort DG, Grimm EA, Ellerhorst JA. NF-kappaB Mediates Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Pathway-Dependent iNOS Expression in Human Melanoma. J Invest Dermatol 129(1):148-54, 1/2009. e-Pub 7/31/2008. PMCID: PMC2758038.
9. Diwan AH, Dang SM, Prieto VG, Ellerhorst JA. Lack of maturation with anti-leptin receptor antibody in melanoma but not in nevi. Mod Pathol 22(1):103-6, 1/2009. e-Pub 10/3/2008. PMID: 18836419.
10. Greene VR, Johnson MM, Grimm EA, Ellerhorst JA. Frequencies of NRAS and BRAF Mutations Increase from the Radial to the Vertical Growth Phase in Cutaneous Melanoma. J Invest Dermatol 129(6):1483-8, 6/2009. e-Pub 11/2008. PMCID: PMC2741006.
11. Zafar GI, Grimm EA, Wei W, Johnson MM, Ellerhorst JA. Genetic deficiency of complement isoforms C4A or C4B predicts improved survival of metastatic renal cell carcinoma. J Urol 181(3):1028-34; discussion 1034, 3/2009. e-Pub 1/16/2009. PMCID: PMC2739625.

Last updated: 11/20/2012