Natividad Fuentes
Department of Cancer Biology, Division of Division of Discovery Science
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Assistant Professor, Department of Cancer Biology, Division of Discovery Science, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment
Assistant Professor, Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2017 | Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, US, Toxicology, Ph.D |
| 2012 | Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi, Texas, US, Cell/Molecular Biology, B.S |
| 2011 | Del Mar College, Corpus Christi, Texas, US, Biology, A.S |
Postgraduate Training
| 2020-2023 | Postgraduate Fellow, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas |
| 2017-2019 | Postgraduate Fellow, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas |
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Kim E, Erazo-Oliveras A, Munoz-Vega M, Fuentes NR, Salinas ML, George MJ, Zoh RS, Hensel ME, Patil BS, Ivanov I, Turner ND, Chapkin RS. Diet therapy abates mutant APC and KRas effects by reshaping plasma membrane cholesterol nanodomains. Biophys J 124(3):508-527, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 39709523.
- Garcia Garcia CJ, Huang Y, Fuentes NR, Turner MC, Monberg ME, Lin D, Nguyen ND, Fujimoto TN, Zhao J, Lee JJ, Bernard V, Yu M, Delahoussaye AM, Jimenez Sacarello I, Caggiano EG, Phan JL, Deorukhkar A, Molkentine JM, Saur D, Maitra A, Taniguchi CM. Stromal HIF2 Regulates Immune Suppression in the Pancreatic Cancer Microenvironment. Gastroenterology 162(7):2018-2031, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35216965.
- Fuentes NR, Salinas ML, Wang X, Fan YY, Chapkin RS. Assessment of Plasma Membrane Fatty Acid Composition and Fluidity Using Imaging Flow Cytometry. Methods Mol Biol 2262(None):251-258, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33977481.
- Fuentes NR, Mlih M, Wang X, Webster G, Cortes-Acosta S, Salinas ML, Corbin IR, Karpac J, Chapkin RS. Membrane therapy using DHA suppresses epidermal growth factor receptor signaling by disrupting nanocluster formation. J Lipid Res 62(None):100026, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33515553.
- Salinas ML, Fuentes NR, Choate R, Wright RC, McMurray DN, Chapkin RS. AdipoRon Attenuates Wnt Signaling by Reducing Cholesterol-Dependent Plasma Membrane Rigidity. Biophys J 118(4):885-897, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 31630812.
- Fuentes NR, Mlih M, Barhoumi R, Fan YY, Hardin P, Steele TJ, Behmer S, Prior IA, Karpac J, Chapkin RS. Long-Chain n-3 Fatty Acids Attenuate Oncogenic KRas-Driven Proliferation by Altering Plasma Membrane Nanoscale Proteolipid Composition. Cancer Res 78(14):3899-3912, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 29769200.
- Fan YY, Fuentes NR, Hou TY, Barhoumi R, Li XC, Deutz NEP, Engelen MPKJ, McMurray DN, Chapkin RS. Remodelling of primary human CD4+ T cell plasma membrane order by n-3 PUFA. Br J Nutr 119(2):163-175, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 29249211.
- Chapkin RS, DeClercq V, Kim E, Fuentes NR, Fan YY. Mechanisms by Which Pleiotropic Amphiphilic n-3 PUFA Reduce Colon Cancer Risk. Curr Colorectal Cancer Rep 10(4):442-452, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 25400530.
Other Articles
- Fuentes NR, Phan J, Huang Y, Lin D, Taniguchi CM Resolving the HIF paradox in pancreatic cancer. Cancer Lett 489(None):50-55, 2020. PMID: 32512024.
- Fuentes NR, Kim E, Fan YY, Chapkin RS Omega-3 fatty acids, membrane remodeling and cancer prevention. Mol Aspects Med 64(None):79-91, 2018. PMID: 29627343.
- Erazo-Oliveras A, Fuentes NR, Wright RC, Chapkin RS Functional link between plasma membrane spatiotemporal dynamics, cancer biology, and dietary membrane-altering agents. Cancer Metastasis Rev 37(2-3):519-544, 2018. PMID: 29860560.
- Fuentes NR, Salinas ML, Kim E, Chapkin RS Emerging role of chemoprotective agents in the dynamic shaping of plasma membrane organization. Biochim Biophys Acta Biomembr 1859(9 Pt B):1668-1678, 2017. PMID: 28342710.
- Hou TY, Davidson LA, Kim E, Fan YY, Fuentes NR, Triff K, Chapkin RS Nutrient-Gene Interaction in Colon Cancer, from the Membrane to Cellular Physiology. Annu Rev Nutr 36(None):543-70, 2016. PMID: 27431370.
Editorials
- Fuentes NR, Taniguchi CM. Turning Down Oxygen to Turn Up Inflammation in CAFs. Cancer Res 83(10):1560-1562, 2023. PMID: 37183657.
Grant & Contract Support
| Title: | NCI Research Supplements to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research |
| Funding Source: | NIH |
| Role: | Key |
| Title: | Postdoctoral Training Grant - Regulatory Science in Environmental Health and Toxicology |
| Funding Source: | NIH |
| Role: | Key |
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified February 21, 2025