Dr. Ebba Kurz
Positions
Professor
Cumming School of Medicine, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology
Member
Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute
Contact information
Web presence
Phone number
Office: 403.210.8191
Lab: 403.210.6306
Location
Office: HRIC2AA10
Preferred method of communication
Administrative Assistant
Patti Konschuh
Email: patricia.konschuh1@ucalgary.ca
Telephone: 403.210.7794
Background
Educational Background
B.S. Life Sciences, Queen's University, 1991
Ph.D. Pharmacology and Toxicology, Queen's University, 1998
Biography
Dr. Kurz is a Professor in the Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Director of the O’Brien Centre for the Bachelor of Health Sciences program and the Associate Dean (Undergraduate Health & Science Education) in the Cumming School of Medicine. She obtained her PhD from Queen’s University (Kingston, ON) and undertook post-doctoral training at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and the University of Calgary before opening her own lab in Calgary in 2006.
Research
Areas of Research
- Topoisomerase II
- DNA Damage and Repair
- Breast Cancer
- Genomic Stability
- Chemotherapeutics
Our laboratory studies topoisomerase IIα (TOP2A) and topoisomerase IIβ (TOP2B), evolutionarily conserved enzymes that are key to untangling and unwinding intertwined strands of DNA. Faulty regulation of these processes, which can lead to genomic instability and the accumulation of mutations, can contribute to the development and spread of cancer. Topo II contributes to cell proliferation by undertaking the formidable task of separating sister chromatids prior to mitosis, as well as untangling intertwined DNA during replication and transcription. In keeping with its indispensable nature, topo II is also the target of a number of widely used anti-tumour chemotherapeutics (including doxorubicin and etoposide).
Role of topoisomerase in DNA damage detection and repair
The importance of maintaining genomic stability is reflected in the vast number of gene products that are associated with DNA damage detection and repair; to date, more than 200 genes have been directly linked to these processes and many are conserved across eukaryotes. Given the importance of maintaining genomic stability, identification and characterization of proteins that engage in the cellular response to damaged DNA remains an ongoing area of intense investigation; our laboratory is currently exploring the role of topoisomerases in these pathways.
Role of salicylate in modulating chemotherapeutic efficacy in breast cancer
We identified salicylate, the primary metabolite of aspirin, as a novel, isoform-selective catalytic inhibitor of TOP2A and have demonstrated that pretreatment with salicylate decreases the cytotoxicity of common TOP2-targeting chemotherapeutics in breast cancer cells. We have determined the mechanistic basis for this inhibition and are now exploring the impact of salicylates on chemotherapeutic efficacy in a breast tumour model in vivo.
Development of patient-derived tools for the study of breast cancer in young women
Breast cancer diagnosed in women under the age of 40 is a clinically distinct entity with generally poor outcomesyet our understanding of the underlying biology is lacking. As part of the Calgary-based IN-SYNC collaboration, we are launching a pilot study to generate patient-derived tools (xenografts and organoid cultures) from young women with breast cancer to facilitate advances in research into our understanding of this disease.
Courses
| Course number | Course title | Semester |
|---|---|---|
| CMMB 561 LEC 01 01 | (MDSC 561) Cancer Biology | 2021 |
| MDSC 308 LEC 01 01 | Interdisc Research Approaches | 2021 |
| MDSC 308 LEC 01 01 | Interdisc Research Approaches | 2020 |
| MDSC 561 LEC 01 01 | (CMMB 561)Cancer Biology | 2020 |
Awards
- studentship, Alberta Innovates. 2017
- award, 2016
- studentship, University of Calgary. 2016
- Nomination, 2015
- award, 2014
- award, 2013
- award (honourable mention), 2013
- studentship, 2011
Publications
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