Monica E. McCallum, PhD

Dr. McCallum studies a compound, called alanosine, which exhibits anti-cancer activity against cells from sarcomas, mesothelioma, and pancreatic cancer. This compound is produced by a soil-dwelling bacterium. She seeks to elucidate how bacteria produce alanosine. Understanding the genes and enzymes that assemble this molecule will guide the discovery of additional novel chemotherapeutic agents that may be produced by bacteria.