Research Areas
Cancer Treatment: In collaboration with Dr. Leo Bleris, Dr. Yi Li, Dr. Martin-Broto and others we are studying a rare sarcoma called Solitary Fibrous Tumor (SFT). SFT is thought to be driven by a single gene mutation, a fusion between the gene NAB2 and gene STAT6 on chromosome 12. Due to the rarity of the cancer first we developed 2 cell lines of SFT using CRISPR to insert the NAB2-STAT6 fusion. Now we are developing approaches to target and reverse the RNA transcript of the gene fusion via CRISPR and ASO. We have also explored small molecules that were identified to inhibit oncogenesis through high-throughput drug screening. Lastly, we are exploring the possibility of a novel peptide which we could target using engineered T-Cell immunotherapy.
peer-reviewed publications
- Li Y, Nguyen JT, Ammanamanchi M, Zhou Z, Harbut EF, Mondaza-Hernandez JL, Meyer CA, Moura DS, Martin-Broto J, Hayenga HN, Bleris L. Reduction of Tumor Growth with RNA-Targeting Treatment of the NAB2-STAT6 Fusion Transcript in Solitary Fibrous Tumor Models. Cancers (Basel). 2023 Jun 9;15(12):3127. doi: 10.3390/cancers15123127. PMID: 37370737; PMCID: PMC10296122.
- Leong TW, Pal A, Cai Q, Gao Z, Li X, Bleris L, Hayenga HN, Qin Z. Clinical Gene Therapy Development for the Central Nervous System: Candidates and Challenges for AAVs. Journal of Controlled Release. April 20, 2023. 357:511-530. doi: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2023.04.009. Epub 2023 Apr 21. PMID: 37040842.
- Ayeeshik Kole, Feng Hua, Yongliang Wei, Kimberly Carlson, Heather N. Hayenga, Subhash Banerjee. Plaque Characteristics by VH-IVUS Show No Association with Lipid-Lowering Therapy in Short-term Follow-up Post-Acute Coronary Syndrome: Analysis from the PREMIER Trial. JAHA. December 12, 2022. DOI: 10.1161/JAHA.122.028873
- Warren JL, Yoo JE, Meyer CA, Molony DS, Samady H, Hayenga HN. “Automated finite element approach to generate anatomical patient-specific biomechanical models of atherosclerotic arteries from virtual histology-intravascular ultrasound.” Front Med Technol. 2022 Nov 29;4:1008540.
- Bhui R, Hayenga HN. “Multiscale agent based modeling reveals IL-1β, TNF-α, and foam cell secretions are the significant factors during atherogenesis.” Journal of Theoretical Biology. Aug 2022. Submitted.
- Hayenga HN, Cai C, Fetzer D, White S, Kuban J, Wardak Z, Benjamin RS, Pan E, Strauss J, Gao B, Minna J, Martin-Broto J, Hinshaw L. “Rare solid and cystic presentation of hemangiopericytoma/solitary fibrous tumor: a case report.” Current Problems in Cancer: Case Reports. 2022 Mar 4:100149.
- Ammanamanchi M., Maurer ME, Hayenga HN. “Inflammation drives stiffness mediated uptake of lipoproteins in primary human macrophages and foam cell proliferation.”. Ann Biomed Eng. 2021 Dec;49(12):3425-3437.
- Circi U, Bennett RL, Bhui R, Molony DS, Samady H, Meyer CA, Hayenga HN, Leonardi S. “Assessment with clinical data of a coupled bio-hemodynamics numerical model to predict leukocyte adhesion in coronary arteries.” Sci Rep. 2021 Jun 16; 11(1): 12680.
- Li X, Vemireddy V, Cai Q, Xiong H, Kang P, Li X, Giannotta M, Hayenga HN, Pan E, Sirsi SR, Mateo C, Kleinfeld D, Greene C, Campbell M, Dejana E, Bachoo R, Qin Z. Reversibly Modulating the Blood-Brain Barrier by Laser Stimulation of Molecular-Targeted Nanoparticles. Nano Lett. 2021 Nov 24;21(22):9805-9815.
- Keshavarzian M, Meyer CA, Hayenga HN. “In Silico Tissue Engineering: A Coupled Agent-Based Finite Element Approach.” Tissue Eng Part C Methods. 2019; 25(11):641-654.
- Hayenga HN, Bishop AJ, Wardak Z, Sen C, Mickey B. “Intraspinal dissemination and local recurrence of an intracranial hemangiopericytoma: case report.” World Neurosurg. 2019 March; 123:68-75.
- Ciri U, Bhui R, Bailon-Cuba J, Hayenga HN, Leonardi S. “Dependence of leukocyte capture on instantaneous pulsatile flow.” J biomech. 2018; S0021-9290(18): 30423-8. Pubmed Link.
- Goodwin J, Choi H, Hsieh MH, Neugent ML, Ahn JM, Hayenga HN, Singh PK, Shackelford DB, Lee IK, Shulaev V, Dhar S, Takeda N, Kim JW. Targeting HIF-1α/PDK1 Axis by Dichloroacetate (DCA) Suppresses Bleomycin-induced Pulmonary Fibrosis. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 2017 Sep 15. doi: 10.1165/rcmb.2016-0186OC. Pubmed Link.
- Keshavarzian M, Meyer CA, Hayenga HN. "Mechanobiological model of arterial growth and remodeling. Biomech Model Mechanobiol. 2017 Aug 19. doi: 10.1007/s10237-017-0946-y. Pubmed Link.
- Bhui R, Hayenga HN. "An agent-based model of leukocyte transendothelial migration during atherogenesis." PLoS Computational Biology. May 25, 2017;13(5):e1005523. Pubmed Link.
- Wu RF, Liao C, Fu G, Hayenga HN, Yang K, Ma Z, Liu Z, Terada LS. "p66Shc couples mechanical signals to RhoA through FAK-dependent recruitement of p115-RhoGEF and GEF-H1." Mol Cell Biol. Aug 29, 2016. Pubmed Link.
- Adlerz KM, Aranda-Espinoza H, Hayenga HN. “Substrate elasticity regulates the behavior of human monocyte-derived macrophages.” Eur Biophys J. Nov 27, 2015. doi:10.1007/s00249-015-1096-8
- Hayenga HN, Aranda-Espinoza H. Stiffness increases mononuclear cell transendothelial migration. Cell Mol Bioeng. September 2013, Volume 6, Issue 3, pp 253-265). Springer Link
- Stroka KM, Hayenga HN, Aranda-Espinoza H. Human neutrophil cytoskeletal dynamics and contractility actively contribute to trans-endothelial migration. PLOS ONE. Apr 2013, 8(4):e61377.Pubmed Link
- Hayenga HN, Hu JJ, Meyer CA, Wilson E, Hein T, Kuo L, Humphrey JD. Differential progressive remodeling of coronary and cerebral arteries and arterioles in an aortic coarctation model of hypertension. Frontiers Vasc Physiol. Nov 2012, 3(420):1-16.Pubmed Link
- Munoz-Pinto DJ, Qu X, Bansal L, Hayenga HN, Hahn J, Hahn MS. Relative impact of form-induced stress vs. uniaxial alignment on multipotent stem cell myogenesis. Acta Biomater. Nov 2012, 8(11):3974-81.Pubmed Link
- Munoz-Pinto DJ, Jimenez-Vergara AC, Hou Y, Hayenga HN, Rivas A, Grunlan M, Hahn M. Osteogenic potential of poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(dimethylsiloxane) hybrid hydrogels. Tissue Eng Part A. Aug 2012, 18(15-16):1710-9.Pubmed Link
- Hayenga HN, Trache A, Trzeciakowski J, Humphrey JD. Regional atherosclerotic plaque properties in ApoE-/- mice quantified by atomic force, immunofluorescence, and light microscopy. J Vasc Res. Aug 2011, 48(6):495-504.Pubmed Link
- Hayenga HN, Thorne BC, Peirce SM, Humphrey JD. Ensuring congruency in multiscale modeling: towards linking agent based and continuum biomechanical models of arterial adaptation. Ann Biomed Eng. Nov 2011, 39(11):2669-82.Pubmed Link
- Thorne BC, Hayenga HN, Humphrey JD, Peirce SM. Towards a multi-scale computational model of arterial adaptation in hypertension: verification of a multi-cell agent-based model. Front Physio. May 2011, 2(20):1-12.Pubmed Link
- Nemir S, Hayenga HN, West JL. PEGDA hydrogels with patterned elasticity: Novel tools for the study of cell response to substrate rigidity. Biotechnol Bioeng Feb 2010, 105(3):636-11.Pubmed Link
- Sarantos MR, Zhang H, Schaff UY, Dixit N, Hayenga HN, Lowell CA, Simon SI. Transmigration of neutrophils across inflamed endothelium is signaled through LFA-1 and Src family kinase. J Immunology Dec 2008, 181(12):8660-9.Pubmed Link
- Zhang Y, Hayenga HN, Sarantos MR, Simon SI, Neelamegham. Differential regulation of neutrophil CD18 integrin function by di- and tri-valent cations: manganese vs. gadolinium. Ann Biomed Eng. Apr 2008, 36(4):647-60.Pubmed Link
- Hayenga HN, Sarantos MR, Simon SI. Binding affinity of leukocyte function associated antigen-1 (LFA-1) towards Intracellular Adhesion Molecule-1 (ICAM-1) induced by Mg2+ and Gd3+ and abrogated with competitive and allosteric inhibitors. J Explorations 2006, 9:40-66.Article Link