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Education:

Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA    PhD    2010    Cell and Molecular Biology
Oklahoma City Community College, Oklahoma City, OK    AAS    2001    Biotechnology
Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK    BS    2003    Cell and Molecular Biology
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA    Postdoc Fellow    2011    Cancer Biology
University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK    Postdoc Fellow    2016    Pathology

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Select Publications:

1. Hannafon BN, Cai A, Calloway CL, Xu YF, Zhang R, Fung KM, Ding WQ. miR-23b and miR-27b are oncogenic microRNAs in breast cancer: evidence from a CRISPR/Cas9 deletion study. BMC Cancer. 2019 Jun 28; 19(1):642. PMID: 31253120.

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2. Xu YF, Hannafon BN, Khatri U, Gin A, Ding WQ. The origin of exosomal miR-1246 in human cancer cells. RNA Biol. 2019 06; 16(6):770-784. PMID: 30806147.

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3. Hannafon BN, Gin AL, Xu YF, Bruns M, Calloway CL, Ding WQ. Metastasis-associated protein 1 (MTA1) is transferred by exosomes and contributes to the regulation of hypoxia and estrogen signaling in breast cancer cells. Cell Commun Signal. 2019 02 19; 17(1):13. PMID: 30782165.

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4. Jiao Y, Watts T, Xue J, Hannafon B, Ding WQ. Sorafenib and docosahexaenoic acid act in synergy to suppress cancer cell viability: a role of heme oxygenase 1. BMC Cancer. 2018 Oct 26; 18(1):1042. PMID: 30367621.

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5. Hannafon BN, Ding WQ. Functional Role of miRNAs in the Progression of Breast Ductal Carcinoma in Situ. Am J Pathol. 2019 05; 189(5):966-974. PMID: 30273605.

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6. Hannafon BN, Ding WQ. miRNAs as Biomarkers for Predicting the Progression of Ductal Carcinoma in Situ. Am J Pathol. 2018 03; 188(3):542-549. PMID: 29246496.

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7. Xu YF, Hannafon BN, Zhao YD, Postier RG, Ding WQ. Plasma exosome miR-196a and miR-1246 are potential indicators of localized pancreatic cancer. Oncotarget. 2017 Sep 29; 8(44):77028-77040. PMID: 29100367.

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8. Jiao Y, Hannafon BN, Zhang RR, Fung KM, Ding WQ. Docosahexaenoic acid and disulfiram act in concert to kill cancer cells: a mutual enhancement of their anticancer actions. Oncotarget. 2017 Mar 14; 8(11):17908-17920. PMID: 28107189.

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9. Xu YF, Hannafon BN, Ding WQ. microRNA regulation of human pancreatic cancer stem cells. Stem Cell Investig. 2017; 4:5. PMID: 28217707.

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10. Hannafon BN, Trigoso YD, Calloway CL, Zhao YD, Lum DH, Welm AL, Zhao ZJ, Blick KE, Dooley WC, Ding WQ. Plasma exosome microRNAs are indicative of breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res. 2016 09 08; 18(1):90. PMID: 27608715.

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11. Jiao Y, Hannafon BN, Ding WQ. Disulfiram's Anticancer Activity: Evidence and Mechanisms. Anticancer Agents Med Chem. 2016; 16(11):1378-1384. PMID: 27141876.

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12. Hannafon BN, Carpenter KJ, Berry WL, Janknecht R, Dooley WC, Ding WQ. Exosome-mediated microRNA signaling from breast cancer cells is altered by the anti-angiogenesis agent docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Mol Cancer. 2015 Jul 16; 14:133. PMID: 26178901.

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13. Hannafon BN, Ding WQ. Cancer stem cells and exosome signaling. Stem Cell Investig. 2015; 2:11. PMID: 27358879.

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14. Wang S, Hannafon BN, Lind SE, Ding WQ. Zinc Protoporphyrin Suppresses ß-Catenin Protein Expression in Human Cancer Cells: The Potential Involvement of Lysosome-Mediated Degradation. PLoS One. 2015; 10(5):e0127413. PMID: 26000787.

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15. Zhang S, Xue J, Zheng J, Wang S, Zhou J, Jiao Y, Geng Y, Wu J, Hannafon BN, Ding WQ. The superoxide dismutase 1 3'UTR maintains high expression of the SOD1 gene in cancer cells: The involvement of the RNA-binding protein AUF-1. Free Radic Biol Med. 2015 Aug; 85:33-44. PMID: 25908445.

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16. Xue J, Moyer A, Peng B, Wu J, Hannafon BN, Ding WQ. Chloroquine is a zinc ionophore. PLoS One. 2014; 9(10):e109180. PMID: 25271834.

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17. Wang S, Hannafon BN, Wolf RF, Zhou J, Avery JE, Wu J, Lind SE, Ding WQ. Characterization of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-induced heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression in human cancer cells: the importance of enhanced BTB and CNC homology 1 (Bach1) degradation. J Nutr Biochem. 2014 May; 25(5):515-25. PMID: 24613086.

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18. Wang S, Hannafon BN, Zhou J, Ding WQ. Clofibrate induces heme oxygenase 1 expression through a PPARa-independent mechanism in human cancer cells. Cell Physiol Biochem. 2013; 32(5):1255-64. PMID: 24247298.

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19. Xue J, Wang S, Wu J, Hannafon BN, Ding WQ. Zinc at sub-cytotoxic concentrations induces heme oxygenase-1 expression in human cancer cells. Cell Physiol Biochem. 2013; 32(1):100-10. PMID: 23868099.

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20. Hannafon BN, Ding WQ. Intercellular communication by exosome-derived microRNAs in cancer. Int J Mol Sci. 2013 Jul 09; 14(7):14240-69. PMID: 23839094.

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21. Wang S, Avery JE, Hannafon BN, Lind SE, Ding WQ. Zinc protoporphyrin suppresses cancer cell viability through a heme oxygenase-1-independent mechanism: the involvement of the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway. Biochem Pharmacol. 2013 Jun 01; 85(11):1611-8. PMID: 23523860.

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22. Hannafon BN, Sebastiani P, de las Morenas A, Lu J, Rosenberg CL. Expression of microRNA and their gene targets are dysregulated in preinvasive breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res. 2011 Mar 04; 13(2):R24. PMID: 21375733.

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23. Liu T, Hannafon B, Gill L, Kelly W, Benbrook D. Flex-Hets differentially induce apoptosis in cancer over normal cells by directly targeting mitochondria. Mol Cancer Ther. 2007 Jun; 6(6):1814-22. PMID: 17575110.

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24. Benbrook DM, Kamelle SA, Guruswamy SB, Lightfoot SA, Rutledge TL, Gould NS, Hannafon BN, Dunn ST, Berlin KD. Flexible heteroarotinoids (Flex-Hets) exhibit improved therapeutic ratios as anti-cancer agents over retinoic acid receptor agonists. Invest New Drugs. 2005 Oct; 23(5):417-28. PMID: 16133793.

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