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Department of Environmental and Occupational Health

Patricia Opresko - Conferences

Attended Conferences/Workshops

March, 2011 Attended Cancer Genomics and the Impact of Next Generation Sequencing Symposium. UPCI 25th anniversary symposia series. Pittsburgh, PA
August, 2009 Invited to attend 2009 Biology of Aging Colloquium, Ellison Medical Foundation, Woods Hole
October, 2008 Attended Aging and Cancer: Two sides of the same coin. An American Federation for Aging Research Conference. NYC, NY
August, 2008 Invited to attend 2008 Biology of Aging Colloquium, Ellison Medical Foundation, Woods Hole, MA
March 2008 Organized and participated in NIEHS ONES advisory committee meeting to monitor and mentor progress
January 2008 Attended GTCbio New Applications in Aging Research Conference, San Diego, CA
August 2007 Invited to attend 2007 Biology of Aging Colloquium, Ellison Medical Foundation, Woods Hole, MA
June 2007 Participated in one week course on Quantitative Fluorescence Microscopy, CBI University of Pittsburgh, MDIBL, Salisbury Cove, Maine
February 2007 Two weeks of training on telomere length measurement assays in Dr. Peter Lansdorp's laboratory, BC Cancer Research Center, Vancouver, Canada
September 2006 4th Conference on Molecular Mechanisms of Metal Toxicity and Carcinogenesis, Morgantown, WV
March 2006 Scientific Management Leadership- 3 day course. Pittsburgh, PA

Abstracts from Attended Conferences/Workshops

  1. Damerla, R.R., Opresko, P.L. “Mutagenic Potential of Human and Ciliate Telomeric Repeats Alleles in Human Somatic Cells”. GSPH Dean’s Day. University of Pittsburgh. April 2010. Student oral presentation.

  2. Damerla, R.R., Knickelbein, K., Kepchia, D., Jackson, A., Opresko, P.L. “Mutagenic Potential of Various Telomeric Repeats in Human Somatic Cells”. Gordon Conference, DNA Damage, Mutation and Cancer. March 2010. Student poster presentation.

  3. Liu, F., Barchowsky, A., and Opresko, P.L. “Werner syndrome protein protects against Cr(VI)-induced telomere instability”. The 49th Annual Meeting of the Society of Toxicology. March 2010. Salt Lake City, UT. Postdoctoral fellow oral presentation.

  4. Damerla, R., Jackson, A., Kepchia, D., Sowd, G., and Opresko, P.L. “Mutagenic Potential of Telomeric DNA”. Telomere Biology and DNA Repair, Keystone Symposia. October 2009, Ashmore, Queensland, Australia. Poster presentation.

  5. Nora, G.J., Sowd, G., and Opresko, P.L. “TRF2 regulates WRN helicase/exonuclease displacement of telomeric Holliday Junctions”.  11th Annual Midwest DNA Repair Symposium. Ann Arbor, MI. May 2009. Student oral presentation.

  6. Wang, H., Nora, G.J., van Houten, B., and Opresko, P.L. “Single-Molecule Studies of G-Quadruplex DNA and POT1 DNA Binding”.  Telomeres and Telomerase, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Meeting.  May 2009, CSH, NY.  Postdoctoral fellow poster presentation.

  7. Damerla, R., Jackson, A., Sowd, G., and Opresko, P.L. “Mutagenic Potential of Telomeric DNA”.  Telomeres and Telomerase, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Meeting.  May 2009, CSH, NY. PhD student poster presentation.

  8. Liu, F., Barchowsky, A., and Opresko, P.L. “The Werner Syndrome protein functions in repair of Cr(VI) induced stalled DNA replication forks”. The 48th Annual Meeting of the Society of Toxicology. March 2009. Baltimore, MD.  Postdoctoral fellow poster presentation.

  9. Nora, G., Sowd, G., and Opresko, P.L. "Multiplex Analysis of TRF2 Modulation of WRN Helicase/Exonuclease Dissociation of HJ DNA".   Molecular and Clinical Mechanisms in Bloom's Syndrome and Related Disorders.  University of Chicago, IL.  May 2008. Student poster presentation.

  10. Sowd, G., Lei, M. and Opresko, P.L. "Mechanism and Substrate Specificity of Telomeric Protein POT1 Stimulation of the Werner Syndrome Helicase". Molecular and Clinical Mechanisms in Bloom's Syndrome and Related Disorders.  University of Chicago, IL.  May 2008. Staff poster presentation.

  11. Nora, G., Sowd, G., and Opresko, P.L. "Multiplex Analysis of TRF2 modulation of WRN Helicase/Exonuclease Dissociation of HJ DNA". 10th Annual Midwest DNA Repair Symposium. Pittsburgh, PA. May 2008. Student poster presentation

  12. Sowd, G., Lei, M. and Opresko, P.L. "Mechanism and Substrate Specificity of Telomeric Protein POT1 Stimulation of the Werner Syndrome Helicase". 10th Annual Midwest DNA Repair Symposium. Pittsburgh, PA. May 2008. Staff poster presentation

  13. Sowd, G., Lei, M. and Opresko, P.L. "Mechanism and Substrate Specificity of Telomeric Protein POT1 in Promoting the Werner Syndrome Helicase".  Gordon Conference on DNA Damage, Mutations and Cancer, Venture, CA, March 2008. Poster Presentation

  14. Sowd, G., Lei, M. and Opresko, P.L. "Telomeric protein POT1 regulated processing of telomeric ends by the Werner syndrome helicase/exonuclease".  38th Annual Meeting of the Environmental Mutagen Society, Atlanta, GA. October 2007.  Oral presentation.

  15. Sowd, G., Lei, M. and Opresko, P.L. "Roles for the Werner Syndrome Protein in Processing Telomeric Ends". Poster presentation at the FASEB  Research Conference - Helicases and NTP-Drive Nucleic Acid Motors: Structure, Function, Mechanisms and Roles in Human Disease, Indian Wells, CA. June 2007. Poster presentation

  16. Nora, G., Fagerburg, M., Sowd, G., Leuba, S., Opresko, P. "Modulation of Alternative Structures in Telomeric DNA by WRN Helicase and POT1 Binding Protein"  9th Annual Midwest DNA Repair Symposium. Columbus, OH.  May 2007. Student poster presentation.

  17. Damerla, R.R. and Opresko, P.  "Role of Werner Syndrome Protein in Telomere DNA Replication" 9th Annual Midwest DNA Repair Symposium. Columbus, OH. May 2007. Student poster presentation.

  18. Sowd, G., Lei, M., and Opresko P. L. "Telomere Binding Protein POT1 Protects Telomeric End Tails from Processing by Werner Syndrome Helicase/Exonuclease" 9th Annual Midwest DNA Repair Symposium. Columbus, OH. May 2007. poster presentation

  19. Nora, G., Fagerburg, M., Sowd, G., Leuba, S., Opresko, P. "Modulation of Alternative Structures in Telomeric DNA by WRN Helicase and POT1 Binding Protein"  American Physician Scientist Association, Chicago, IL.  April 2007. Student poster presentation.

  20. Opresko, P.L., Muftuoglu, M., Wilson , D.M., and Bohr, V.A. Telomeric Protein TRF2 Stimulations DNA Synthesis by DNA Polymerase ß. Gordon Conference on DNA Damage, Mutations and Cancer, Venture, CA, March 2005.

  21. Opresko, P.L., Muftuoglu, M., Mason, P., Wilson, D.M. III, and Bohr, V.A. RecQ Helicases and DNA Repair Pathways at Telomeric DNA. 9 th International Conference on Environmental Mutagens and 36th Annual Meeting of the Environmental Mutagen Society, San Francisco, CA, September 2005.

  22. Opresko, P.L., Mason, P., Kusumoto, R., and Bohr, V.A. Roles for RecQ Helicases in Telomere Metabolism. Bloom Syndrome Workshop: Molecular Basis of Genomic Instability, Bethesda MD, April 2005.

Invited Lectureships/Seminars - past 5 years

Date Title of Presentation Venue
August, 2011 Roles for WRN helicase in telomeric DNA replication Invitation to present and chair a session at the 2011 FASEB meeting on Helicases and NTP-Driven Nucleic Acid Motors Invited by Drs. James Keck and Eckhard Jankowsky
May, 2011 Roles for Telomeres in Aging and Cancer Invitation to present at the "Aging and Cancer – major medical challenges" in Copenhagen, Denmark. Invited by Drs. Lene Rasmussen and Tinna Stevnsner – unable to attend due to pregnancy
March, 2011 WRN RecQ helicase suppresses mutagenesis in vectors with telomeric DNA Ohio State University, Graduate student invitation by April Gocha and by Dr. Joanna Groden – postponed due to pregnancy
January, 2011 Base Excision Repair in Telomeric DNA International Workshop on BER, Brain Function and Aging, Hyderabad, India Invited by Dr. Bruce Demple – unable to participate due to pregnancy
August, 2010 Molecular Mechanisms of Telomeric DNA Instability Associated with the Human Progeroid Werner Syndrome 2010 Biology of Aging Colloquium, Ellison Medical Foundation, Woods Hole, MA.
July, 2010 Roles for WRN protein in protection against Cr(VI) induced telomere instability National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD Invited by Vilhelm Bohr
March, 2010 The environmental carcinogen Cr(VI) induces telomere damage associated with defective DNA replication Gordon Research Conference, DNA Damage, Mutations and Cancer, Ventura, CA
January, 2010 Links between Telomere Instability, Environmental Genotoxins, and Human Disease University of Pittsburgh, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Seminar, Pittsburgh, PA
November, 2009 Links between Telomere Instability, Genotoxins, and Human Disease NIEHS, Extramural Research Program, RTP, NC
September, 2009 Roles for the Werner Syndrome Protein in Genome Preservation and Protection Against Aging and Cancer University of Southern Maine. Portland, ME. Invited by Dr. John Wise, Sr.
August, 2009 Environmental Causes of Telomere Defects 10th International Conference on Environmental Mutagens. Florence, Italy
July, 2009 Roles for Chromosome Ends in Protection Against Aging and Cancer University of Pittsburgh, EOH STEER Summer Student Program
May 2009 Mechanisms for Preserving Chromosomal Ends in Protection Against Premature Aging and Cancer Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland, Invited by Dr. Barbara Tudek
April 2009 RPA and POT1 Differentially Modulate WRN Processing of Mobile Telomeric D-loops Telomere and Telomerase, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Meetings, CSH, NY
March 2009 Challenges in Telomeric DNA Replication and Repair NIEHS, RTP, NC, Invited by Dr. Thomas Kunkel
March 2009 Mechanisms of Telomeric DNA Loss and Repair 48th Annual Meeting of the Society of Toxicology, Baltimore, MD
February 2009 Werner Syndrome protein processing of recombination repair intermediates at telomeric vs. non-telomeric regions 3rd US/EU Conference on Repair of Endogenous Genome Damage, Galveston, TX
January 2009 Modulation of Telomeric DNA Structure and Function University of Pittsburgh Molecular Biophysics and Structural Biology graduate program: Faculty presentations
November 2008 Telomeric DNA Replication and Repair University of Rochester, invited by Robert Bambara
October 2008 The Werner Syndrome protein in telomere preservation and repair 39th Annual Meeting of the Environmental Mutagen Society, PR
May 2008 RecQ Helicase Functions at Telomeres Molecular and Clinical Mechanisms in Bloom’s Syndrome and Related Disorders University of Chicago, IL
April 2008 Roles for RecQ helicases in telomere preservation DNA Repair Interest Group Videoconference
University of Pittsburgh, PA Invited by Ken Kraemer and Vilhelm Bohr
December 2007 Mechanism and Substrate Specificity of POT1 Stimulation of Werner Syndrome Helicase AACR special conference in cancer research: The Role of Telomere and Telomerase in Cancer Research.  San Francisco, CA
December 2007 Links between Telomeres, Human Disease and Aging Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Invited by Dr. Bruce Pitt
November 2007 Faculty research presentation Graduate School of Public Health
University of Pittsburgh Board of Visitors Meeting
November 2007 Links between Genomic Instability and Aging Dean's Junior Faculty Seminar Series, GSPH, University of Pittsburgh, PA Invited by Dr. Don Burke
November 2007 Molecular mechanisms of telomere instability associated with aging Gastroenterology Research Seminar Series, UPMC Invited by Dr. Robert Schoen
October 2007 Mechanisms of telomere preservation: links between DNA helicases, premature aging, and cancer Emory University School of Medicine, Department of Pathology Research Seminar, Atlanta, GA Invited by Dr. Jihn Ly
October 2007 Telomeric protein POT1 regulated processing of telomeric ends by the Werner syndrome helicase/exonuclease. 38th Annual Meeting of the Environmental Mutagen Society, Atlanta, GA. Oral presentation.
October 2007 Role of Preserving Chromosome Ends in Protection Against Aging and Cancer Science 2007 University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
May 2007 Roles for the Werner Syndrome Protein in Telomere Preservation 3rd Japan-US DNA Repair Meeting
February 2007 "Mechanisms of telomere preservation: links between DNA helicases, premature aging and cancer" BC Cancer Research Center, Vacouver, Canada
October 2006 "Roles for the Werner syndrome protein in oncogenic proliferation" National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, MD
October 2006 “Molecular mechanisms of telomeric DNA instability associated with premature aging” Senior Vice Chancellor's Research Seminar Series, University of Pittsburgh
October 2006 “Mechanisms of Telomeric DNA Loss and Repair” National Institute on Environmental Science, NIH, meeting for ONES awardees
September 2006 “Mechanisms of telomere preservation: links between DNA helicases and premature aging” University of Pittsburgh, Molecular Biophysics Seminar
August 2006 Cooperation of the Werner syndrome protein and POT1 in dissociating telomeric DNA substrates Telomere and Genome Stability 2006, International Conference, Villar-sur-Ollon, Switzerland
May 2006 Mechanisms of Telomeric DNA Loss and Repair National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH, presentation of research proposal
May 2006 Roles for the Werner Syndrome Protein in Telomere Maintenance Pittsburgh Chromatin Club, mini-symposium, Pittsburgh, PA
May 2006 Cooperation of RecQ Helicases and Telomeric Proteins in Dissociating Telomeric Substrates International Workshop on RecQ Helicases and Other Helicases in Telomere Maintenance and Related Pathways, Lansdowne, VA * co-organizer
January 2006 Werner Syndrome Protein Functions at Telomeres University of Pittsburgh, Human Genetics Seminar series