Dr. April Weissmiller

Assistant Professor

Dr. April Weissmiller
(615) 898-5868
Room 2010, Science Building (SCI)
MTSU Box 60, Murfreesboro, TN 37132

Degree Information

  • PHD, University of California, San Diego (2013)
  • MS, Stanford University (2010)
  • BS, San Diego State University (2007)

Areas of Expertise

My research group broadly focuses on molecular mechanisms of oncogenesis in rare pediatric and young adult cancers. Our overall approach involves a combination of genetic, genomic, molecular, cellular, and biochemical experiments that allow us to uncover mechanisms that cause and maintain the cancer state. It is the goal of our research that the basic biology we uncover here will be used to drive translational research and open up novel therapeutic avenues.

Publications

 

Weissmiller AM, Fesik SW, Tansey WP (2024) WD Repeat Domain 5 Inhibitors for Cancer Therapy: Not What You Think. J Clin Med 13(1), 274.

Thammathong J, Chisam KB, Tessmer GE, Womack CB, Sidrak MM, Weissmiller AM*, Banerjee S (2023) Fused Imidazopyrazine-Based Tubulin Polymerization Inhibitors Inhibit Neuroblastoma Cell Function. ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters Aug 25;14(9):1284-1294. 

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Weissmiller AM, Fesik SW, Tansey WP (2024) WD Repeat Domain 5 Inhibitors for Cancer Therapy: Not What You Think. J Clin Med 13(1), 274.

Thammathong J, Chisam KB, Tessmer GE, Womack CB, Sidrak MM, Weissmiller AM*, Banerjee S (2023) Fused Imidazopyrazine-Based Tubulin Polymerization Inhibitors Inhibit Neuroblastoma Cell Function. ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters Aug 25;14(9):1284-1294. eCollection 2023 Sep 14. *co-corresponding author

Bumpous LA#, Moe KC#, Wang J, Carver LA, Williams AG, Romer AS, Scobee JD, Maxwell JN, Jones CA, Chung DH, Tansey WP, Liu Q, Weissmiller AM (2023) WDR5 facilitates recruitment of N-MYC to conserved WDR5 gene targets in neuroblastoma cell lines. Oncogenesis Jun 19;12(1):32 #co-first author

Jones CA, Tansey WP, Weissmiller AM (2022) Emerging themes in mechanisms of tumorigenesis by SWI/SNF subunit mutation. Epigenetics Insights Jul 26;15:25168657221115656

Moe KC, Maxwell JN, Wang J, Jones CA, Csaki GT, Florian AC, Romer AS, Bryant DL, Farone AL, Liu Q, Tansey WP, Weissmiller AM (2022) The SWI/SNF ATPase BRG1 facilitates multiple pro-tumorigenic gene expression programs in SMARCB1-deficient cancer cells. Oncogenesis. Jun 1;11(1):30

Florian AC, Woodley CM, Wang J, Grieb BC, Slota MJ, Guerrazzi K, Hsu CY, Matlock BK, Flaherty DK, Lorey SL, Fesik SW, Howard GC, Liu Q, Weissmiller AM*, Tansey W.P. (2022) Synergistic action of WDR5 and HDM2 inhibitors in SMARCB1-deficient cancer cells. NAR Cancer. Mar;4(1):zcac007. *co-corresponding author

Siladi AJ, Wang J, Florian AC, Thomas LR, Creighton JH, Matlock BK, Flaherty DK, Lorey SL, Howard GC, Fesik SW, Weissmiller AM, Liu Q, Tansey WP. (2022) WIN site inhibition disrupts a subset of WDR5 function. Scientific Reports. Feb 3;12:1848

Guarnaccia AD, Weissmiller AM, Tansey WP. (2021) Gene-specific quantification of nascent transcription followin gtargeted degradation of endogenous proteins in cultured cells. STAR protoc. Dec 8;2(4):101000.

Woodley CM, Romer AS, Wang J, Guarnaccia AD, Elion DL, Maxwell JN, Guerrazzi K, McCann TS, Popay TM, Matlock BK, Flaherty DK, Lorey SL, Liu Q, Tansey WP, Weissmiller AM (2021) Multiple interactions fo the oncoprotein transcription factor MYC with the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeler. Oncogene. May;40(20):3593-3609.

Guarnaccia AD, Rose KL, Wang J, Zhao B, Popay TM, Wang CE, Guerrazzi K, Hill S, Woodley CM, Hansen TJ, Lorey SL, Shaw JG, Payne WG, Weissmiller AM, Olejniczak ET, Fesik SW, Liu Q, and Tansey WP (2021). Impact of WIN site inhibitor on the WDR5 interactome. Cell Reports. Jan 19;34(3):108636.

Popay TM, Wang J, Adams CM, Codreanu SG, Sherrod S, McClean JA, Thomas LR, Lorey SL, Machida YJ, Weissmiller AM, Eischen CM, Liu Q, and Tansey WP (2021). MYC regulates ribosome biogenesis and mitochondrial gene expression programs through interaction with Host Cell Factor-1. ELife. Jan 8;10:e60191

Bryan AF, Wang J, Howard GC, Guarnaccia AD, Woodley CM, Aho ER, Rellinger EJ, Matlock BK, Flaherty DK, Lorey SL, Chung DH, Fesik SW, Liu Q, Weissmiller AM, Tansey WP (2020). WDR5 is a conserved regulator of protein synthesis gene expression. Nucleic Acids Res. 2020 Apr 6;48(6): 2924-2941.

Thoma LR, Adams CM, Wang J, Weissmiller AM, Creighton J, Lorey SL, Liu Q, Fesik SW, Eischen CM, and Tansey WP (2019) Interaction of the oncoprotein transcription factor MYC with its chromatin co-factor WDR5 is essential for tumor maintenance. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. Dec 10;116(50):25260-25268. 

Aho ER, Weissmiller AM, Fesik SW, Tansey WP. (2019) Targeting WDR5: A WINning Anti- Cancer Strategy? Epigenetic Insights. Jul 18;12:2516865719865282.

Weissmiller AM, Wang J, Lorey SL, Howard GC, Martinez, E, Liu Q, Tansey WP. (2019) Inhibition of MYC by the SMARCB1 tumor suppressor. Nature Communications. May 1;10(1):2014.

Aho ER, Wang J, Gogliotti RD, Howard GC, Phan J, Acharya P, Macdonald JD, Cheng K, Lorey SL, Lu B, Wenzel S, Foshage AM, Alvarado J, Wang F, Shaw JG, Zhao B, Weissmiller AM, Thomas LR, Vakoc CR, Hall MD, Hiebert SW, Liu Q, Stauffer SR, Fesik SW, Tansey WP (2019) Displacement of WDR5 from chromatin by a WIN site inhibitor with picomolar affinity. Cell Reports. Mar 12;26(11):2916-2928.e13.

 

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Awards

2020-2022 Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer Young Investigator Award

2019 Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center Post Doc of the Year

2019 Vanderbilt Cell and Developmental Biology Post Doc of the Year

2017-2020 Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research and Open Hands Overflowing Hearts Co-funded Fellowship

2016-2017 Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research Fellowship

2016-2017 AACR Basic Cancer Research Fellowship

Courses

BIOL 3250 Genetics

BIOL 4450/6450 Molecular Genetics, Advancements in Molecular Genetics