The document summarizes news from Roseman University College of Medicine's summer 2015 newsletter. It highlights the expansion of Roseman's Summerlin campus through the acquisition of a new flagship building. It also profiles the path of a Roseman medical student from admission to residency placement and provides an overview of educational blocks in the medical degree program.

1. Discovery Drive
News from the Roseman University College of Medicine
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SUMMER2015PUBLISHINGSEMIANNUALLYVOLUME2,ISSUE1
INSIDE:
• Summerlin Campus Expansion - pg 4
• Path of a Roseman Medical Student - pg 6
• Roseman's Women in Science - pg 10

2. PUBLISHER
Jason Roth
EDITOR
Rachael Wadley
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Rachael Wadley
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Francia Garcia
Chase Schmidt
Jason Roth
Discovery Drive is published two times per year
by the Roseman University College of Medicine,
10530 Discovery Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89135.
Medicine@Roseman.edu
(702) 822-5330
© 2015
On the cover: Roseman acquires flagship building
of the former Nevada Cancer Institute.
Read more on page 4.
Join us on our journey as we build
a premier College of Medicine
in Southern Nevada
Donate today at
www.roseman.edu/donate
LEARN MORE
Join us Monday, May 18 at 4:00 p.m. or
Wednesday, June 17 at 11:30 a.m.
at Roseman’s Summerlin campus
for special presentations about the impact
the College of Medicine will have on Southern Nevada.
Please register or request more information by
emailing medicine@roseman.edu or calling (702) 822-5330.
2 | Discovery Drive Summer 2015

3. www.roseman.edu/medicine | 3
Welcome to our summer 2015 issue of Discovery Drive,
which is designed to keep you up-to-date with the newest
developments at Roseman University’s College of Medicine and
its education and research endeavors.
As our Southern Nevada weather transitions from the cool-
ness of spring to the warmth of summer, things are heating up at
Roseman’s College of Medicine as well. I am delighted to have
welcomed five new faculty members over the past few months,
with responsibilities ranging from biomedical sciences and
academic affairs to curriculum development, student affairs, and
clinical affairs.
The College of Medicine is currently housed in the Engels-
tad Cancer Research Building, located at 10530 Discovery Drive
in Summerlin.
Of course, Roseman University’s recent acquisition of the
flagship building of the former Nevada Cancer Institute is
another tremendously positive development, and will greatly
enhance the operations and scope of the College.We are proud
to bring the flagship building at One Breakthrough Way back
online, to the benefit of the people of Southern Nevada.The College of Medicine is growing, and we are continu-
ing to create a strong foundation for this new enterprise, guided by our College mission.
The mission for the College of Medicine is to improve the health of the communities in Southern Nevada and
the Intermountain West by:
• Educating competent, caring and ethical physicians from diverse backgrounds, with a focus on
primary care and other needed specialties
• Conducting biomedical, translational, and clinical research that advances solutions to the
healthcare needs of the communities that Roseman serves
• Providing quality patient-centered care and service to our partner communities
To fulfill this important mission, the support and involvement of the Southern Nevada community will be
vital. I invite you to reach out to me and get involved with Roseman’s College of Medicine. Please join us by
sharing your expertise, becoming a volunteer, or supporting the College as a benefactor.You can learn more at
Roseman.edu/medicine, and request more information by sending an email to medicine@roseman.edu.
With appreciation for your interest and advocacy,
Mark A. Penn, MD, MBA
Founding Dean
College of Medicine
Greetings from the Dean

4. 4 | Discovery Drive Summer 2015
Long viewed as the jewel of the former
Nevada Cancer Institute, the state-of-the-
art patient care building is now being reborn
as the flagship facility of Roseman Univer-
sity’s Summerlin campus, and home to its
College of Medicine.The iconic building had
been vacant for over two years when Roseman
acquired it from the University of California,
San Diego on April 13.
Located at One Breakthrough Way, near
Town Center Drive and the 215 beltway,
the four-level, 143,290 square-foot building
almost doubles the size of Roseman’s Sum-
merlin campus, which already includes the
Ralph & Betty Engelstad Cancer Research
Building located right across the street on
Discovery Drive.
The facility features 12 laboratories, 14
patient exam rooms, a chemotherapy infusion
suite with 16 chairs and five private rooms,
an imaging suite, a radiology suite with six
patient exam rooms, and a patient pharmacy.
From a community and administrative per-
spective, the building also contains a 100-seat
auditorium, multiple conference rooms, and
a full service café, as well as additional office
and other functional space. Special amenities
in the flagship building include a three-story
lobby highlighted by a 30-foot waterwall
and an 18-foot, 1,000-pound glass chande-
lier from the studio of renowned artist Dale
Chihuly.
Roseman University President Renee
Coffman noted the acquisition of the building
further demonstrates Roseman’s commitment
to meeting the healthcare and educational
needs of the people of Southern Nevada.“This
new College of Medicine facility will greatly
expand Roseman’s opportunities for medical
education, patient care, and research.This will
allow the University to increase its already
significant contributions to healthcare, as well
as to the economies of Clark County and the
state, without taxpayer dollars,”she said.
As a non-profit university, Roseman is in
turn inviting philanthropic support from the
community. Benefactors can fund endowed
chairs and scholarships, and provide addi-
tional operational support to help underwrite
the development of the College of Medicine.
Such support would provide important start-
up needs, including bridge funding to hire
accomplished clinical and research teaching
faculty and to retrofit facilities with critical
spaces such as Roseman’s signature “in the
round”classrooms, a medical library, a simu-
lated patient care center, and an anatomy lab.
The acquisition of the patient care building
offers Roseman’s College of Medicine greater
flexibility as it continues to refine its plans
for medical education, biomedical research,
community outreach and public education
programs, and clinical care.The building will
also allow the University to offer its medi-
cal students, along with its pharmacy, dental
medicine and nursing students, enhanced
inter-professional learning and simulated
patient care opportunities.The College of
Medicine continues to progress through the
accreditation process toward the goal of en-
rolling 60 medical students in the fall of 2017.
“It is gratifying and exciting to know that
the spectacular flagship building, as part of
Roseman University’s College of Medicine,
will once again help to advance medical
education and research for the benefit of
the people of Las Vegas and Nevada,”said
Heather Murren, founder of the Nevada
Cancer Institute. "This facility is a unique
and important asset to our community that
benefited thousands of patients, scientists and
scholars, and I am happy to see it once more
deployed to serve a critical purpose.”
Almost 30 College of Medicine faculty,
researchers, and staff are currently housed in
Roseman’s Engelstad Cancer Research Build-
ing, working on curriculum development, the
accreditation process, and biomedical research.
With the new space the flagship building
affords, many of those faculty and staff will be
relocating to the flagship building to continue
their efforts to develop Roseman’s College of
Medicine.
Interested in supporting the University
or taking a tour of Roseman’s College of
Medicine facilities? Visit www.roseman.edu/
medicine to make a gift, and email medicine@
roseman.edu or call (702) 822-5330 for more
information about public events and private
tours.
College of Medicine Secures Second Facility

5. www.roseman.edu/medicine | 5
Founding the College of Medicine at Roseman University of Health Sciences requires significant financial investment. Quality medical
education technology, student resources and support, community healthcare clinics, faculty and research are all areas where funding is
needed. It is an excellent time to become a donor, or increase your giving to Roseman University.
You can show your support of our mission by participating in a naming opportunity. This is a unique way to attach your name, or the
name of a loved one, to Roseman University’s history - and Southern Nevada’s future. You are creating a tangible legacy of your personal
connection to our community for years to come.
The College of Medicine offers naming opportunities for individuals, families, corporations, and foundations, ranging from $25,000 to
$6,000,000+. For more information, please call (702) 822-5330.
Creating a Lasting Legacy
Simulation Clinic Surgical Suite
Auditorium
Classroom
Research Lab
Anatomy LabSimulation Clinic Exam Room

6. PATH OF A ROSEMAN
MEDICAL STUDENT
Fall 2018
*“The United States Medical Licensing Examination ® (USMLE®) is a three-step
examination for medical licensure in the U.S., sponsored by the Federation of State
Medical Boards and the National Board of Medical Examiners.”
Classes begin &
white coat ceremony
Fall 2017
EDUCATIONAL BLOCKS
Introduction to Medicine
Molecular & Cellular
Foundations
Basic Disease Mechanisms
Anatomy Foundations
Musculoskeletal & Dermatology
Cardiovascular System
Pulmonary System
Gastrointestinal System
Renal System
1Y
E
A
R
2Y
E
A
R
EDUCATIONAL BLOCKS
Reproductive &
Endocrine Systems
Neuroscience
Infection & Immunity
Oncology
Behavior & Health
Human Life Cycle
Fall 2019
3Y
E
A
R
Pre-med Studies
MCATs
Roseman Admits Students
According to
College of Medicine Values
USMLE Step 1
Preparation
& Exam*
2013-2017
6 | Discovery Drive Summer 2015

7. RESIDENCY LENGTHS FOR
SELECTED SPECIALTIES
Family Medicine
3years
Emergency Medicine
3or4years
General Internal Medicine
3years
Pediatrics
3years
Obstetrics & Gynecology
4years
Anesthesiology
4years
Psychiatry
4years
Orthopedic Surgery
5years
USMLE Step 2
Preparation & Exams*
National Resident Match
Program Match Day–
March 2021
Capstone & Transition
to Residency
EDUCATIONAL
BLOCKS - CLERKSHIPS
Family Medicine
Internal Medicine
Neurology
Psychiatry
Ob-Gyn
Surgery
Pediatrics
Fall 2020
4Y
E
A
R
Graduation
June 2021
USMLE Step 3 exam*
H E L L O
my name is
RESIDENCY
BEGINS
www.roseman.edu/medicine | 7

8. 8 | Discovery Drive Summer 2015
The foundation of any college of medicine
has several pillars: an accomplished and
dedicated faculty, well-prepared students com-
mitted to providing excellent patient care, and
a strong up-to-date curriculum.The curricu-
lum for Roseman’s College of Medicine will
incorporate the University’s innovative aca-
demic model, which since 1999 has produced
highly competent graduates in the University’s
other colleges and programs: pharmacy, nurs-
ing, dental medicine, and an MBA program
with a healthcare focus.
The components of Roseman’s innovative
and highly effective academic model, include:
• block curriculum
• active, small group learning and
collaboration
• mastery learning
• frequent assessments, and
• high levels of attainment (passing
grade is 90%)
A traditional medical school curriculum,
for example, might have students taking four
separate classes in the first semester, focused
on different subjects: biochemistry, gross
anatomy, cell biology, and medical genetics.
These students would go from class to class,
switching their attention and areas of study
as they do so. Students would have separate
exams on these different subjects, further
fragmenting the learning process.
Rather than utilizing that model, Rose-
man’s medical students will use the Univer-
sity’s block curriculum system. In a block
curriculum, students learn broad, integrated
“content areas”rather than single subjects.
Roseman’s medical students will begin
with an “Introduction to Medicine”block,
followed by several weeks dedicated to study
of the “Molecular and Cellular Foundations of
Medicine,”and then turn their focus to “Basic
Disease Mechanisms.” The remaining blocks
in students’first two years will be focused on
organ systems, from Foundations of Anatomy
to the Musculoskeletal System and Dermatol-
ogy, the Cardiovascular System, Neuroscience,
etc.
Further enhancing the learning process,
a typical Roseman student attends class
from 8:00 a.m to 3:00 p.m. each day. Classes
involve periods of lecture alternating with
active learning in small groups. For example,
a faculty member may lecture for 45 minutes
on infectious disease, then students break into
their assigned group of 6-8 classmates to re-
search how the standard of care or treatment
protocols for infectious disease have changed.
Following the small group learning time,
students return to the main class to present
their findings.This model touches all learning
styles, and requires active participation rather
than simply passive listening.
The block curriculum also allows faculty
members ample time to cover all aspects of
the topic without repetition. Having consecu-
tive days to teach means that faculty members
do not have to spend time on reviewing mate-
rial covered in past classes, as is often the case
in a class that meets once a week.
This active learning model is strengthened
by Roseman’s signature classrooms, which
are built “in the round.”In these classrooms,
students are highly engaged with the learning
process, for no student is seated more than
four rows from the professor.
Other signature components of Roseman’s
academic model are its assessment process and
grading methodology.
Traditional universities test students at
infrequent intervals – perhaps three or four
times per semester, including final exams.
Roseman assesses students every two weeks
on their mastery of the material that has been
presented.
Every other Friday, Roseman students take
an individual exam. After handing
their exam in, they immediately
break into their small groups and
take the same exam – confer-
ring with their classmates on the
answers they believe to be correct.
This enables an additional layer of
learning as the group debates and
comes to consensus on the cor-
rect answers.When groups have
completed their exams, they hand
them in, and then proceed directly
into an exam review session. In
this session, every faculty member
involved in teaching in the previous
two weeks reviews the questions
relevant to their areas, and discusses
the correct answers and why they
are correct.This delivers immediate
feedback and layers on yet an-
Innovative Model Supports Student Success

9. College of Medicine Values - Competence
other level of learning and understanding for
students.
Roseman’s grading methodology is unique
as well. Because Roseman students are in
the health sciences, University founders
Dr. Harry Rosenberg, Dr. Renee Coffman,
and Dr. Charles Lacy felt standard grading
practices (where grades of B of C are accept-
able) did not adequately prepare students for
their professions and treatment of patients. At
Roseman, students are graded on a pass/fail
system, where the passing grade is 90%.
Roseman also values early clinical experi-
ences for students. It is anticipated that our
medical students will be in hospital/clinical
settings early in their studies, following a
twelve-week block concurrent with their earli-
est academic foci, on “Understanding Patient
Care.”
Roseman’s academic pedagogy is geared
toward enabling student success and superior
patient care in the health sciences profes-
sions, and the College of Medicine will utilize
and build on these foundational tenets for its
students.
There are many other aspects of Roseman’s
innovative instructional model that ensure
student success, and we encourage visits to
our campuses to learn more details about the
University, our programs, and our students.
The College of Medicine is rooted in its
VALUES, which were created to reflect
our deep understanding that patients, within
the context of their community, are at the
center of everything that we do. Each value is
equally important, and when viewed compre-
hensively, our values demonstrate the type of
students, faculty, and staff that the College
seeks to attract.
Competence, our first value, can be defined
as the ability to do something well.This value
has had a long history at Roseman Univer-
sity.When the University's founders created
Roseman in 1999 as the Nevada College of
Pharmacy, they built into the foundation of
the Institution a sharp focus on competence.
They understood that the Institution’s gradu-
ates must be highly competent because their
judgments would impact patients’lives.They
knew quality healthcare demanded a rigorous
educational standard.
This focus on competence led to the de-
velopment of Roseman’s renowned and highly
successful educational model, which sets a
high standard for all students.The Univer-
sity’s high standard is reflected in its mastery
learning and grading philosophy. Roseman
does not provide students with standard let-
ter grades; rather there is a pass/fail system,
where the passing grade is 90%.Through our
learner-focused process students are required
to “master”information before they move to
the next level.This requires frequent as-
sessments and reassessments that embrace
students to help them master the content and
be successful.The process encourages learning
through increased dialogue among students
and with teachers as teammates.This trans-
lates to better understanding of material and
use of this information for practical applica-
tion to patient care.
Mastery learning, the requirement for at-
taining passing at a higher standard, frequent
assessment, and team based collaboration all
combine to support the University’s commit-
ment to high achievement by all students.
Roseman has had excellent outcomes in
its short 16 years of existence – including
student success on national licensure exams
and alumni contributions to their professions.
Such excellent outcomes support student and
faculty satisfaction, as well as lead to greater
impact on the community.
Of course, a strong emphasis on compe-
tence is not only necessary for the safety and
quality experiences of patients, it is also a crit-
ical component of the accreditation process
for medical schools. Roseman’s high standards
and focus on competence, implemented in our
pharmacy, nursing, dental medicine and MBA
programs, will be replicated for our medical
students. Our growing medical college faculty
are currently putting together the curriculum
for our future medical students and we antici-
pate great interest in our program and expect
excellent outcomes similar to our other health
professions programs.
As the University continues to make
progress on the accreditation process through
the Liaison Committee on Medical Educa-
tion (LCME), we take great pride in our past
accomplishments, and we look forward with
great anticipation to enrolling our inaugural
class of medical students.
P
A
T
I
E
N
T
S
COM ETENCE
COMP SSION
IN EGRITY
D VERSITY
RESP CT
COMMU ICATION
COMMUNI Y
DI COVERY
College of Medicine
VALUES
www.roseman.edu/medicine | 9

10. Roseman researchers making an impact locally and globally
W
omen have long been under-represented in the sciences. But it’s a reality that is slowly changing for the
better. In 2014, a National Science Board study noted that women made up half of all the college-educated
workers in the U.S. But they only represented 28 percent of the science and engineering workers.That is,
however, an increase from 21 percent in 1993.
More recently, the National Science Foundation found that women have earned 57 percent of all bachelor’s de-
grees and half of all science and engineering bachelor’s degrees since the late 1990s. It’s a slow-moving improvement,
for sure, and there is plenty of work still to be done to both encourage girls in their elementary school years to pursue
science careers and to create programs that foster the development of female scientists and researchers on the sec-
ondary and post-secondary levels.
Roseman University has been fortunate to tap some of the finest women researchers and scientists on the globe.
They are creative, energetic and making their mark in their respective fields.These four scientists, in particular, are
helping to close the gender gap while moving the needle on medical research.They are making a difference at Rose-
man, in the Las Vegas Valley, and beyond.
By Brian Sodoma
Women in ScienceWomen in ScienceWomen in ScienceWomen in Science
10 | Discovery Drive Summer 2015

11. www.roseman.edu/medicine | 11
CONSIDERING THE
SCIENCE FIELD?
Our women researchers
have some suggestions
Mary Johlfs
Director of Research Operations/Scientist
Johlfs’professional career began in the
biotech arena, where she developed
engineered antibodies with longer serum
half-lives, which have incredible potential
for promoting the development of advanced
therapeutics for multiple diseases. In 2006,
she transitioned to the Nevada Cancer In-
stitute, where she partnered with Dr. Ronald
Fiscus, whose team was studying protein
kinases and their roles in lung, mesothelioma
and ovarian cancers.
In 2010, with the Nevada Cancer In-
stitute in financial jeopardy, she and Fiscus
moved their research efforts to Roseman
University of Health Sciences. Johlfs and
Fiscus expanded Roseman research to in-
clude diabetes and obesity, Alzheimer’s and
Parkinson’s diseases, adult stem cell research
and regenerative medicine, among others.
“He is unequivocally positive and produc-
tive. He works extremely diligently to ensure
the success of our research programs,”Johlfs
said of Fiscus.
Last year, Johlfs was part of the team that
filed a patent for the Roseman-developed
NIRF (near-infrared-fluorescence) technol-
ogy, which allows for a clearer, more sensitive
study of the catalytic activity of kinase pro-
teins. Johlfs is also studying the connections
among diabetes/obesity and various cancers,
such as mesothelioma, lung, ovarian, breast
and prostate cancers.
“There are higher rates of those dis-
eases in diabetics and we want to look more
closely, on a molecular level, at that link,”
she added.
Johlfs was also heavily involved in
promoting Roseman’s acquisition of the
NanoPro 1000, an instrument that allows
researchers to better study the chemical mo-
dalities of certain proteins found in diseased
cells. Her extensive training with the Nano-
Pro 1000 has helped research teams generate
data that has contributed to the acceptance
of Roseman research in numerous peer-
reviewed publications, including Molecular
Cancer Research, Neurochemistry International
and PLoS One, an online journal.
Olivia Chao
Post-doctoral Research Associate
Chao is part of Dr. Oscar Goodman, Jr.’s
research team, where her work focuses
on targeting DNA damage response in the
treatment of advanced prostate cancer. Her
team studies how tumors with underlying
defects in DNA repair capabilities can be
targeted more effectively with specific DNA
damaging agents or inhibitors.
“Normal cells have a robust network of
DNA repair pathways with an inherent re-
dundancy enabling them to effectively repair
the damage. Cancer cells, on the other hand,
are often addicted to a particular DNA repair
pathway. Finding this Achilles heel is key to
designing effective therapy,”she said.
Chao is working to create a therapy that
targets this weakness.The researcher has
been at Roseman since 2012 and is a mem-
ber of the American Association of Cancer
Research, where she has also presented some
of her findings.
In December 2014, her work was
“Stay focused and stay positive.Think
questions through thoroughly. Basi-
cally, science centers around identifying
a problem and finding a solution. Keep
your focus on that and don’t let anyone
tell you that you can’t do it.”
- Mary Johlfs
“Start young. Even in high school or
middle school, you have to seek out op-
portunities to get into the lab. Learning
about science is different from having
practical experiences.You have to have
hands-on experience in the lab. … As a
researcher, you face a lot of failures due
to the experimental nature of the work.
You can’t be afraid of that.”
- Olivia Chao
“It’s fun and tough. Getting your Ph.D.
is really the starting line. …You learn
about something really deeply, a special
modality, then you find more connec-
tions. … It’s a long journey and I’m still
in the middle of it.”
- Yasuyo Urasaki
“You have to be really dedicated to sci-
ence, like live, breathe and think about
science all the time. It requires a lot of
dedication; so you have to be passion-
ate about what you are working on.”
- Ranjana Mitra
published in the peer-reviewed journal,
Molecular Cancer Research. Chao studied
the combined use of histone deacetylase
(HDAC) inhibitor and poly-ADP ribose
polymerase (PARP) inhibitor drugs to
decrease prostate cancer cell viability. Her
research findings supported the use of the
two drug combinations for metastatic cas-
tration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC),
the most advanced form of the disease.
Originally from Malaysia, Chao
received her Ph.D. from the Faculty of
continued on page 12

12. 12 | Discovery Drive Summer 2015
Medicine in the National University of
Singapore. She chose science because of an
intense interest in biology as a child and she
always enjoyed learning about the human
body. After her mother lost her cancer battle
in her late-40s, Chao focused on cancer
research.
"That was a turning point in my life. I
had a lot of questions,”she added.
Going forward, Chao is more commit-
ted than ever to her DNA damage repair
research, and sees a place for it in Roseman’s
College of Medicine.
“I just want to continue doing good re-
search. I’m transitioning from post-doctoral
work to independent work and need to find
research grants. … I hope to have my own
lab and a faculty position in the future,”she
added.
Yasuyo Urasaki
Post-doctoral Research Associate
Urasaki admits to being curious about
many different scientific fields as a
child.The Japanese-born researcher eventu-
ally gravitated towards the study of im-
munology after taking an internship with a
professor at the University of Tokyo.
“He saw I had potential and really
encouraged me to go into research,”Urasaki
said.
Today, she works with Dr.Timothy Le,
a Roseman assistant professor and biomedi-
cal researcher who is developing advanced
imaging systems that study the role of lipids
in cancer and other obesity-related diseases.
Urasaki is part of a team that has been in the
process of filing two patent applications for
its circulating tumor cell work and advance-
ments with capillary electrophoresis, an ad-
vanced ion-separating analytical technique.
She has used the technology to help her
understand the potential impacts of uridine,
a pyrimidine nucleotide found in DNA, to
prevent the side effect of fat accumulation
in the liver when Tamoxifen, a widely-used
breast cancer drug, is administered. Her
work on this topic was published last year in
the peer-reviewed journal, BMC Pharmacol-
ogy and Toxicology.
Urasaki started her research career in
2007 at the Nevada Cancer Institute and
briefly worked at the Desert Research Insti-
tute before coming to Roseman a year ago.
“I’m very interested in aging, metabolism,
diabetes, and ways to maintain your health.
… It’s a very new and fresh field and there
are many possibilities, if you want to make it
happen,”she added.
Ranjana Mitra
Assistant Professor
Mitra spent eight years researching breast
and lung cancer at the University
of Minnesota before coming to Southern
Nevada in 2010. She says she feels most at
home in the science lab.
“I love it; it relaxes me. Even on Saturday
and Sunday, when I go to the lab to take
care of some experiments I prefer to plan for
the next week as it is so quiet and helps me
focus,”she added.
At Roseman, Mitra’s work touches on
several research areas. One involves isolat-
ing and culturing circulating tumor cells
(CTC’s) using advanced microscopy and
fluorescent labeling techniques.These
CTC’s are continuously shed by the pri-
mary tumor into the blood stream and are
the major cause of metastasis and death in
cancer patients. CTCs have a way of hiding
and avoiding the immune system as well as
different cancer treatments by continuously
changing their genetic makeup and thus
gaining resistance to therapy. Mitra has been
studying these cells to create personalized
therapies with specific drugs that can target
these cells and prevent further cancer growth
and metastasis.
Another research focus for Mitra is
the CYP3A5 enzyme, which she recently
demonstrated plays a major role in the
growth of prostate cancer cells by regulating
the androgen receptor, an important gene
in prostate cancer development. CYP3A5
is also a major liver enzyme involved in
processing about 50 percent of all commonly
used medications, Mitra explained. She is
exploring ways some medications for epilep-
sy, headaches and even anti-depressants can
potentially affect cancer treatment through
drug-drug interactions.
“I was always interested in science as a
kid, but I wanted to become an engineer,”
she said.“But during my undergraduate
program I was exposed to techniques of
genetic engineering where you could modify
genes and put in good traits. Learning those
techniques and understanding how genes
function and how those molecular biology
techniques can help find a cure for different
diseases altered my passion and I ended up
becoming a biologist instead of an engineer.”
Women in Science continued

13. www.roseman.edu/medicine | 13
Roseman University’s research team at the
Summerlin campus includes researchers,
research associates, post-doctoral associates,
and technicians organized into laboratories
focusing on diabetes and obesity, cancer,
Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other neurode-
generative diseases. Below are some recent
highlights from their investigations.
Dr.Oscar Goodman and members of
his team were recently published in two high
quality peer reviewed journals. Dr.Olivia
Chao has successfully published her work
in Molecular Cancer Research, putting forth a
potential new therapeutic approach to treat-
ing prostate cancer, combining two nontoxic
therapies, histone deacetylase inhibitors and
PARP inhibitors. Dr.Ranjana Mitra has
published her groundbreaking work in Pros-
tate, linking CYP3A5, an enzyme involved
in the metabolism of approximately 50% of
prescribed drugs, in the activation of androgen
receptor, the key therapeutic target in almost
all prostate cancers. The implications of this
are broad, notably including the concept that
prescription drugs used for other purposes ap-
pear to impact the effectiveness of hormonal
therapy.
Mary Johlfs, Director of Research Opera-
tions/Scientist, has recently completed a
three-year project, in collaboration with Dr.
Ronald Fiscus’lab and Dr.Timothy Le’s
lab, which developed a new ultrasensitive
methodology for measuring and character-
izing proteins in bone marrow stem cells,
immune cells and differentiating fat cells.
This new technology uses a combination of
Nanotechnology and Proteomics, termed
“Advanced Nano-Proteomics”based on
capillary isoelectric focusing (cIEF) im-
munoassay (NanoPro 1000), possessing a
sensitivity that is 1,000-times better than con-
ventional Western blots and 100,000-times
better than 2D-gel/Mass Spec, used by other
laboratories for protein analysis. The resulting
ground-breaking data has been documented
in a manuscript “Capillary isoelectric focus-
ing immunoassay for fat cell differentiation
proteomics”by Johlfs MG, Gorjala P, Urasaki
Y, Le TT and RR Fiscus (2015).
Drs.Aurelio Lorico and Germana
Rappa, Co-Directors of the Cancer Research
Center, have recently published the results
of their research on breast cancer in two top
research journals. The first article, published
in Molecular Cancer Research, in collabora-
tion with Dr.Toni Green, from Roseman
University and Dr. Denis Corbeil, from the
Technische Universitat in Dresden, Germany,
reports that the breast cancer-associated
protein CD9, previously considered a surface
protein present only in the external membrane
of breast cancer cells, is able to penetrate
into the nuclei of breast cancer cells, where it
directly interferes with the process of cancer
cell duplication. Based on these novel find-
ings, the Roseman Cancer Research Center
is currently testing the anti-tumor activity of
anti-CD9 molecules in human breast cancers
transplanted in experimental mice.
The second article, published in Oncotarget
by Germana Rappa, Toni Green and Aurelio
Lorico, in collaboration with Denis Corbeil
and Jana Karbanova, shows that aggressive
and rapidly metastatic breast cancer cells pres-
ent a higher number of protrusions on their
external cell membrane in contrast to slow-
growing and slow-metastasizing breast cancer
cells.These protrusions, called invadopodia,
lamellipodia, filopodia and magnupodia, have
important pro-metastatic functions, including
cell migration, cell invasion, cell-cell fusion
and intercellular communication. Interest-
ingly, these membrane protrusions contain the
CD9 protein, and blocking CD9 or antibodies
genetically blocks the capacity of breast cancer
cells to invade other cells.
Roseman Cancer Research Center is
actively pursuing the clinical translation of
these discoveries, with the aim to develop
novel strategies to prevent the formation of
metastases or to inhibit their growth. Drs.
Germana Rappa, Timothy Le and Aurelio
Lorico, in collaboration with Drs. Corbeil and
Fargeas of the University of Dresden, Ger-
many have recently published a manuscript in
the Stem Cells journal, where they propose for
the first time that the cancer stem cell marker
CD133 interacts with cellular lipids and with
the cancer-associated "wnt" pathway to drive
cancer formation.
Janica Wong, former Research Associ-
ate and Postdoc in Dr.Fiscus’ lab, has
published the research article “Resveratrol
at anti-angiogenesis/anti-cancer con-
centrations suppresses protein kinase G
signaling and decreases IAPs expression
in HUVECs," Wong JC and RR Fiscus,
AntiCancer Research 35: 273-282 (2015).
This article describes the mechanism of ac-
tion of resveratrol (a natural product found
in grapes, berries, peanuts and red wine)
in preventing tumor angiogenesis and
the progression of cancer, via its ability to
inhibit protein kinase G catalytic activity that
upregulates the expression of “cell survival
proteins," the Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins
(IAPs) c-IAP1, c-IAP2, Livin and XIAP, in
human endothelial cells. Janica is currently a
Postdoc in the Department of Pediatrics (En-
docrinology) at Stanford University School of
Medicine.
Research Investigations and Discoveries
Human breast cancer cells (purple) are able
to invade with their protrusions normal
“stromal” cells (arrows).This image was taken
with a live-cell microscopy imaging system,
present in Roseman laboratories, that allows
researchers to follow in 3-D the interaction of
different types of cells.

14. 14 | Discovery Drive Summer 2015
Introducing the Newest Roseman Team Members
Rebecca A.Dukes,
BA
Vice President for
Advancement
Rebecca Dukes brings
to Roseman University
expertise in develop-
ment, strategy and execution. She has worked
in fundraising and leadership positions
for more than 30 years. At San Jose State
University, she was responsible for all major
fundraising activities including major gifts,
annual gifts, alumni affairs and corporate and
foundation relations. Additionally, she served
as chief executive officer for the San Jose State
University's Tower Foundation to advance the
interests of the institution. Dukes joined the
university in the final stages of its first com-
prehensive campaign, ending in June 2013 at
nearly $9 million over the established goal of
$200 million, and one year ahead of schedule.
Under Dukes’leadership, the university raised
an additional $27 million in 2014.
Previously, Dukes held vice president of
university advancement positions for New
Mexico State University and Westminster
College in Salt Lake City. She also served
as assistant vice president of development at
Utah State University as well as various fun-
draising positions at hospitals and healthcare
related non-profits. Dukes is also an accom-
plished financial advisor. From 2008 through
2012, Dukes worked at Armstrong Prickett &
Associates, a Merrill Lynch consulting team
advising institutions with more than $50 mil-
lion in assets.
Stephanie Wragg,
Ph.D.
Assistant Dean for
Curriculum and
Assessment & Associate
Professor of Biomedical
Sciences
Dr. Stephanie Wragg is playing a critical
role in developing the College of Medicine
curriculum and preparing for evaluation by
the LCME. Before joining Roseman,Wragg
served as associate dean of curriculum and
Vicky VanMeetren,MBA,RN
Special Advisor to the Dean for Community Engagement
The College of Medicine has a strong commitment to community engagement as
it continues to develop its curriculum and clinical programs centered on the needs
of Southern Nevada’s diverse communities. In January, to help Founding Dean Dr.
Mark Penn connect with the local healthcare and business communities, the College
appointed Vicky VanMeetren as Special Advisor to the Dean for Community Engage-
ment.
“VanMeetren is a tremendous resource to the College of Medicine, bringing
extensive leadership experience, healthcare expertise and active involvement in the
local healthcare community,”said Penn.“Since she began her new role, she has greatly
helped the College of Medicine share its mission, vision and values to many Southern
Nevadans, particularly those in the healthcare community, who are excited about what
the College of Medicine will do to transform medical education and healthcare in the
region.”
Before joining Roseman,VanMeetren was CEO of the San Martin campus of St.
Rose Dominican Hospitals from 2006 to 2014, serving in the role during the hospital’s
construction and growing operations. During her tenure, the hospital received J.D.
Power and Associates Distinguished Hospital Inpatient Award in 2011.The San Mar-
tin Campus also received certification as a stroke hospital, as well as for its chest pain
and headache programs, through The Joint Commission. Under VanMeetren’s leader-
ship, the hospital was also ranked number one by U.S. News & World Report in the specialty areas of neurology and neurosurgery.
Previously, she served in a variety of administrative roles for Dignity Health and was responsible for development of a medical office building,
two ambulatory surgical centers, a rehabilitation center, urgent care clinic, and the St. Rose Dominican Hospitals, Siena Campus.
“Roseman University is a truly innovative institution, and the College of Medicine has a remarkable vision for the future of medical educa-
tion in Nevada. Its ongoing development is a truly venerable endeavor that will help to further elevate the quality of healthcare in our region,”
said VanMeetren.“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to help leverage Roseman’s significant strengths to further advance curricular and clinical
aspirations and engender support among its most important audiences.”

15. www.roseman.edu/medicine | 15
evaluation at Central Michigan University’s
College of Medicine.There she was respon-
sible for curriculum development, and evalu-
ation and assessment of students, faculty, and
the program.That College of Medicine was
successfully launched in August 2013.
Over the past decade, she has also served
as associate dean for academic affairs at the
University of Illinois at Chicago College
of Medicine at Urbana-Champaign, assis-
tant dean of medical curriculum and faculty
development at the University of Miami
Miller School of Medicine at Florida Atlantic
University and curriculum coordinator at the
Medical College of Georgia.Wragg was also
director of Women in Medicine and Science
for the Association of American Medical
Colleges (AAMC) from 2009 to 2011. Ad-
ditionally,Wragg has held numerous faculty
appointments in biochemistry, molecular
biology, microbiology and medicine, and is a
member of the International Association of
Medical Science Educators (IAMSE).
A.Peter Eveland,
Ed.D.
Associate Dean for
Student Affairs &
Admissions and Professor
of Family Medicine
Dr. Peter Eveland is
setting up the medical student admissions
process and ensuring students will have sup-
port services to help them achieve academic
and clinical success. Prior to joining Rose-
man, Eveland served as associate dean for
student affairs, admissions and outreach, and
professor of medical education, at California
Northstate University College of Medicine, a
private medical school in development in Elk
Grove, California.
Eveland previously held administrative
and faculty positions at Bastyr University,
University of Washington School of Medi-
cine, Florida State University College of
Medicine, and Mercer University School of
Medicine.
Christopher Burns,
Ph.D.
Associate Professor of
Biomedical Sciences
Dr. Christopher Burns
is assisting in the cur-
riculum development.
Before coming to Roseman, Burns helped
develop and evolve medical and graduate
education programs at Central Michigan
University College of Medicine, University
of Illinois College of Medicine, University of
Virginia School of Medicine, Florida Atlantic
University School of Biomedical Science and
the Medical College of Georgia School of
Medicine and School of Graduate Studies.
With funding from the National Sci-
ence Foundation and National Institutes of
Health, Burns’laboratories at Florida Atlantic
University and Medical College of Georgia
investigated molecular mechanisms of gene
expression in pathogenic microorganisms. He
now focuses on medical education and profes-
sional skill development including leadership
training, student success, curriculum reform,
peer evaluation, instructional technology, and
inter-professional education. As a consultant-
trainer for the Team-Based Learning Col-
laborative, he guides faculty adopting this
powerful teaching strategy in schools of
business, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and
veterinary medicine. Burns recently undertook
emergency medical technician training to re-
connect with the student experience and gain
the perspective of a healthcare provider.
Bruce Morgenstern,
M.D.
Associate Dean for
Clinical Affairs and
Professor of Pediatrics
Dr. Bruce Morgenstern
joins the College of
Medicine to continue the work the College
began last year to build relationships and
cultivate clinical partnerships with South-
ern Nevada hospitals and clinics. He most
recently served as chief of the Division of
Nephrology at Phoenix Children’s Hospital
and the medical director of the hospital’s De-
partment of Continuing Medical Education.
He also served as associate professor of medi-
cal education and professor of pediatrics at
the College of Medicine at the Mayo Clinic,
clinical professor of pediatrics at Creighton
University School of Medicine and professor
of pediatrics at University of Arizona College
of Medicine.
Previously, Morgenstern held professional
positions and appointments at Temple Uni-
versity School of Medicine,Tulane University
School of Medicine, and the F. Edward Her-
bert School of Medicine of the Uniformed
Services University of Health Sciences.
Lisa J.Rosenberg,
M.D.
Director of Geriatrics
and Assistant Professor of
Medicine
An internal medicine
physician specializing
in geriatrics, Rosenberg is assisting in the
development of the College of Medicine’s
clinical curriculum. Rosenberg joined the
College of Medicine from Touro University
Nevada, where she was a practicing physician
and served as the institution’s director for the
Nevada Geriatric Education Consortium,
co-chair of the Active Aging Center Devel-
opment Committee and chair of the Library
Committee. She also served on the Program
Review Committee and Student Promotions
Committee of the university.
Previously, Rosenberg was a geriatrician at
Southwest Medical Associates and director of
its House Call Program. She was also assistant
director of the Geriatrics Fellowship Program
and director of the Urinary Incontinence
Research Lab at University of Pittsburgh
Medical Center.

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www.twitter.com/rosemanresearch
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