Beverly Lyn-Cook Ph.D.

Interdisciplinary Research Biologist — Division of Biochemical Toxicology

Beverly Lyn-Cook, Ph.D.
(870) 543-7121
NCTRResearch@fda.hhs.gov

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Background

Dr. Lyn-Cook is currently a senior interdisciplinary research biologist in the Division of Biochemical Toxicology. She received a Ph.D. in cell and molecular biology from Atlanta University in 1981. She completed a three-year post-doctoral appointment in the Division of Biochemistry (area of Neurochemistry) at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill from 1981-1984, and then was a research associate professor in the Lineberger Cancer Research Center at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in the area of Chemical Carcinogenesis from 1985-1988. Dr. Lyn-Cook was recruited in 1988 to NCTR’s Division of Nutritional Toxicology. She has served as a senior research biologist in the Division of Pharmacogenomics and Molecular Epidemiology and in the Office of the Associate Director for Regulatory Activities at NCTR. She also serves as NCTR liaison to the FDA Office of Women’s Health.
Dr. Lyn-Cook has received numerous awards, including:

M.L. Reddick Award for Achievement in Cell Biology (1979)
Josiah Macy, Jr., Scholarship, Marine Biological Laboratory (MBRL) (1979)
NCTR “Women of the Year Award for Professional Achievement” (1992)
Arkansas Federally Employed Women of the Year (1992)
FDA “Equal Opportunity Achievement Award” (2000)
Blacks in Government “Meritorious Service Award” (2005)
Morgan State University “Research Symposium Award” (2005)
American Assoc. for Cancer Research (AACR) “Minorities in Cancer Research Award” (2006)
FDA “Diversity in Action Award” (2007)
NCTR “Outstanding Service Award” (2009)
FDA “Outstanding Service Award for Exceptional Research” (2010)
NCTR “Outstanding Service Award” (2014)

Dr. Lyn-Cook has served on numerous outside professional advisory committees, including:

Arkansas Biosciences Institute Board (currently serving)
FDA’s Research Involving Human Subjects Committee (currently serving)
FDA’s Office of Women’s Health Steering Committee (currently serving)
Minority Biomedical Research Support (MBRS) Advisory Board (Philander Smith College)
Arkansas Science and Technology Authority Science Advisory Committee
Arkansas Recruitment and Retention Committee for Minority Students
Florida A & M University Apothecary Board of Visitors
Arkansas Math and Science School Advisory Board
Arkansas Coalition for Diversity in Education
MBRS Advisory Board (University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff)
National Board of Directors, Blacks in Government
Arkansas School for Math and Science Board of Trustees
Vice-Chair and Chair of the Arkansas Science and Technology Authority Board

Research Interests

Dr. Lyn-Cook is a research biologist with vast research experience in the areas of cell and molecular biology, cancer research, pharmacogenomics, epigenetics, lupus, and sex differences in drug efficacy. Her major research expertise is in the cancer field ─ with emphasis on endometrial, pancreatic, and breast cancer ─ where she has developed in vitro assays using human cells to discover biomarkers of cancer etiology and progression, as well as to examine differences in cancer drug treatments. She has further developed a research program on sex differences in response to various drugs. Dr. Lyn-Cook focuses on drug transporters and genetic variations in genes involved in metabolism, biotransformation, and drug excretion to better understand mechanistic and toxic actions of drugs alone or in combination with dietary agents. In a collaborative project with university scientists, Dr. Lyn-Cook has initiated a research program on systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In this program she is investigating genetic and epigenetic mechanisms involved in SLE etiology and differences in efficacy of FDA drugs or biologics in African Americans and European American women with lupus. She has shown the importance of epigenetics in SLE by examining peripheral blood mononuclear cells and serum from lupus and age-matched control patients. She has identified potential new therapeutic targets for treating lupus patients. Currently, Dr. Lyn-Cook is examining the use of FDA-approved epigenetic drugs to treat triple-negative breast cancer, an aggressive form of cancer with many subtypes that respond to very few current drug regimens.

Professional Societies/National and International Groups

African Organization for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC)
Member
2012 – Present

American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
Member
1987 – Present

Education Committee (AACR)
2012 – Present

Minority in Cancer Research Council (AACR)
2006 – 2009
2016 – 2019

Minority Council (AACR)
2015 – Present

Minority Faculty Award Committee (AACR)
2012 – Present

Minority Scholar Award Advisory Committee (AACR)
2012 – Present

Selected Publications

The Food and Drug Administration Office of Women’s Health: Impact of Science on Regulatory Policy: An Update.
Elahi M., Eshera N., Bambata N., Helen H., Lyn-Cook B., Beitz J., Rios M., Taylor D., Lightfoote M., Hanafi N., DeJager L., Wiesenfeld P., Scott P., Fadiran E., Marsha B., and Henderson M.
Journal of Women’s Health. 2016, 25(3):222-234.

MicroRNAs: Potential Diagnostic and Therapeutic Targets for Breast Cancer.
Starlard-Davenport A., Mohammed O., Lyn-Cook B., and Kadlubar S.
Epigenetic Diagnosis & Therapy. 2015, 1(1):60-71.

Prolactin and Dehydroepiandrosterone Levels in Women with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: The Role of the Extrapituitary Prolactin Promoter Polymorphism at −1149G/T.
Treadwell E., Wiley K., Word B., Melchior W., Tolleson W., Gopee N., Hammons G., and Lyn-Cook B.
Journal of Immunology Research. 2015, (2):1-10 · November 2015 Article ID 435658.

Expression of Drug Transporters in Human Kidney: Impact of Sex, Age, and Ethnicity.
Joseph S., Nicolson T., Hammons G., Word B., Green-Knox B., and Lyn-Cook B.
Biology of Sex Differences. 2015, 6:4. doi:10. 1186/s13293-015-0020-3.

Cytotoxicity of Chronic Exposure to 4 Cigarette Smoke Condensates in 2 Cell Lines.
Honggang Wang H., Word B., Lyn-Cook L., Yang M., Hammons G. and Lyn-Cook B.
International J. of Toxicology. 2015, vol. 34 no. 2 182-194.

Increased Expression of Toll-like Receptors (TLRs) 7 and 9 and Other Cytokines in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) Patients: Ethnic Differences and Potential New Targets for Therapeutic Drugs.
Lyn-Cook B., Xie C., Oates J., Treadwell E., Word B., Hammons G., and Wiley K.
Molecular Immunology. 2014, 61:38-43.

ATP-Binding Cassette Genes Genotype and Expression: A Potential Association with Pancreatic Cancer Development and Chemoresistance?
Pang L., Word B., Xu J., Wang H., Hammons G., Huang S., and Lyn-Cook B.
Gastroenterology Research and Practice. 2014, vol. 2014, Article ID 414931, 9 pages, 2014. doi:10.1155/2014/414931.

Ethnic Differences in DNA Methyltransferases Expression in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.
Wiley K., Treadwell E., Manigaba K., Word B., and Lyn-Cook B.
J. Clinical Immunology. 2013, 33(2):342-348.

Restoration of the Methylation Status of Hypermethylated Gene Promoters by MicroRNA-29b in Human Breast Cancer: A Novel Epigenetic Therapeutic Approach.
Starlard-Davenport A., Kutanzi K., Tryndyak V., Word B., and Lyn-Cook B.
Journal of Carcinogenesis. 2013, 12, 15.

Characterization of UDP-Glucuronosyl-Transferase (UGT1A1) Promoter Polymorphisms and Gene Expression on Ethnicity, Stage of Disease, and Menopausal Status in Breast Cancer.
Starlard-Davenport A., Word B., and Lyn-Cook B.
J. of Drug Metabolism and Toxicology. 2013, 4(4), S4:001. doi:10.4172/2157-7609.S4-001.

Epigenetics in Tobacco Smoke Toxicology.
Hammons G. and Lyn-Cook B.
Current Topics in Toxicology. 2012, 7:63-77.

Enhanced Efficacy of Gemcitabine by Indole-3-Carbinol in Pancreatic Cell Lines: The role of Human Equilibrative Nucleotide Transporter 1 (hENT1).
Wang H., Word B., and Lyn-Cook B.
Anticancer Research. 2011, 31:3171-3180.

Transcriptional Activity of DNMT3B in Pancreatic Cancer Cells: Effects of -149 (C→T) Promoter Polymorphism.
Xiao Y., Word B., Hammons G., and Lyn-Cook B.
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. 2011, 415:220-223.

Gender Differences in Gemcitabine (Gemzar) Efficacy in Cancer Cells: Effect of Indole-3-Carbinol.
Lyn-Cook B., Davis C., Word B., Haefele A., Hammons G., Wang H., and Mohammed S.
Anticancer Research. 2010, 30:4907-4914.

The Role of UDP-Glucuronosyltransferases and Drug Transporters in Breast Cancer Drug Resistance.
Starlard-Davenport S., Lyn-Cook B., Beland F., and Pogribny I.
Experimental Oncology. 2010, 32(3):175-183.

Novel Identification of UDP-Glucuronosyltransferase 1A10 as an Estrogen-Regulated Target Gene.
Starlard-Davenport S., Lyn-Cook B., and Radominska-Pandya A.
J. Steroids. 2008, 73(1):139-47.

Identification of UDP-Glucuronosyltransferase 1A10 in Non-Malignant and Malignant Human Breast Tissues.
Starlard-Davenport S., Lyn-Cook B., and Radominska-Pandya A.
J. Steroids. 2008, 73(6):611-620.

Indole-3-Carbinol (I3C) Modulates Expression of DNA Methyltransferases 1, 3a, and 3b in Pancreatic Cancer Cells: Effects of Gender and a Novel (C→T) Polymorphism in the Promoter Region of DNMT 3b.
Haefele A., Word B., Yongmei X., Hammons G., and Lyn-Cook B.
International J. of Cancer Prevention. 2007, 2(4):245-255.

Increased Levels of NAD(P)H: Quinone Oxidoreductase 1(NQO1) in Pancreatic Tissues from Smokers and Pancreatic Adenocarcinomas: A Potential Biomarker of Early Damage in the Pancreas.
Lyn-Cook B., Yan-Sanders Y., Moore S., Taylor S., Word B., and Hammons G.
Cell Biology and Toxicology. 2006, 21:1-8.

Modulation of the Constitutive Activated STAT3 Transcription Factor in Pancreatic Cancer Prevention: Effects of Indole-3-Carbinol (I3C) and Genistein.
Lian J., Word B., Taylor S., Hammons G., and Lyn-Cook B.
Anticancer Research. 2004, 23:3-7.

Lab Members

Contact information for all lab members:
(870) 543-7121
NCTRResearch@fda.hhs.gov

Stancy Joseph, Ph.D.
ORISE Postdoc

Julie Getz, Ph.D.
ORISE/OWH Postdoc

Beverly Word, B.S.
Lab Manager

Contact Information: Beverly Lyn-Cook; (870) 543-7121