"The Best Feeling in the World"
Recent Graduate Loves Asking Research Questions, Getting Answers

Leta Nutt, Ph.D., a May graduate of The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Houston, soon will have a new stamp on her passport - Sweden. She has received a postdoctoral fellowship at the Karolinska Institute.

"Going to Sweden is a great opportunity for me," she said. "I'll be following up on an observation from my dissertation, and I'll be working with some of the world's experts in mitochondrial physiology."

The Karolinska Institute, where the Nobel laureates in medicine or physiology are decided each year, is world renowned for both education and biomedical research. There, Nutt will continue her research on the role of cellular calcium in apoptosis, or programmed cell death, and cancer.

Before graduating, Nutt reported her research findings in both the March 15 and June 7 issues of the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

Working in the laboratory of David McConkey, Ph.D., assistant professor of cancer biology at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and a UT-Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences faculty member, Nutt focused her graduate studies on calcium fluctuations in two organelles, the mitochondria and the endoplasmic reticulum, and what causes these fluctuations to affect apoptosis in cancer cells. She and collaborators found that when prostate cancer cells are exposed to certain toxins, the endoplasmic reticulum dumps its stored calcium and the mitochondria quickly absorb the excess.

Mitochondria are energy generators for cells, and they require calcium for energy metabolism, while the endoplasmic reticulum is the cell's reservoir for calcium. Changes in a cell's calcium levels affect these two organelles and induce apoptosis - and Nutt wanted to know why.

Upon exposure to the toxins, cells begin producing two apoptosis regulatory proteins, Bax and Bak. This somehow triggers the endoplasmic reticulum to dump its calcium and the mitochondria to detect and absorb the excess.

"I think the toxins we use have a larger effect in the mitochondria than we realize, and my studies at Karolinska will investigate that possibility," Nutt said.

Normally, more calcium speeds up energy metabolism in the mitochondria, but too much can trigger the loss of cytochrome c, a molecule vital to the electron transport system, the energy-generating pathway. Without cytochrome c, cells can't create energy, and they begin to fall apart and die.

"I'm looking at the basic mechanism of how this works," Nutt said. "If I can get the pathways more delineated, then therapies can be directed toward different parts of the pathways."

Nutt dreams of one day "coming up with the best chemotherapeutic agent to date," and she gets excited about the long-term effects of her research.

"The most exciting thing about research is that we get to contribute to society, like new cancer therapies that will eventually help people," she said.

Her drive and determination to answer biological questions motivate her, but Nutt attributes most of her success to her deep love of science.

"I absolutely love what I do," she said. "My main driving force is that I enjoy research. I enjoy asking questions and designing experiments to find answers. When you get the answer, it's the best feeling in the world."

For graduate students, an emotional support system is instrumental to maintaining focus during the long years of sacrifice, and Nutt said support from family, friends and other graduate school faculty has made the difference.

"If you're with people who are motivated, it's easy to become productive and successful," she said. "Being in the right environment and with the right combination of people is crucial."

Having a mentor like McConkey helped keep Nutt focused on her goals and dreams, but she also believes new students should think positively and try to reach out to other students - to become mentors themselves.

"My ability to be a mentor has been very important to me," she said. "It's a great feeling to help others and give them something to help their skills and confidence grow."

The right environment for Nutt was the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. "I'm a big fan of the graduate school," she said. "It's set up for students and they stand behind us when we need them."

She has a particular fondness for Tom Goka, Ph.D., assistant dean for outreach and community affairs.

"He's been my tough-love professor, my mentor, and he gives me advice on everything from life to graduate school."

Eventually, Nutt would like to return to M.D. Anderson and UT-Houston to continue her research.

Leaving may be tough, but Nutt knows it's time to move on.

"I've been here so long and developed friendships," she said. "But I have to go on to the next step in my training to become an independent scientist."

Now, with numerous scholastic awards and scholarships on her résumé, and her doctoral diploma hung on the wall, it's time for Nutt to start her life's work.

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©2006 Texas Medical Center

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