Center for Health Disparities and Molecular Medicine

Faculty profile

Marino De León, PhD
	Director, Center for Health Disparities and Molecular Medicine Director, Initiative for Maximizing Student Diversity Associate Professor, Departments of Physiology/Pharmacology and Human Pathology and Anatomy * University faculty profile * Research interests * Publications Mortensen Hall Loma Linda, California 92350 Phone: (909) 558-9474 Fax: (909) 558-0196 Email: madeleon@llu.edu

Research interests

Dr. De León's laboratory interest is in the neurobiology of neuronal injury and axonal regeneration/degeneration. Current studies in the laboratory are identifying cellular mechanism(s) associated with lipotoxicity and the function of fatty acid binding proteins in cell growth and differentiation. An important long-term translational outcome is to elucidate the role of the "augmented state of cellular oxidative stress" (ASCOS) in the development of health disparities such as diabetes and stroke.

Dr. Marino De León is the founding director of the newly created Loma Linda University School of Medicine Center for Health Disparities and Molecular Medicine (CHDMM). Dr. De León received his doctorate in physiology (neurophysiology) from the University of California at Davis and completed post-doctoral studies in molecular neurobiology at Stanford University under the mentorship of Dr. Eric M. Shooter. His graduate and postdoctoral studies were supported by fellowships and assistantships from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Stanford University and UC Davis.

Dr. De León's focus on student training has resulted in the development of several research and academic programs to eliminate health disparities and increase diversity among biomedical and physician scientists who graduate from Loma Linda University. These programs include the Apprenticeship Bridge to College (ABC) high school program, the Undergraduate Training Program (UTP), Medical Training Program (MTP), and the PhD educational research training program Initiative for Maximizing Student Diversity (IMSD). He is the founding director of the Office of Student Development (OSD) in the Loma Linda University School of Medicine (2001), which administrates these programs. He is the principal investigator and program director for two major NIH awards from the National Institutes of General Medical Sciences and the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities that fund these programs.

Dr. De León's professional career has led to serving on research advisory panels for the National Research Council and the National Institutes of Health (NICHD, NIGMS and NCMHD), Bethesda, MD. The National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the Montgomery Street Foundation, and Loma Linda University School of Medicine have funded his research. Numerous honors received by Dr. De León include the "Loma Linda University Outstanding Leadership of Minority Student and Principle of Diversity Award" (1995), the "Loma Linda University Diversity Service Award" (1998), the "Walter E. McPherson Society Faculty Researcher for The Year Award" (2001), the "Loma Linda University Hispanic Alumni award for contributions leading to Hispanic Empowerment" (2003), and the "Loma Linda University Health Science Center Centennial Vanguard Award" (2006).

Selected Publications

1. Khan S, Aspe JR, Asumen MG, Almaguel F, Odumosu O, Acevedo-Martinez S, De Leon M, Langridge WH, Wall NR. Extracellular, cell-permeable surviving inhibits apoptosis while promoting proliferative and metastatic potential. Br J Cancer 100(7):1073-86, 2009.
2. Almaguel FG, Liu J-W, Pacheco FJ, Casiano CA and De Leon, M. Activation and reversal of lipotoxicity in PC12 and rat cortical cells following exposure to palmitic acid. Journal of Neuroscience Research. 87:1207-1218. 2009.
3. Sing KS, Moretta D, Almaguel F, Wall NR, De Leon M, D De Leon M. Differential effect of proIGF-II and IGF-II on resveratrol induced cell death by regulating surviving cellular localization and mitochondrial depolarization in breast cancer cells. Growth Factors 25(6): 363-372, 2008.
4. Singh KS, Moretta D, Almaguel F, De Leon M, De Leon DD. Precursor Igf-II (Proigf-II) and Mature Igf-II (MIgf-II) Induce Bcl-2 And Bcl-x(l) Expression Through Different Signalling Pathways In Breast Cancer Cells. Growth Factors 26(2): 92-103, 2008.
5. Ulloth JE, Almaguel FG, Padilla A, Bu L, Liu J-W and De León M. Characterization of Methyl-B-Cyclodextrin toxicity in NGF-Differentiated PC12 Cells. 2007. Neuro Toxicology. In Press.
6. Chang Y, Edeen K, Lu X, De León, M, and Mason RJ. Keratinocyte growth factor induces lipogenesis in alveolar type II cells through a sterol regulatory element binding protein-ic-dependent pathway. 2006. American Journal Cell Molecular Biology 35: 268-274.
7. Allen, GA, Denes B, Fodor I., and De León M. Vaccinia virus infection & gene transduction in cultured neurons. 2005. Microbes and Infection 7:1087-1096.
8. Ulloth JE, Casiano CA, and De León M. Palmitic and Stearic Fatty Acids Induce Caspase Dependent and Independent Cell Death in Nerve Growth Factor Differentiated PC12 Cells. 2003. Journal of Neurochemistry 84: 655-668.
9. Allen GW, Liu J-W, Kirby MA  and De León M. Induction and axonal localization of E-FABP in retinal Ganglion cells is associated with axonal growth and regeneration. 2001 Journal of Neuroscience Research 66: 396-400.
10. Allen GW, Liu J-W and De León M. Depletion of a fatty acid-binding protein impairs neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells. 2000. Molecular Brain Research 29: 315-324.
11. Liu Y, Longo LD and De León M. In situ and immunocytochemical localization of E-FABP mRNA and protein during neuronal migration and differentiation in rat brain. 1999. Brain Research 852: 16-27.
12. Liu Y, Molina CA, Welcher AA, Longo LD, and De León M. Expression of DA11, a neuronal-injury induced fatty acid binding protein, coincides with axon growth and neuronal differentiation during central nervous system development. 1997. Journal of Neuroscience Research 48:551-562.
13. De León M, Welcher AA, Nahin RH, Liu Y, Ruda MA, Shooter EM and Molina CA. Fatty acid binding protein is induced in neurons of the dorsal root ganglia after peripheral nerve injury. 1996. Journal of Neuroscience Research 44: 283-292.