Frank A. Simmen
Professor
Ph.D., Biochemistry, University of Hawaii
Office: (501) 364-2859
Email: simmenfranka@uams.edu

There are three research areas ongoing in our laboratory.  In the first, we are studying the molecular mechanisms by which the uterus and embryo communicate (embryo-maternal cross-talk).  This involves studies of growth factors and transcription factors and their molecular mechanisms of action.  In the second area of research, we are studying the molecular basis of gut development and are particularly interested in genes that help determine cell growth & phenotype during fetal and postnatal development.  In the third area, we are studying how nutritional factors affect gene expression in the gastrointestinal tract and with long-lasting effects on cancer pre-disposition.  Experimental models and approaches used include in vitro tissue and cell models, molecular & cell biology, and genomics.   

Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center

Representative Publications

Xiao, R., Badger, T.M. and Simmen, F.A.  Dietary exposure to soy or whey proteins alters colonic global gene expression profiles during rat colon tumorigenesis.  Mol. Cancer, Vol. 4:1, 2005.

Kwak, I., Song, S., Blum, J.L., Simmen, R.C.M. and Simmen, F.A.  Enhancer- and silencer- like sequences that mediate insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-2 gene expression in uterine cells of pregnancy.  DNA & Cell Biology, Vol. 25, 2006, pp 6-18.

Xiao, R., Carter, J.A., Linz, A.L., Ferguson, M., Badger, T.M. and Simmen, F.A.  Dietary whey protein lowers serum C-peptide concentration and duodenal SREBP-1c mRNA abundance, and reduces occurrence of duodenal tumors and colon aberrant crypt foci in azoxymethane-treated male rats.  J. Nutr. Biochem., Vol. 17, 2006, pp. 626-634.

Simmen, F.A. and Simmen, R.C.M.  Orchestrating the menstrual cycle: discerning the music from the noise.  Endocrinology, Vol. 147, 2006, pp. 1094-1096.

Simmen, F.A., Xiao, R., Velarde, M.C., Nicholson, R.D., Bowman, M.T., Fujii-Kuriyama, Y., Oh, S.P. and Simmen, R.C.M.  Dysregulation of intestinal crypt cell proliferation and villus cell migration in mice lacking Krüppel-like factor 9.  Am. J. Physiol. Gastrointest. Liver Physiol., Vol. 292, 2007, pp. G1757-G1769.

Xiao, R., Hennings, L.J., Badger, T.M. and Simmen, F.A.  Fetal programing of colon cancer in adult rats: correlations with altered neonatal growth trajectory, circulating IGF-I and IGF binding proteins, and testosterone.  J. Endocrinol., Vol. 195(1), 2007, pp. 79-87.

Link to Dr. Simmen at Pub-Med

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