1. Comparative and Translational Regenerative Medicine Network
  2. Faculty
  3. Dr. Jim Petrik

Dr. Jim Petrik

Ontario Veterinary College

Department of Biomedical Sciences

Email: jpetrik@uoguelph.ca

Office: OVC 3627

Ext: 54921

 

Dr. Petrik’s research interests include female reproductive biology and ovarian cancer. Dr. Petrik’s lab is focusing on developing novel therapeutics for treatment of late stage ovarian cancer. Specifically focusing on anti angiogenic therapies for inhibiting new growth of blood vessels supplying the tumours.

In our laboratory, we generate unique animal models to study reproductive function and to model late-stage ovarian cancer.  The ovary is an endogenously regenerative organ, which makes it an ideal model to study numerous aspects of vascular and tissue remodelling and regeneration.  It is one of the only tissues in the adult body that undergoes cyclical angiogenesis, tissue degeneration, and cellular regeneration.

We have a collaborative project with researchers at Harvard University to treat our animal model of advanced stage ovarian cancer with anti-angiogenic peptides.  These peptides reduce the presence of abnormal tumor blood vessels, and leave healthy, mature vessels intact.  As a result of this vessel normalization, we are able to improve vascular perfusion of the tumor and enhance delivery of chemotherapy drugs, oncolytic viruses, etc.

Our laboratory is also interested in identify the impact of the mevalonate pathway on metastatic disease.  We have shown that upregulation of the mevalonate pathway is important in facilitating migration and survival of metastatic ovarian cancer cells.  Inhibition of this pathway significantly impairs the ability of the metastatic cancer cells migrate within the abdomen and to initiate tumorigenic mechanisms. 

     Recent publications relating to regenerative medicine (2012-present):

  1. Greenaway J, Virtanen C, Osz K, Revay T, Hardy D, Shepherd T, DiMattia G, Petrik J. Ovarian tumor growth is characterized by mevalonate pathway gene signature in an orthotopic, syngeneic mouse model of epithelial ovarian cancer. Oncotarget. 7: 47343-47365, 2016
  2. Linnerth-Petrik NM, Santry LA, Moorehead R, Jucker M, Wootton SK, Petrik J. Akt isoform specific effects in ovarian cancer progression. Oncotarget. 7: 74820-74833, 2016.
  3. Tsoulas MW, Chang PE, Moore CJ, Chan KA, Ghoir W, Petrik J, Vickers MH, Connor KL, Sloboda DM. Maternal high-fat diet-induced loss of fetal oocytes is associated with compromised follicle growth adult rat offspring. Biol Reprod. 94: 2016
  4. Russell S, Duquette M, Liu J, Drapkin R, Lawler J, Petrik J. Combined therapy with thrombospondin-1 type I repeats (3TSR) and chemotherapy induces regression and significantly improves survival in a preclinical model of advanced stage epithelial ovarian cancer. FASEB J. 29: 576-588, 2015.
  5. Moore CJ, DeLong NE, Chan KA, Holloway AC, Petrik J, Sloboda DM. Perinatal administration of a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor induces impariments in reproductive function and follicular dynamics in female rat offspring. Reprod Sci. 22: 1397-1311, 2015.
  6. Chan K, Bernal AB, Vickers MH, Gohir W, Petrik J. Sloboda DM. Early life exposure to undernutrition induces ER stress, apoptosis, and reduced vascularization in ovaries of adult rat offspring. Biol Reprod. 92: 2015.
  7. De Long NE, Gugesell MK, Petrik J, Holloway AC. Fetal exposure to sertraline hydrochloride impairs pancreatic β-cell development. Endocrinology. 156: 1952-1957, 2015.
  8. Linnerth-Petrik NM, Santry LA, Petrik JJ, Wootton SK. Opposing functions of akt isoforms in lung tumor initiation and progression. PLoS One. 9(4):e94595,Apr 2014.
  9. Osz K, Ross M, Petrik J. The thrombospondin-1 receptor CD36 is an important mediator of ovarian angiogenesis and folliculogenesis. Reprd Biol Endocrinol. doi: 10.1186/1477-7827-12-21.March 2014.
  10. Hayes EK, Tessier DR, Percival ME, Holloway AC, Petrik JJ, Gruslin A, Raha S. Trophoblast invasion and blood vessel remodeling is altered in a rat model of lifelong maternal obesity. Reprod Sci. 21: 648-657, 2013.
  11. Hayes EK, Lechowicz A, Petrik JJ, Storozhuk Y, Paez-Parent S, Dai Q, Samjoo IA, Mansell M, Gruslin A, Holloway AC, Raha S. Adverse fetal and neonatal outcomes associated with a life-long high fat diet: role of altered development of the placental vasculature. PLoS One.  7: e33370, 2012.
  12. Jeon BG, Rho GJ, Betts DH, Petrik JJ, Favetta LA, King WA. Low levels of X-inactive specific transcript in somatic cell nuclear transfer embryos drived from female bovine freemartin donor cells. Sex Dev. 6: 151-159, 2012.
  13. Pistilli MJ, Petrik JJ, Holloway AC, Crankshaw DJ. Immunohistochemical and functional studies on calcium-sensing receptors in rat uterine smooth muscle. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol. 39: 37-42, 2012.
  14. Greenaway JB, Koehler A, McCulloch CA, Petrik J, Brown TJ, Ringuette MJ. The impact of the ovarian microenvironment on the anti-tumor effect of SPARC on ovarian cancer. Biochem Cell Biol. 90: 96-107, 2012.