University of Nebraska Medical Center
Omaha, United States
Dr. Rebecca Oberley-Deegan is a professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) and received her Ph.D. University of Iowa, Iowa City Iowa and did her postdoctoral training at National Jewish Health, Denver, Colorado with Dr. James Crapo. She joined the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) in Omaha, Nebraska in 2014 as an assistant professor. Dr. Oberley-Deegan’s laboratory has previously shown that the SOD mimic, MnTnBuOE-2-PyP prevent radiation induced fibrosis and is currently conducting phase II clinical trials in anal and rectal cancers to determine the efficacy of MnTnBuOE-2-PyP as a radioprotector. Recently, her lab has observed that when the SOD mimic is given weeks after radiotherapy and fibrosis is reversed. Dr. Oberley-Deegan’s lab has found that radiation induces hypomethylation of many genes in fibroblasts, while the treatment of the SOD mimic partially restores the methylation patterns. Her lab is currently identifying specific genes that have alterations with methylation with radiation and SOD mimic treatment to identify new redox sensitive targets involved in fibrosis. Through better understanding of how the redox environment affects epigenetic changes during fibrosis, better treatment can be given to cancer patients receiving radiation to prevent radiation-induced fibrosis.
Disclosure information not submitted.
SYMPOSIUM SESSION: Linking Oxidative Stress and Senescence to Diseases
Thursday, November 20, 2025
2:15 PM - 4:15 PM US EST