Norah Alghamdi, PhD
Assistant Professor
Education & Affiliations
Research
Umbilical Cord Tissue vs Meconium in Neonate Drug Screening (NDS)
We compared five HPLC/MS-MS NDS cases of paired umbilical cord and meconium specimens. Interestingly, the data indicated that meconium provides higher sensitivity, and is likely to remain the specimen of choice when sensitivity is of greatest importance. These results can help clinicians, laboratorians, and epidemiologists to (1) select the most appropriate test and (2) interpret discordant results.
Biomarkers for PTSD
Our work aims to test the hypothesis that subjects suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) have an inherent dysregulation of the corticotropin-axis involving the neuropeptide Urocortin 3 (UCN3). No clinical laboratory test is currently available to aid in this diagnosis; thus, we are developing a rapid and inexpensive biomarker test that will have substantial clinical impact.
Biomarkers for OSA and ADHD
Both obstructive sleep apnea and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have a common physiological connection that warrants the development of clinical assays for UCN3. We are developing a highly sensitive aptamer-based immunoassay to test UCN3 as a viable biomarker.
Circulating DNA (ctDNA)
We tested tumor burden by measuring BRAF V600 ctDNA in patients with metastatic melanoma using PCR techniques on a BioCartis Idylla platform and a droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) from BioRad.
Role of RNase L in Kidney
- Investigate the role of RNase L in kidney function and development using an animal model with wild-type and RNase L-null mice
- Assess kidney function after acute kidney injury and how RNase L is involved
- Illustrate the regulatory mechanism of RNase L in the shedding of EGF
- Identify the phosphor-protein profile in kidney cells
Signal Transduction Pathway in Colon cells
Using a cell culture technique, we utilized the HT29 cell line to investigate the signal transduction pathway that is induced/inhibited by certain stimuli.
Drug Metabolism
- Use an animal model with wild-type and RNase L knockout mice to investigate the role of RNase L in drug metabolism
- IP injection of different drugs and subsequently using mass spectrometry analysis to measure intact drug molecules and their metabolism in serum obtained from mice
Contributions
N. Alghamdi, PhD; R. Valdes, PhD., Association of Clinical Scientists 2021 Annual Meeting. Title: A proposed novel biomarker for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). May 13-14, 2021 (Oral)
Roundtable Scientific Session speaker at AACC 2020 annual meeting. Title: Newborn Drug Screening: Meconium vs Umbilical cord. December 17, 2020 (Speaker)
N. Alghamdi, PhD; C. Sharp, PhD; T. Robinson, MD.; S. Jortani, PhD. Newborn Drug Screening Differential Outcome Using Meconium Versus Umbilical Cord Tissue. AACC 2020 Annual Scientific Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo. Virtual Conference. December 13-17, 2020 (Poster)
N. Alghamdi, PhD; C. Sharp, PhD; T. Robinson, MD.; S. Jortani, PhD. Newborn Drug Screening Differential Outcome Using Meconium Versus Umbilical Cord Tissue. ACLPS 2020 Annual Meeting. Virtual Conference. June 25, 2020 (Poster)
N. Alghamdi, R. Valdes. A High Sensitivity Aptamer-based Assay for Urocortin 3; a Potential Marker for PTSD. Pathology Residents Research Day. University of Louisville Hospital. June 19, 2020 (Oral)
SYCL travel grant recipient, 70th AACC Scientific Meeting and Clinical Lab Expo. Chicago, IL. July 29- August 2, 2018
N. Alghamdi, A. Zhou. Role of RNase L in Kidney. Mass Spectrometry Applications to the Clinical Labs (MSACL) Palm Springs. CA. January 21 - 25, 2018. (Poster)
N. Alghamdi, A. Zhou. Role of RNase L in Kidney. American Chemical Society Meeting-in-Minute (ACS MiM). Oberlin, OH. March 28, 2018. (Oral)
N. Alghamdi, A. Zhou. Role of RNase L in Kidney. 69th AACC Annual Scientific Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo. San Diego, CA. July 30 – August 3, 2017. (Poster)
N. Alghamdi, A. Zhou. Role of RNase L in Kidney. 65th ASMS Conference on Mass Spectrometry and Allied Topics. Indianapolis, IN. June 4 –8, 2017. (Poster)
Waters Corporation Conference, LC-MS/MS in the Clinical Laboratory: Current Considerations. Cleveland, OH. Mar 3rd, 2015.
N. Alghamdi, A. Zhou. Role of RNase L in Kidney. Meeting in Miniature: Center for Gene Regulation in Health and Diseases (GRHD), CSU. Cleveland, OH. April 2015. (Poster)
N. Alghamdi, A. Zhou. Role of RNase L in Kidney. Research Day. Cleveland State University. Cleveland, Ohio. March 2015. (Poster)
D. Liu, N. Alghamdi, Y. Zhang, J. Xie, A. Zhou. Polysaccharides Isolated from Agaricus Blazei Murill Induce Phosphorylation and Apoptosis in Raw 264.7 Cells. Research Day 2015: Center for Gene Regulation in Health and Diseases (GRHD), CSU. Cleveland, Ohio. 2015. (Poster)
Q. Zheng, N. J Alghamdi, D. Liu, A. Zhou. TMCO1 is A Novel Marker in Cancer Metastasis. Research Day 2015: Center for Gene Regulation in Health and Diseases (GRHD), CSU. Cleveland, Ohio.2015. (Poster)
American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science-Ohio, the Ohio Collaborative Laboratory Conference (CLC), an Investigation of Medical Laboratory Science. Columbus, Ohio May 6-8, 2015
N. Alghamdi, A. Zhou. Role of RNase L in Kidney Function and Development and RNase L Regulation of Epidermal Growth Factor Shedding. AACC 2015 Annual Meeting. Atlanta, Georgia. July 26 – 30, 2015 (Poster)
C. Liu, D Liu, N. Alghamdi, G. Jin, A. Zhou. RNase L is involved in Foam Cell Formation. Research Day 2014: Center for Gene Regulation in Health and Diseases (GRHD). CSU. Cleveland, Ohio. 2014. (Poster)
BS Yun, N. Alghamdi, D. Liu, Q. Huang, A. Zhou. RNase L is involved in the Pathogenesis of Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Research Day 2014: Center for Gene Regulation in Health and Diseases (GRHD). CSU. Cleveland, Ohio. 2014. (Poster)
Publications
NJ Alghamdi, C. Burners, R. Valdes Jr. (2021). Urocortin 3 (UCN3): Biological Relevance and Measurement in Laboratory Medicine. Critical Review in Clinical Laboratory Journal. (2021). Review manuscript.
Mark W. Linder, Michael E Egger, Tracy Van Meter, Shesh Rai, Roland Valdes Jr., Melissa Barousse Hall, Xiaoynong Wu, Norah J. Alghamdi, and Jason Chesney. (2021). Longitudinal Relationship between Idylla plasma ctBRAF V600 mutation detection and tumor burden in metastatic melanoma patients. Mol Diagn Ther (2021). PMID: 33970440. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40291-021-00528-4
Norah J. Alghamdi, Cierra Sharp, Tonya Robinson, Saeed Jortani. (2020). Newborn Drug Screening: Differential Outcome Using Meconium Versus Umbilical Cord Tissue. American Journal of Clinical Pathology, 154(1):S2-S5.
Norah J. Alghamdi, Lakshmi Balaraman, Kylin A. Emhoff, Ahmed M. H. Salem, Ruhan Wei, Aimin Zhou, and W. Christopher Boyd. (2019). Cobalt(II) Diphenylazodioxide Complexes Induce Apoptosis in SKHEP‑1 Cells. ACS, 4, 14503−14510.
Haiyan Tan, Chun Zeng, Junbo Xie, Norah J. Alghamdi, Ya Song, Hongbing Zhang, Aimin Zhou, and Di Jin. (2015). Effects of Interferons and Double-Stranded RNA on Human Prostate Cancer Cell Apoptosis. Oncotarget, 6(36), 39184–39195.
Norah J. Alghamdi and Aimin Zhou. RNase L Regulates Phosphorylation in Kidney. In preparation.
Awards & Accomplishments
Young Clinical Scientist, Best Presentation Award. The Association of Clinical Scientists (ACS) 2021 Annual Meeting. May 13-14, 2021. Virtual meeting-Zoom.
Young Investigator Educational Grant, Mass Spectrometry: Applications to the Clinical Laboratory (MSACL) 2019 US 11th Annual Conference & Exhibits. March 31-April 4, 2019. Palm Springs, CA.
Society for Young Clinical Laboratorians (SYCL) Travel Grant, $2000, 70th AACC Annual Scientific Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo, July 29–August 2, 2018. Chicago, IL.
Northeast Ohio AACC. Student Abstract Competition, second place, $250. July 24, 2018 Cleveland Clinic RT-PLMI Laboratories. Cleveland. OH.
American Society for Mass Spectrometry (ASMS) Student Stipend, $300, 66th ASMS Conference, June 3-7, 2018. San Diego, CA.
Scholarship, Ohio Collaborative Laboratory Conference (CLC), Northeast Ohio AACC. May 2017. Columbus, OH
Student Research Abstract Award, Second Place, $250, Northeast Ohio AACC. June 28, 2017. Cleveland, OH
Dissertation Research Award (DRA), $5000, Cleveland State University. 2017-2018
Participant, Student Poster Compaction, American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC) Annual Meeting. July 27-31, 2015. Atlanta, GA
Scholarship, Ohio Collaborative Laboratory Conference (CLC), Northeast Ohio AACC, May 6-8, 2015. Columbus, OH
