RANDY JENSEN
Randy Jensen
email: randy.jensen@hsc.utah.edu		 Associate Professor of Neurosurgery

Neurobiology of Disease
Cellular Neuroscience

B.S. 1987, University of Utah; M.D. 1991, University of Utah; Ph.D. 1998, Loyola University.

RESEARCH:

Neuro Oncology. Hypoxia and angiogenesis in brain tumors, Calcium channel antagonist mediated growth inhibition of brain tumors

The laboratory research of Dr. Jensen involves determining how brain tumors develop new blood vessels and respond to hypoxic conditions. Most of the current research involves the role of Hypoxia Inducible Factor-1 in brain tumor angiogenesis and growth. Currently, inhibition of angiogenesis and growth after is being studied using small interering RNA (siRNA) technology in malignant glioma cells grown in vitro and in vivo. The aim of this project is to eventually target hypoxic regions within these tumors to stop angiogenesis and growth of human brain tumors.

A second interest is a continuation of a prior project using calcium channel antagonists for treatment of patients with brain tumors. These agents have been proposed to potentiate the effects of chemotherapeutic agents. Currently this is being tested in a mouse model. It is expected that this will eventually lead to use in clinical trials for patients with brain tumors refractory to other treatments.

Selected Publications

Gillepsie, D., Whang, K., Ragel, B.T., Flynn, J.R., Kelly, D.A., and Jensen, R.L. (2007) Silencing of hypoxia inducible factor-1 by RNA interference attenuates human glioma growth in vivo. Clinical Cancer Research, 13(8):2441-2448.

Ragel, B.T., Jensen, R.L., Gillespie, D.L., Prescott, S.M., and Couldwell, W.T. (2006) Celecoxib inhibits meningioma tumor growth in a mouse xenograft model. Cancer, 109:588-597, Dec 19 epub.

Ragel, B., Gillespie, D., Kushnir, V., Polevaya, N., Kelly, D., and, Jensen, R.L. (2006) Calcium Channel Antagonists Augment Hydroxyurea- and RU486-Induced Inhibition of Meningioma Growth In Vivo and In In Vitro. Neurosurgery, 59:1109-1121.

Jensen, R.L., Ragel, B., Whang, K., and Gillepsie, D. (2006) Inhibition of hypoxiainducible factor-1a decreases vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) secretion and tumor growth in malignant gliomas. J Neurooncology, 78:233-247.

Ragel, B., and Jensen, R. (2004) Pathophysiology of Meningiomas. Seminars in Neurosurgery, 14:169-185.

Jensen, R. L., Gillespie, D., House, P., Layfield, L., and Shelton, C. (2004) Endolymphatic Sac Tumors In Patients With And Without Von Hippel Lindau Disease: The Role of VHL Genetic Mutation, VHL Protein and Hypoxia Inducible Factor-1± (HIF-1±) Expression. J Neurosurgery, 100:488-497.

Kan, P., Gottfried, O., Blumenthal, D., Townsend, J., and Jensen, R. (2004) Oligodendroglioma and Juvenile Pilocytic Astrocytoma Presenting as Synchronous Primary Brain Tumors: Case Report and Review of the Literature. J Neurosurgery, 100:700-705.

Ragel, B., and Jensen, R. L. (2003) New approaches for the treatment of refractory meningiomas. Cancer Control, 10:148-158.

Jensen, R. L., Soleau, S., Bhayani, M. K., and Christiansen, D. (2002) Hypoxia inducible factor 1a correlates with preoperative embolization of meningiomas. J. Neurosurgery, 97:658-667.

Jensen, R. L., and Wurster, R. D. (2001) Calcium channel antagonists inhibit growth of subcutaneous xenograft meningiomas in nude mice. Surgical Neurology, 55:275-283.

Jensen, R. L., Petr, M., and Wurster, R. D. (2000) Calcium channel antagonist effect on in vitro meningioma signal transduction pathways after growth factor stimulation. Neurosurgery, 46:692-703.

Jensen, R. L. (1998) Growth Factor Mediated Angiogenesis in the Malignant Progression of Glial Tumors. A Review. Surgical Neurology, 49:189-196.

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