Derek C Norford
Derek C Norford serves as a University veterinarian and research scientist. He works in scientific resource development in support of life science studies and has a background in grant development and review related to the enhancement of infrastructure. Dr. Norford also participates in collaborative research with various scientists.
His research interests are centered on the development of models of human disease, with a current emphasis on the use of zebrafish. This animal model is used to test molecules as early candidates for exploration for drug development or to assess the toxicity of environmental chemicals. The development of capabilities in high-throughput screening for drug development and for toxicity testing using zebrafish is a significant part of Dr. Norford’s research plans and activities. His past studies include an assessment of regulatory genetic elements vital to gene expression in zebrafish embryos. Imaging and morphometric analyses of cells and tissues are major technical expertise used in his research projects. Histochemical, immuno-cytochemical, and fluorescent labeling of cellular and tissue samples are also employed in Dr. Norford’s work.
He has participated in teaching and training high school, undergraduate and graduate students in the biological and agricultural sciences.
Education
|
PhD |
North Carolina State University |
2000 |
|
MS |
North Carolina State University |
1988 |
|
DVM |
Tuskegee University |
1985 |
|
BS |
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University |
1981 |
Publications
Refereed Journal Articles
Norford, DC; Meuten, DJ; Cullen, JM; Collins, JJ. (1993). Pituitary and thyroid gland lesions induced by 2-Mercaptobenzimidazole inhalation in male Fischer-344 rats. Toxicologic Pathology. 21:456 (PM: 8115823)
Yoon, JH; Koo, JS; Norford, D; Guzman, K; Gray, T; Nettesheim, P. (1998). Lysozyme expression during metaplastic squamous differentiation of retinoic acid-deficient human tracheobronchial epithelial cells. Am. J. Resp. Cell Mol. Biol. 20:573 (PM: 10100988)
Koo, JS; Yoon, JH; Gray, T; Norford, D; Jetten, AM; Nettesheim, P. (1998). Restoration of the mucous phenotype by retinoic acid in retinoid-deficient human bronchial cultures. Changes in mucin gene expression. Am. J. Resp. Cell Mol. Biol. 20: 43 (PM: 9870916)
Norford, DC; Koo, JS; Gray, T; Adler, K; Nettesheim, P. (1998). Expression of nitric oxide synthase isoforms in normal human tracheobronchial epithelial cells in vitro: dependence on retinoic acid and the state of differentiation. Exp Lung Res. 24:355 (PM: 9635256)
Mukhopadhyay, S; Shim, JY; Assi, AA; Norford, D; Howlett, AC. (2002). CB1 cannabinoid receptor-G protein association: A possible mechanism for differential signaling. Chem Phys. Lipids. 121:91 (PM: 12505694)
Howlett, AC; Mukhopadhyay, S; Norford, DC. (2006). Endocannabinoids and reactive nitrogen and oxide species in neuropathologies. J. Neuroimmun. Pharm. 1:305 (PM: 18040807)
Jones, JD; Carney, ST; Vrana, KE; Norford, DC; Howlett, AC. (2008). Cannabinoid receptors mediated translocation of NO-sensitive guanylyl cyclase and production of cyclic GMP in neuronal cells. Neuropharmacology. 54:23 (PM: 17707868)
Carney, ST; Lloyd, ML; Mackinnon, SE; Newton, DC; Jones, JD; Howlett, AC; Norford, DC. (2009). Cannabinoid regulation of nitric oxide synthase I (nNOS) in neuronal cells. J. Neuroimmun. Pharm. 4:338 (PM: 19365734)
Shakes, LA; Du, H; Wolf, HM; Hatcher, C; Norford, DC; Precht, P; Sen, R; Chatterjee, PK. (2012). Using BAC Transgenesis in zebrafish to identify regulatory sequences of the amyloid precursor protein gene in humans. BMC Genomics 13:451 (PM: 22947103)
Chatterjee, PK; Shakes, LA; Wolf, HM; Mujalled, MA; Hatcher, C; Norford, DC. (2013). Identifying distal cis-acting gene-regulatory sequences by expressing BACs functionalized with loxP-Tn10 transposons in zebrafish. RSC Advances, 23:8604 (PM: 24772295)
Shakes, LA; Wolf, HM; Norford, DC; Grant, DJ; Chatterjee, PK. (2014). Harnessing mobile genetic elements to explore gene regulation. Mob Genet Elements, 4:e29759 (PM: 25054085)
Wolf, HM; Nyabera, KO; De La Torre, KK; Eltayeb, MA; Iranloye, O; Shakes, LA; Hatcher, C; Norford, DC; Chatterjee, PK. (2014). Long range gene-regulatory sequences identified by transgenic expression of bacterially-engineered enhancer-trap BACS in zebrafish. Mol Biol Genet Engin, 2:2 (http://www.hoajonline.com/molbiolgeneteng/2053-...
Wolf, HM; Nyabera, KO; De La Torre, KK; Eltayeb, MA; Iranloye, O; Shakes, LA; Hatcher, C; Norford, DC; Chatterjee, PK. (2014). Trapping enhancers of transgenic expression of BACs engineered in bacteria with loxP transposons. In J Genomic Med, 2:1
Grant, DG; Shakes, LA; Wolf, HM; Norford, DC; Chatterjee, PK. (2015). Exploring function of conserved non-coding DNA in its chromosomal context. AIMS Biophysics, 2:773 (http://www.aimspress.com/article/10.3934/biophy...
Dalton, GD; Carney, ST; Marshburn, JD; Norford, DC; Howlett, AC. (2020) CB1 Cannabinoid Receptors Stimulate Gβγ-GRK2-Mediated FAK Phosphorylation at Tyrosine 925 to Regulate ERK Activation involving Neuronal Focal Adhesions. Front. Cell. Neurosci. 14:176. doi: 10.3389/fncel.2020.00176
Book Chapters
Ogden, L; Gorham, S; Hanner, T; Norford, D; Hurley, S. (1998). In vivo and in vitro effects of L-canavanine and L-canaline (pp 267-270). In Toxic plants and other natural toxicants, edited by Tam Garland and Catherine Barr, CAB International, North America, New York (1998) ISBN 978-085-199-263-1
Wolf, HM: Iranloye, O; Norford, DC; Chatterjee, PK. (2011). Functionalizing bacterial artificial chromosomes with transposons to explore gene regulation (pp 45-62). In Bacterial Artificial Chromosomes, edited by Pradeep Chatterjee, InTech, (www.intechopen.com), Rijeka, Croatia (2011) ISBN 978-953-307-725-3
Grants
Ongoing Research Support
RCMI Center for Health Disparities Research Center Grant, 5U54MD012392 Kumar (PI), 09/2017-06/2022. Dr. Norford’s role: Scientific research coordinator and director of alterations and renovations of the Animal Resources Complex in year 1.
For more information, visit the RCMI Center for Health Disparities (RCHDR) page.
Pending Research Support
NC State/NIEHS Center for Human Health and the Environment 2021 Pilot Award Grant. Dr. Norford’s role: co-investigator.
Project: Using zebrafish chemical screens to assess the impact of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) on accelerating the aging process. Dual-PI: Leung and Kumar.
The goal of this pilot grant is to evaluate the impact of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) on aging using chemical screens from spns1hi891 mutant and double-transgenic zebrafish lines. Through these studies, preliminary data to elucidate mechanisms of the impact of PFAS on aging will be generated to seek funding for a full investigator-initiated project (R01 grant) from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
Completed Research
NIGMS 3 S06 GM008049-31S2 Abu-Shakra (PI) 01/2004-7/2006. Dr. Norford’s role: subproject PI.
Minority biomedical research support at NCCU. Subproject: Cannabinoid-induced nitric oxide signal transduction.
The long-range goal of this subproject was to characterize signal transduction mechanisms induced by cannabinoid drugs leading to nitric oxide (NO) production in neuronal and glial cells.
NASA NAG5-12634 Harewood (PI) 10/2002-09/2006.
NCCU-NASA Center for Excellence. Dr. Norford’s role: veterinarian.
The long-range goal of the NCCU NASA Center was to conduct state-of-the-art research into biological and biotechnological issues that are directly pertinent to the NASA mission while providing unique NASA-linked research training and education opportunities for minority students from high school through college.
NCHMD P20 MD00175 Harewood (PI). Dr. Norford’s role: core director.
NCCU EXPORT Center for Excellence, 09/2002-09/2007. Subproject: animal resources and transgenic genotyping core.
The purpose of this core was to provide a state-of-the-art program for the breeding and genotyping of a variety of transgenic animals, including knockout mouse strains and congenic rat strains.
North Carolina Biotechnology Center Grant #2016-IDG-1011 Leung (PI) 05/2016-04/2017. Dr. Norford’s role: co-investigator.
Development of a high-throughput screening zebrafish core (HTSZC) at North Carolina Central University.
The objectives of this application are (1) to expand the use of the zebrafish animal model through the development of capabilities for high-throughput drug efficacy and toxicity screens at NCCU; (2) to purchase equipment to support behavior and morphology assays in the HTSZC at NCCU; and (3) to expand the capacity to house zebrafish for use in the HTSZC at NCCU.
NCRR 1G20RR024024-01A1 07/2008-06/2010. Dr. Norford’s role: co-investigator
Developing North Carolina Central University's Animal Resources Complex.
The goal of this proposal is to enhance the development of the Animal Resources Complex (ARC) at North Carolina Central University (NCCU).