Research Interests

The function of differential tRNA modification as a biomarker in neoplastic transformation, effects of phytoestrogens (reveratrol) on breast and prostate cancer model systems and reengineering Shigella flexneri infectivity mechanisms to specifically target colon cancer.

Research Program

I maintained an active research program for my first 15 years in academics. As funding became scarce, I shifted my efforts to teaching, developing the entire biochemistry instructional program at Old Dominion University. On transferring to George Washington University Medical Center, my assigned duties are exclusively Biochemistry and Molecular Biology teaching and program development for the first year Medical Program, the first year Physicians Assistant Health Sciences Program and the first year Graduate Biochemistry core program.

Selected Publications

• Herve’ Brule’, Mark S. Elliott, Maria Redlak,, Zendra E. Zehner, andW. Michael Holmes. Isolation and characterization of the human (N1G37) methyltransferase (TRM5) and comparison to the E.coli TrmD protein. Biochemistry 43: 9243-9255, 2004.
• Rana C. Morris, Mark S. Elliott, Herve Brule, Zendra E. Zehner, and W. Michael Holmes. GenBank Third Party Annotation database. Accession number BK005409. Homo Sapiens m1G37-tRNA-methyltransferase (TRM5) mRNA sequence. Accession number BK005410. Homo Sapiens m1G37-tRNA-methyltransferase (TRM5) DNA-gene sequence, complete May 12, 2004.
• Mark S. Elliott. Comparative Analysis of Enzyme Based Surgical Equipment Cleaning Solutions. Technology analysis paper in product manual “Enzymatic Solutions” Magnatech LLC, Hickory NC, 2003.
• Lester Pretlow, Roy Williams and Mark S. Elliott. TypeII estrogen binding site agonist: Synthesis and biological evaluation of the enantiomers of methyl-para-hydroxyphenylacetate (MeHPLA). Chirality 15: 674-679, 2003
• Gary Z. Morris, Roy L. Williams, Mark S. Elliott, Stephen J. Beebe. Resveratrol induces apoptosis in LNCaP cells and requires hydroxyl groups to decrease viability in LNCaP and DU145 cells. The Prostate 54: 319-329, 2002
• Rana C. Morris and Mark S. Elliott. Queuosine modification of tRNA: a case for convergent evolution. Molecular Genetics and Metabolism. 74: 147-159, 2001.

Book Chapter in:

Mark S. Elliott. Essentials of Public Health Biology: A Guide for the Study of Pathophysiology. Ed. Constance U. Battle. Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Boston MA. “Essay: Biochemistry: A Foundation for Health Sciences.” page 9-12, 2009