Faculty & Staff Directory

Chair, School of Athletic Training
Associate Professor of Athletic Training
Clinical Coordinator
Clinical Instructor Educator

Dr. Yi Charlie Chen, professor of biology, has taught at Alderson Broaddus University since 2000. He received his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees from Zhejiang University in China. He then received his second Master of Science degree and a Doctoral degree from Washington State University.  Prior to coming to ABU, Dr. Chen worked as a postdoctoral fellow at USDA and Oklahoma State University.

Dr. Chen has published over 80 different papers and book chapters in a wide range of scientific journals and books. In collaboration with professors at West Virginia University and Marshall University, Dr. Chen is currently working on the molecular biology of cancer research. His research has focused on the inhibition of anti-cancer drugs, especially natural compounds, on angiogenesis: the growth of blood vessels that provide nutrients to cancer cells and are essential for tumor growth. The natural compounds Dr. Chen is currently studying include saponins, kaempferol, theaflavin, nobiletin, baicalin, baicalein, gallic acid, galangin, myricetin, and chaetoglobosin K, etc. from plants and fungi. Dr. Chen is also working on nanochemoprevention using nanoparticles as a novel approach for cancer control. His group is currently studying the use of natural compounds isolated from tea to target cancer stem cells to reverse cancer chemoresistance. Together with scientists in USDA, Oklahoma State University and Washington State University, Dr. Chen also worked on developing DNA markers for detecting parasitism and predation. Dr. Chen has received several major grants over two million dollars from the National Institute of Health (NIH) and WV-INBRE, National Science Foundation (NSF) and WV-EPSCoR, Washington State Fruit Tree Commission, and USDA for scientific research. One of the grants Dr. Chen received in the amount of $500,000, it is the largest grant ever awarded to Alderson Broaddus for research.

Dr. Chen has also been nominated for the West Virginia Professor of the Year Award, a statewide award that honors the best teachers in West Virginia higher education. Dr. Chen is the recipient of the Faculty of the Year Award in 2013 selected by Alderson Broaddus students. Dr. Chen was the speaker for the 2013 ABU’s Opening Convocation. He was also the featured professor in the 2013 spring issue of the Neuron: West Virginia Journal of Science and Research. Dr. Chen has been selected as the plenary speaker, keynote speaker, moderator, and session chair in different scientific conferences.

Dr. Chen is currently serving as the Editor-in-Chief for a scientific journal: Journal of Nutritional Medicine and Diet Care. He also serves as the topic editor for a high impact journal: Cancers. He also served as the Editor-in-Chief for The Open Entomology Journal between 2012-2015. Besides, he serves as the Editorial Board Member for several scientific journals: Journal of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Research, Journal of Nutritional Medicine and Diet Care, SM Journal of Environmental Toxicology, Austin journal of cancer and clinical research, and International Archives of Clinical Pharmacology. Dr. Chen also currently serves on the steering committee of West Virginia IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (WV-INBRE) and the Science Advisory Board.

Dr. Chen’s courses include microbiology, genetics, evolution, research methods, parasitology, immunology, cell biology, and conservation biology.  He has also engaged in global study in China regarding issues in sciences and cell biology.

Recent Publications (selected from a total of 82 peer-reviewed publications)

Kiratipaiboon C, Stueckle TA, Ghosh R, Rojanasakul LW, Chen YC, Dinu CZ, Rojanasakul Y. 2019. Acquisition of Cancer Stem Cell-like Properties in Human Small Airway Epithelial Cells after a Long-term Exposure to Carbon Nanomaterials. Environ Sci Nano. 6(7): 2152-2170. PMID: 31372228.

Gao Y, Yin J, Tu YY, Chen YC. 2019. Theaflavin-3,3′-Digallate Suppresses Human Ovarian Carcinoma OVCAR-3 Cells by Regulating the Checkpoint Kinase 2 and p27 kip1 Pathways. Molecules 24: 673. PMID: 30769778.

Pan H, Kim E, Rankin GO, Rojanasakul Y, Tu Y, Chen YC. 2018. Theaflavin-3,3’-digallate inhibits ovarian cancer stem cells via suppressing Wnt/-Catenin signaling pathway. J Functional Foods 50: 1-7. PMID: 30984291.

Jia LY, Xia HL, Chen ZD, Compton C, Bucur H, Sawant DA, Rankin GO, Li B, Tu YY, Chen YC. 2018. Anti-Proliferation Effect of Theasaponin E₁ on the ALDH-Positive Ovarian Cancer Stem-Like Cells. Molecules23(6). Pii: E1469. PMID: 29914196.

Gao Y, Yin J, Rankin GO, Chen YC. 2018. Kaempferol induces G2/M cell cycle arrest via checkpoint kinase 2 and promotes apoptosis via death receptors in human ovarian carcinoma A2780/CP70 cells. Molecules 23: 1095. PMID: 29734760.

Pan H, Li J, Rankin GO, Rojanasakul Y, Tu Y, Chen YC. 2018. Synergistic effect of black tea polyphenol, theaflavin-3,3’-digallate with cisplatin against cisplatin resistant human ovarian cancer cells. J Functional Foods 46: 1-11. PMID: 30364631.

Zhang Y, Chen S, Wei C, Rankin GO, Ye X, Chen YC. 2018. Flavonoids from Chinese bayberry leaves induced apoptosis and G1 cell cycle arrest via Erk pathway in ovarian cancer cells. Eur J Med Chem. 2018 147:218-226. PMID: 29438890.

Zhang Y, Chen S, Wei C, Rankin GO, Rojanasakul Y, Ren N, Ye X, Chen YC. 2018. Dietary compound proanthocyanidins from Chinese bayberry (Myrica rubra Sieb. et Zucc.) leaves inhibit angiogenesis and regulate cell cycle of cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer cells via targeting Akt pathway. J Functional Foods 40: 573-581. PMID: 29576805.

Zhang Y, Chen S, Wei C, Rankin GO, Ye X, Chen YC. 2018. Dietary compound proanthocyanidins from Chinese bayberry (Myrica rubra Sieb. et Zucc.) leaves attenuate chemotherapy-resistant ovarian cancer stem cell traits via targeting the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and inducing G1 cell cycle arrest. Food & Function 9: 525-533. PMID: 29256569.

Pan H, Kim E, Rankin GO, Rojanasakul Y, Tu Y, Chen YC. 2018. Theaflavin-3,3'-Digallate Enhances the Inhibitory Effect of Cisplatin by Regulating the Copper Transporter 1 and Glutathione in Human Ovarian Cancer Cells. Int J Mol Sci. 19(1): E117. PMID: 29301278.

Pan H, Wang F, Rankin GO, Rojanasakul Y, Tu Y, Chen YC. 2017. Inhibitory effect of black tea pigments, theaflavin‑3/3'-gallate against cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer cells by inducing apoptosis and G1 cell cycle arrest. Int J Oncol. 51:1508-1520. PMID: 29048667.

Jia L, Wu X, Gao Y, Rankin GO, Pigliacampi, A, Bucur H, Bo L, Tu Y, Chen YC. 2017. Inhibitory effects of total triterpenoid saponins isolated from the seeds of the tea plant (Camellia sinensis) on human ovarian cancer cells. Molecules 22 (10): 1649. PMID: 28974006.

Wang Y, Ren N, Rankin GO, Bo L, Rojanasakul Y, Tu Y, Chen YC. 2017. Anti-proliferative effect and cell cycle arrest induced by saponins extracted from tea (Camellia sinensis) flower in human ovarian cancer cells.Journal of Functional Foods 37: 310-321.

Fu Y, Ye X, Lee M, Rankin GO, Chen YC. 2017. Prodelphinidins isolated from Chinese Bayberry (Myrica rubra Sieb. et Zucc.) Leaves induced apoptosis by p53-dependent signaling pathways in human ovarian cancer OVCAR-3 cells. Oncology Letters 13: 3210-3218. PMID: 28529565.

Wang Y, Compton C, Rankin GO, Cutler SJ, Rojanasakul Y, Tu Y, Chen YC. 2017. 3-Hydroxyterphenyllin, a natural fungal metabolite, induces apoptosis and S phase arrest in human ovarian carcinoma cells. Int J Oncol. 50: 1392-1402. PMID: 28259974.

Friedman JR, Perry HE, Brown KC, Gao Y, Lin J, Stevenson CD, Hurley JD, Nolan NA, Akers AT, Chen YC, Denning KL, Brown LG, Dasgapta P. 2017. Capsaicin synergizes with camptothecin to induce increased apoptosis in human small cell lung cancers via the calpain pathway. Biochemical Pharmacology. 129: 54-66. PMID: 28104436.

Luanpitpong S, Wang L, Castranova V, Dinu CZ, Issaragrisil S, Chen YC, Rojanasakul Y. 2016. Induction of cancer-associated fibroblast-like cells by carbon nanotubes dictates its tumorigenicity. Sci Rep. 6:39558. PMID: 27996035.

Gao Y, Snyder SA, Smith JN, Chen YC. 2016. Anti-Cancer Properties of Baicalein: A review. Medicinal Chemistry Research 25: 1515-1523. PMID: 28008217.

Gao Y, Rankin GO, Tu Y, Chen YC. 2016. Inhibitory Effects of the Four Main Theaflavin Derivatives Found in Black Tea on Ovarian Cancer Cells. Anticancer Res. 36(2):643-51. PMID: 26851019.

Tu Y, Kim E, Gao Y, Rankin GO, Li B, Chen YC. 2016. Theaflavin-3, 3'-digallate induces apoptosis and G2 cell cycle arrest through the Akt/MDM2/p53 pathway in cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer A2780/CP70 cells.Int J Oncol. 48: 2657-2665. PMID: 27082635.

Gao Y, Rankin GO, Tu Y, Chen YC. 2016. Theaflavin-3,3’-digallate decreases human ovarian carcinoma OVCAR-3 cell-induced angiogenesis via Akt and NOTCH-1 pathways, not via MAPK pathways. Int J Oncol. 48: 281-292. PMID: 26648098.

He Z, Chen AY, Rojanasakul Y, Rankin GO, Chen YC. 2016. Gallic acid, a phenolic compound, exerts anti-angiogenesis effects via PTEN-AKT- HIF-1α-VEGF signaling pathway in ovarian cancer cells. Oncology Reports 35: 291-297. PMID: 26530725.

Luanpitpong S, Li J, Manke A, Brundage K, Ellis E, McLaughlin SL, Angsutararux P, Chanthra N, Voronkova M, Chen YC, Wang L, Chanvorachote P, Pei M, Issaragrisil S, Rojanasakul Y. 2016. SLUG is required for SOX9 stabilization and functions to promote cancer stem cells and metastasis in human lung carcinoma.Oncogene 35 (22):2824-2833. PMID: 26387547.

Huang H, Chen AY, Rojanasakul Y, Ye X, Rankin GO, Chen YC. 2015. Dietary compounds galangin and myricetin suppress ovarian cancer cell angiogenesis. Journal of Functional Foods 15: 464-475. PMID: 26113875.

Block K et al. 2015. Designing a broad-spectrum integrative approach for cancer prevention and treatment. Semin Cancer Biol. 35: S276-S304. PMID: 26590477.

Wang Z, Dabrosin C, Yin X, Fuster MM, Arreola A, Rathmell WK, Generali D, Nagaraju GP, El-Rayes B, Ribatti D, Chen YC, et al. 2015. Broad targeting of angiogenesis for cancer prevention and therapy.Semin Cancer Biol. 35: S224-243. PMID: 25600295.

Li B, Gao Y, Rankin GO, Rojanasakul Y, Cutler SJ, Tu Y, Chen YC. 2015. Chaetoglobosin K induces apoptosis and G2 cell cycle arrest through p53-dependent 1 pathway in cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer cells. Cancer Letters 356: 418-33. PMID: 25304379.

Dr. Sobha Priyadarshini Gorugantula was born and raised in Visakhapatnam, an age-old port city located on the east coast of India. She received her B.Sc degree in Chemistry at St. Joseph’s College, an affiliated campus of Andhra University in India and subsequently, her M.Sc degree in Organic Chemistry at Andhra University. After a brief teaching career in India, Dr. Gorugantula came to West Virginia University to pursue her doctoral studies in Organic and Organometallic Chemistry. She eventually earned her PhD in 2009 and has been teaching at Alderson Broaddus ever since.

Courses offered by Dr. Gorugantula encompass General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Analytical and Instrumental Chemistry. With her doctoral thesis concentrated on palladium catalysed hetero-annulation reactions, it comes as no surprise that Dr. Gorugantula’s interest resides in transition metal mediated catalytic reactions and synthetic organic chemistry. In addition to teaching, Dr. Gorugantula serves as the advisor to the Student Government Association of Alderson Broaddus.

Kayla McKinney’s areas of interest include the relationship between museums, natural history, and Victorian literature, and popular culture. She has published work on the literature related to British taxidermy, the influence of the natural history museum on the writings of Charles Dickens, and the music of the rock band Rush. She teaches a wide range of courses in composition and literature.

Dr. Thomas Moore, EdD., DMSc, PA-C, is the Dean, College of Medical Science, Director, School of Physician Assistant Studies, and Associate Professor of Physician Assistant Studies.  Dr. Moore is a graduate of the AB University PA Program with a Master of Science degree in Physician Assistant Studies, and a Master of Medical Science degree in Surgery. He has also completed the West Virginia University School of Medicine, Emergency Medicine Certificate Program, graduated from Walden University with a Doctor of Education, and from the University of Lynchburg with a Doctor of Medical Science degree.

Dr. Moore’s areas of practice include Surgical Critical Care and Cardiothoracic Surgery. He is NCCPA certified and a member of the Society of Critical Care Medicine, American College of Chest Physicians, American Association for Anatomy, and the International Association of Medical Science Educators.

Emily Hypes Rosier received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Musical Arts from Alderson Broaddus in 2005. That same year, she married her college sweetheart, Joshua Rosier, an AB Alumnus. They now have two children, Noah and Willow. She started at AB in June 2007, working part-time in the Advancement Office as Music Schedule Coordinator and part-time in the Registrar’s Office as Administrative Assistant to the Registrar. In the fall of 2012, she moved to full-time in the Registrar’s Office as Assistant Registrar.

“My favorite thing about AB is the people and the community. Although many things have changed since my time as a student, it still feels like home.”