Yaohua Wang (30) is the recipient of the Best Paper Award 2012, presented by the Springer journal Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry (ABC). Wang is the lead author of a paper published in ABC on a method to isolate peroxisomes with biological function from other cellular organelles. Her research could lead to further developments in the investigation of the anticancer drug doxorubicin. The award, accompanied by 1,000 euros, was created by Springer to honor exceptional young scientists and to stimulate their research careers. The ABC Best Paper Award has been given since 2005.
One of the major focuses of Yaohua Wang's research is the investigation of the subcellar distribution and metabolism of doxorubicin (DOX). DOX is effective in the treatment of hematological malignancies and cancers localized in solid tissues, however use of this drug is impaired by its side effects which may be associated with subcellular-specific accumulation of DOX metabolites. The most notorious side effect of DOX is cardiotoxicity, which is irreversible. Up to now, no one has investigated the accumulation and metabolism of DOX in peroxisomes. The investigation of DOX metabolism in peroxisomes provides a more comprehensive view of DOX toxicity in cells and is an indispensable part of Dr. Wang's research.
Yaohua Wang was born in 1982. She received her Ph.D. degree in analytical chemistry from the University of Minnesota in 2010. In 2008-2009, she received the Merck Research Laboratories Fellowship in Analytical/Physical Chemistry to recognize her outstanding research work.
Dr. Sylvia Daunert, Editor of ABC, said, "The elegant and innovative work of Dr. Wang and her mentor, Dr. Arriaga, focused on understanding the metabolism of DOX. It is important in that it sheds light on the mechanism of toxicity of a very well-known widely used anticancer drug. Her discoveries will help in understanding how drug resistance and drug toxicity occur in cellular compartments. This, in turn, can lead to the design and preparation of new drugs with reduced toxicity. The work of Dr. Wang is not only of analytical significance, but is also a perfect example of how bioanalytical work can impact the field of medicine."
Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry's mission is the rapid publication of excellent and high-impact research articles on fundamental and applied topics of analytical and bioanalyti¬cal science. Its scope is broad, encompassing the entire range of analytical and bioanalytical research and encouraging multidisciplinary solutions to problems in this field. ABC counts among the leading journals in its field and is partly owned by eight prestigious chemical societies.
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The article "Analysis of the bioactivity of magnetically immunoisolated peroxisomes" is freely available online at www.springer.com/abc or can be requested as a pdf.