NU Step to PhD: Elvira Abzhanova, NUSOM graduate with a Doctor of Medicine degree

Elvira Abzhanova is NUSOM graduate with a Doctor of Medicine degree. In her doctoral dissertation, she studied the process of metastasis in different cancer types under the supervision of Dr. Eugene Tulchinsky.

Could you please tell us about your educational and professional background?

Ever since a young age, I have had a keen interest in biology and medical sciences. In 2018, I graduated from Nazarbayev University with a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences and then continued my graduate studies in Medicine. I just recently graduated from NUSOM with a Doctor of Medicine degree.

During my undergraduate studies, I developed an interest in neurological disorders. I have been a part of Dr. Sholpan Askarova’s research team at National Laboratory Astana and studied the process of inflammation in neurons and astrocytes in Alzheimer’s disease and ischemic stroke. We found out that exposure to mobile phone frequency electromagnetic fields can reduce the level of inflammation in Alzheimer’s disease and can be used as a new option for treatment in the future. We also investigated the effect of extract from plant Limonium gmelinii on inflammatory processes in ischemic stroke and demonstrated that the use of this plant reach in antioxidant compounds has excellent potential for application in therapeutical purposes. Becoming a medical student, I changed the topic of my research and studied the process of metastasis in different cancer types under the supervision of Dr. Eugene Tulchinsky. Specifically, I investigated the link between epithelial-mesenchymal transition in metastasis and expression and subcellular distribution of Axl and TYRO3 receptor tyrosine kinases. Understanding these proteins' localization and level of expression could be a potential treatment target for different cancer types.

Tell us about your doctoral research.

Cancer is a collective term that covers a broad group of diseases that can affect many organs and systems of the human body. One of the characteristic features of cancer is the rapid division of abnormal cells that grow beyond their usual boundaries and can penetrate the surrounding tissues, migrate to other organs or metastasize. Metastasis is a complex, stepwise process with a multilevel system of regulation. Tumor dissemination and metastasis are based on the so-called epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). EMT is a process in which epithelial cells transform into mesenchymal cells, which have high mobility and the ability to migrate, allowing metastasis to spread throughout the organism. Recent studies indicated an increased Axl (TAM family receptor tyrosine kinase) expression in the EMT process. The increase in the level of Axl expression in different cancer types is strongly related to the decrease in the survival of patients. Activation of Axl and its further cleavage by a particular enzyme called gamma-secretase are still under investigation and might probably explain different effects of Axl expression in EMT. Also, whether two other TAM family members, TYRO3 and MERTK, can be processed similarly remains unclear. The principal aim of my study was to establish a relationship between EMT and expression and subcellular distribution of Axl and TYRO3. I analyzed the effect of EMT on Axl and TYRO3 expression levels in cytoplasmic and nuclear fractions of three different cell models.  

What is the applied value of your work?

Approximately 90% percent of deaths in cancer patients are caused by metastasis. Since metastases appear at the late stages of cancer, which are difficult to cure, it is vital to study the cellular mechanisms behind this process.

What can you tell us about the process of writing your thesis?

Writing a thesis was challenging since I had limited time to work in the lab and perform the experiments due to COVID-19 regulations. We were not allowed to attend the lab because of the increasing cases in the city and university. However, despite all the difficulties, our lab team and PI did everything to support other students and me. The most crucial part was asking for feedback from my PI and other lab members. This helped me a lot to organize my writing and make it focused on specific points.

Please, tell us about your plans.

I am passionate about continuing my research in Medical Sciences and pursuing a Ph.D. in Neuroscience. During my medical school studies, I witnessed limited treatment approaches available for patients with neurological diseases. I had a clinical clerkship in the Pediatric Disabilities and Rehabilitation unit, where most patients had cerebral palsy and epilepsy. The mechanisms of these disorders are not fully understood, and treatment strategies are only symptomatic. I began thinking more about how my recent experience and further career in biomedical research could improve the lives of so many patients. In the future, I would like to study different microscopy methods to analyze the changes in the brain and mechanisms of such disorders as cerebral palsy and epilepsy.

I look forward to the new educational challenges and questions to investigate by doing research from its basis to provide a strong foundation for future implications in clinics.

What would you advise future doctoral students?

Always build a research network. It does not matter what your topic of investigation is; Networking is a massive part of doctoral studies. Communicating with your lab members, students, and professors from other labs and departments is essential. Currently, many events such as symposiums or seminars from all over the world are available online and can be attended by students from various universities and countries. Such collaborations broaden your mind, and you can look at your topic from different perspectives.