Mary Sevigny, PhD

Adjunct  Professor

Email: mary.sevigny@dominican.edu

Office: Science Center # 205

Phone: (415) 482-3544, Ext. 8

Academic Area

Biology

Educational BackgRound

• B.A. Microbiology, 1992, University of California, Berkeley, CA
• Ph.D. Microbiology, 1998, University of California, Davis, CA. 
• Postgraduate Research, Department of Biological Chemistry, 1998-2000, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis

Teaching and Research Interests

Mary Sevigny obtained a B.A. in Molecular and Cell Biology, with emphasis in Microbiology, from U.C. Berkeley in 1992.  She received her Ph.D. in Microbiology from U.C. Davis in 1998.  In 2000 she accepted a research position as a postdoctoral fellow at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in San Francisco.  She was an adjunct instructor at Napa Valley College for three semesters (2004- 2005) and joined the faculty at Dominican in Fall 2006.  She is currently teaching Advanced Microbiology, Microbiology Lab for nursing students, and Bio Research Methodology.  Much of her research interests have involved studying enzymes and glycosylation and their role in the development of certain kinds of cancers.  Her current research involves studying how glycosylation of the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) enzyme affects its function and its ability to be inhibited by various COX-2 inhibitors, such as aspirin and Vioxx.  Since COX-2 is involved in so many pathophysiological conditions such as inflammation, arthritis, and certain types of cancer, understanding how its activity is normally regulated in the cell may eventually lead to the development of more effective therapeutics with fewer side effects. 

Professional Organizations

• American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB)
• American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB)

Selected Publications

• Sevigny, M.B. and Hughes-Fulford, M.  2006.  Glycosylation regulates turnover of cyclooxygenase-2.  [Manuscript submitted]
• Sevigny, M.B. and Hughes-Fulford, M.  2006.  Differential glycosylation regulates turnover of cyclooxygenase-2.  Abstract from the Annual Experimental Biology Meeting, San Francisco, April 1-5.
• Sevigny, M.B. and Hughes-Fulford, M.  2005.  Role of Cyclooxygenase-2 glycosylation in enzyme turnover and cell proliferation.  Abstract from the 45th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Cell Biology, San Francisco, December 10-14.
• Sevigny, M.B., Garnier, P., Kauppinen, T., and Swanson, R.A.  2003.  Heat shock- induced Hsp70 expression in murine astrocytes does not require poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase activity.  Cellular Physiology and Biochemistry, 13: 297-300.
• Sevigny, M.B., Silva, J.M., Lan, W., Alano, C.C., and Swanson, R.A.  2003.  Expression and activity of poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase in cultured astrocytes, neurons, and C6 glioma cells. Molecular Brain Research, 117: 213-220.

Presentations

• Analysis of the Poly(ADP-Ribose) Glycohydrolase in Brain Cells and Its Role in Cell Death.  April, 2003, California State University, Sacramento, CA
• Developmental Expression and Properties of the ?2,8- Polysialyltransferase Activity in Embryonic Chick Brain. February, 2000, US. Department of Agriculture, Albany, CA

Awards & Honors

• Postdoctoral Fellowship (Northern California Institute for Research and Education, Neurology Department, Veterans Affairs Medical Center) San Francisco, CA,  April 2000-August 2003
•  ASBMB Travel Fellowship for the Experimental Biology 2003 meeting (San Diego, CA), April 2003
• Member of Phi Sigma Biological Honor Society, Gamma Delta Chapter, May 1998- to the present
• ASBMB Travel Fellowship for the 17th International Congress of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (SanFrancisco, CA) and the Young Scientists' Program (Asilomar, CA), August 1997
• Molecular and Cellular Biology Training Grant (U.C. Davis) 1993- 1995

Other Interests

Outside of the classroom and lab, Mary tries to spend as much time as possible with her husband, Todd Novak, and baby daughter, Bridget.  She enjoys hiking, backpacking, and wine-tasting.  She likes to travel, but doesn’t get to do it as often as she’d like.  Other hobbies/interests include music, cooking, gardening, home improvement, reading, and knitting.  Maintaining close ties with her parents, siblings, nieces/nephew, and friends is extremely important to her as well.