Dr. Joan Hembree joined the Cumberland College faculty in 2000 as a physiologist, biochemist, and cancer biologist. She earned the first of three advanced degrees in 1981, graduating from the University of Tennessee with a B.S. in Animal Science. She stayed on at the University of Tennessee to complete an M.S. in Reproductive Physiology in 1983, and then moved on to the University of Minnesota, where she was awarded a Ph.D. in Biochemical Nutrition in 1990. Since then, she has completed additional study in biochemistry at Case Western University, which awarded her a Metabolism Training Grant for post-doctoral research.

Dr. Hembree is a member of the Kentucky Academy of Sciences, the Human Anatomy and Physiology Society, and the Endocrine Society. Her principal areas of research are in cancer cell biology, alopecia areata (autoimmune hair loss), and muscle cell physiology.

Courses Taught

BIOL 110 General Biology Laboratory

BIOL 130 General Biology

BIOL 243 Human Anatomy

BIOL 244 Human Physiology

BIOL 344 Cell Physiology

BIOL 434 Biochemistry

BIOL 443 General Animal Physiology

BIOL 495 Senior Seminar

Publications, Presentations, and Research

Hembree, J.R., A. Lambert, C. Agarwal, T. Efimove, R.L. Eckert. 1999. Insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 does not mediate the interferon-dependent suppression of human ectocervical epithelial cell proliferation. International Journal of Oncology. 14: 1164-1168.

Invited Lecture: Guest lecturer at John Carroll University, October 11, 1999. Lecture title, Insulin-like growth factors and cervical cancer.

Hembree, J.R., C. Agarwal, R.L. Beard, R.A.S. Chandraratna, R.L. Eckert. 1996. Retinoid X receptor-specific retinoids inhibit the ability of retinoid and receptor-specific retinoids to increase the level of insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 in human ectocervical epithelial cell. Cancer Research. 56: 1794-1799.

Oral Presentation, Dermatological Association Meeting, 1996. J.R. Hembree, C. Agarwal, R.L. Beard, R.A.S. Chandraratna, R.L. Eckert. RXR-specific retinoids inhibit the ability of RAR-specific retinoids to increase the level of insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) in human ectocervical epithelial cells.

Hembree, J.R., M.S. Pampusch, F. Yang, J.L. Causey, M.R. Hathaway, W. R. Dayton. 1996. Cultured porcine myogenic cells produce insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) and transforming growth factor beta-1 stimulaes IGFBP-3 production. Journal of Animal Science. 74: 1530-1540.

Eckert, R.L., C. Agarwal, J.R. Hembree, C.K. Choo, N. Sizemore, S. Andreatta-Van Leyen, E.A. Rorke. 1995. Human cervical cancer. Retinoids, interferon and human papillomavirus. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology. 375: 31-44.

Oral Presentation, Dermatological Association Meeting, 1995. J.R. Hembree, C. Agarwal, R.A.S. Chandraratna and R.L. Eckert. Differential regulation of human cervical cell insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 level and proliferation by RXR- and RAR-specific retinoids. Journal of Investigative Dermatology. 104: 594.

Hembree, J.R., C. Agarwal and R.L. Eckert. 1994. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) suppresses insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 levels in human papillomavirus type 16-immortalized cervical epithelial cells: Potentiation of IGF effects via the EGF growth regulatory pathway. Cancer Research. 54: 3160-3166.

Agarwal, C., J.R. Hembree, R.L. Eckert. 1994. EGF and TGF beta-q regulation of growth and protease production by human papillomavirus-immortalized cervical cells-implications for tumor growth. Cancer Research. 54: 943-949.

Agarwal, C., J.R. Hembree, R.L. Eckert. 1994. Interferon and retinoic acid suppress the growth of human papillomavirus type 16 immortalized cervical epithelial cells, but only interferon suppresses the level of the human papillomavirus transforming oncogenes. Cancer Research. 54: 2108-2112.

Andreatta-Van Leyan, S., J.R. Hembree, R.L. Eckert. 1994. Regulation of IGF-1 binding protein-3 levels by epidermal growth factor and retinoic acid in cervical epithelial cells. Journal of Cellular Physiology. 160: 265-274.

Hathaway, M.R., M.S. Pampusch, J.R. Hembree, W.R. Dayton. 1994. Transforming growth factor beta-1 facilitates establishing clonal populations of ovine muscle satellite cells. Journal of Animal Science. 72: 2001-2007.

Eckert, R.L., C. Agarwal, J.R. Hembree, C.K. Choo, N. Sizemore, S. Andreatta-Van Leyen, and E.A. Rorke. 1994. Retinoids, interferon, human papillomavirus, and cancer. In Skin Cancer: Mechanisms and Human Relevance. Muhktar, H. (Ed.) CRC Press, pp. 361-370.

Hembree, J.R., M.R. Hathaway and W.R. Dayton. 1991. Growth and differentiation of embryonic porcine myogenic cells in culture. Journal of Animal Science. 69, 3241-3250.

Hathaway, M.R., J.R. Hembree, M.S. Pampusch and W.R. Dayton. 1991. Effect of transforming growth factor (TGF) beta on proliferation of ovine satellite cell proliferation and fusion. Journal of Cellular Physiology. 146: 435-441.

Pampusch, M.S., J.R. Hembree, M.R. Hathaway and W.R. Dayton. 1991. Effect of transforming growth factor (TGF) beta on proliferation of L6 and embryonic porcine myogenic cells. Journal of Cellular Physiology. 146: 435-441.

Clarke, S.D., and J.R. Hembree. 1990. Inhibition of triiodothyronine’s induction of rat liver lipogenic enzymes by dietary fat. Journal of Nutrition. 120: 6254-6300.

Dr. Joan Hembree
Phone: 606.539.4264
Email: hembree@ucumberlands.edu