Nicole F. Diette, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Biology and Program Director of Allied Health Degrees
Biological and Physical Sciences and Mathematics | Turock School of Arts and Sciences
About
I first knew I wanted to study science when I met an inspirational teacher in middle school. He had such a talent for helping young minds understand scientific concepts while making the subject incredibly fun.
After completing my Ph.D. in 2016, I moved to Denver, Colorado where I began a post-doctoral fellowship at the Charles C. Gates Center for Regenerative Medicine and the University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus in the lab of Dr.’s Anya Bilousova and Igor Kogut. Among other projects, I worked toward developing a novel animal model for Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. Eventually earning the title of Research Associate, I enjoyed the research greatly – however, I missed being in the classroom.
I moved back home to Northeastern PA to begin my role as an Assistant Professor of Biology at Keystone College in the fall of 2021. Here, I have enjoyed being able to apply both my scientific knowledge as well as research experience to create a well-rounded education and fun environment for students.
Education – Degrees & Certifications
- Ph.D., M.S., & B.S., Biology – St. John’s University
“I love Keystone College because it’s a place where you feel like you count. Professors and students get to know and care about one another. That kind of personal attention to one’s education is unmatched by other institutions.”
Nicole Diette, Ph.D.
- General Biology I
- Cell Biology
- Bioethics
- Nutrition
- Genetics
- Immunology
- Physiology
Millions of Americans are personally affected by cancer, the second-most leading cause of death. Cancer is a nondiscriminatory disease and nearly forty percent of men and women will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lifetime. RNA polymerase III, which transcribes a number of untranslated RNAs responsible for regulating cell growth, is deregulated in a variety of cancers. EGCG (found in green tea) can negatively regulate RNA pol III, possibly revealing novel mechanisms responsible for the anti-cancer properties of the natural product. Recently, I have become interested human telomerase (hTERT), and the delicate balance between rejuvenation and immortalization. Furthermore, in addition to regulating RNA pol III activity, studies suggest that EGCG can modulate hTERT activity via the induction of epigenetic changes. Consequentially, I have become quite interested in natural occurring products and the effects they may or may not have on cancers. Derived from nature, these bioactive products have gained much popularity in recent times, allowing the tremendous expansions of the natural supplement industry. My research interest lies in investigating different natural products such as resveratrol (found in red wine), curcumin (turmeric), and quercetin (found in fruits, vegetables, tea and grains) to name a few, and how they may affect cancer, with particular interest in the regulation of hTERT and status of telomeres.
- Assistant Professor of Biology, Keystone College, August 2021-Present
- Research Associate Charles C. Gates Center for Regenerative Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus 2020-2021
- NIH T32 Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Charles C. Gates Center for Regenerative Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus 2016-2019
- Adjunct Lecturer, Department of Science, Borough of Manhattan Community College 2012
- N.Diette, Kogut I, Bilousova G. Generation of a Full-Thickness Human Skin Equivalent on Immunodeficient Mouse. Methods Mol Biol 2019 May 21.
- McGrath, P. S., Diette, N., Kogut, I., Bilousova, G. RNA-Based Reprogramming of Human Primary Fibroblasts into Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells. Vis. Exp. 2018 Nov 26.
- Ricigliano VA, Sica VP, Knowles SL, Diette N, Howarth DG, Oberlies NH. Bioactive diterpenoid metabolism and cytotoxic activities of genetically transformed Euphorbia lathyris roots. Phytochemistry, 2020.
- Diette N, Koo J, Cabarcas-Petroski S, Schramm L. Gender Specific Differences in RNA Polymerase III Transcription. J Carcinog Mutagen, 2016.
- Koo, J., S. Cabarcas-Petroski, J.L. Petrie, Diette, R.J. White, and L. Schramm.Induction of proto-oncogene BRF2 in breast cancer cells by the dietary soybean isoflavone daidzein. BMC Cancer, 2015.