Curriculum Vitae
Education
Ph. D. in Cell Biology from the laboratory of Dr. John Klingensmith, Department of Cell Biology, Cell & Molecular
Biology Program, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, September 2003 - December 2009.
BA in Biology, Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, MN, 1997– 2001.
Research Experience
Graduate Student, Duke University, Laboratory of Dr. John Klingensmith, Department of Cell Biology, 2003 – 2009
Studied the role of a novel mouse gene involved in neurulation, early mouse
development, and neuron function.
Research Assistant, Cancer Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 2001 – 2003
Investigated potential genes involved in melanoma pathogenesis using human cell lines and tumor samples as well as mouse models.
Teaching Experience
Guest Lecture, "Cells, Chromosomes, and Disease",Duke Talent Identification Program, Spring 2009
Mentor or five first year rotation students working in the Klingensmith lab, Duke University, 2004-2008
Teaching assistant for Structure - Function in Biology course, Duke University, Spring 2007
Guest Lecture, "Cell Motility and Morphogenesis",Duke University,Spring 2007
Mentor for undergraduate student working in Klingensmith lab on her senior thesis, Duke University, Fall 2006 – Spring 2007
Mentor for undergraduate summer student in Klingensmith lab, Duke University, Summer 2004
Private tutor for adults and high school junior and senior students in biology, chemistry, and mathematics, Bethesda, Maryland, Fall 2001– Summer 2003
Laboratory teaching assistant for molecular biology and evolutionary biology
undergraduate lab courses, Gustavus Adolphus College, Fall 1999 – Spring 2001
Honors
Preparing Future Faculty Fellow, Duke University Graduate School, 2007-2008
Recipient of National Institutes of Health Post-Baccalaureate Interim Research Training Award, 2001 – 2003
Graduated Magna Cum Laude from Gustavus Adolphus College, 2001
Named to Phi Beta Kappa National Honor Society, 2001
Named to the Dean’s List for three semesters at Gustavus Adolphus College, 1998 – 2001
Recipient of Partners in Scholarship educational scholarship from Gustavus Adolphus College, 1997 – 2001
Service and Memberships
Chair and member of Cell and Molecular Biology Program Distinguished Lecturer Series planning committee, Duke University, 2005 - 2006
Member of Cell and Molecular Biology Program Annual Symposium planning committee,Duke University, 2004 – 2006
Member of Society for Developmental Biology, 2004 – present
Publications
Custer L, Ahuja R, Driver E, Wood K, Kessels MM, Qualmann B, Klingensmith J. Cordon-bleu interacts with Syndapins in mouse development and epithelia. Manuscript in preparation.
Custer L, Driver E, Ravanelli A, Klingensmith J. Cordon-bleu, a tissue-specific actin nucleator in mouse floorplate development. In review at Developmental Biology.
Pachori AS, Custer L, Clapp S, Hansen D, Dzau V, Zhang L, Klingensmith J. BMP4 contributes to myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury through JNK dependent mechanisms. In review.
Ahuja R, Pinyol R, Custer L, Klingensmith J, Kessels MM, Qualmann B. Cordon-bleu is a novel actin nucleation factor and controls neuronal morphology. Cell 131, 337-50 (2007). PubMed
Gartside M, Chen H, Ibrahimi O, Curtis A, Byron S, Wellens C, Bengston A, Yudt L*, Eliseenkova A, Ma J, Curtin J, Hyder P, Harper U, Riedesel E, Mann G, Trent J, Bastian B, Meltzer P, Mohammadi M, Pollock P. Loss-of-function FGFR2 mutations in melanoma. Molecular Cancer Research 7, 41-54 (2009). PubMed
Pavey S, Johansson P, Packer L, Taylor J, Stark M, Pollock PM, Walker GJ,
Boyle GM, Harper U, Cozzi SJ, Hansen K, Yudt L*, Schmidt C,
Hersey P, Ellem KA, O'Rourke MG, Parsons PG, Meltzer P, Ringner M, Hayward
NK. Microarray expression profiling in melanoma reveals a BRAF mutation signature.
Oncogene 23, 4060-7 (2004). PubMed
Pollock PM, Cohen-Solal K, Sood R, Namkoong J, Koganti A, Zhu H, Robbins C,
Makalowska I, Martino JM, Shin S, Marin Y, Roberts KG, Yudt LM*,
Chen A, Cheng J, Incao A, Pinkett HW, Graham CL, Dunn K, Galdzicki M, Crespo-Carbone
SM, Mackason KR, Ryan KB, Reuh KR, Eckhaus M, Meltzer PS, Pavan WJ, Trent
JM, Chen S. Melanoma mouse model implicates metabotropic glutamate signaling
in melanocytic neoplasia. Nat Genet 34, 108-12 (2003). PubMed
Pollock PM, Harper UL, Hansen KS, Yudt LM*, Stark
M, Robbins CM, Moses TY, Hostetter G, Wagner U, Kakareka J, Salem G, Pohida
T, Heenan P, Duray P, Kallioniemi O, Hayward NK, Trent JM, and Meltzer PS.
High frequency of BRAF mutations in nevi implicates activation of the MAPK
pathway in the initiation of melanocytic neoplasia. Nat Genet 33, 19-20 (2003). PubMed
*Also published with the name Laura M Yudt.
Presentations
Laura M Custer, Elizabeth C Driver, Kent Wood, and John Klingensmith. The novel actin nucleator Cordon-bleu interacts with Syndapins during epithelial development. Society for Developmental Biology Annual Meeting, San Francisco, California. July 23-26, 2009. Platform presentation.
Laura M Custer, Elizabeth C Driver and John Klingensmith. Characterization of Cordon-bleu function in the mouse embryo. Society for Developmental Biology Annual Meeting. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. July 26-30, 2008. Poster presentation.
Laura M Custer, Elizabeth C Driver and John Klingensmith.
Characterization of Cordon-bleu expression and function in the developing
mouse. Society for Developmental Biology Southeast Regional Meeting. Chapel
Hill, North Carolina. May 4-6, 2007.
Laura M Yudt, Sarah V Wiley, Elizabeth C Driver and John
Klingensmith. Characterization of Cordon-bleu expression and localization
in the axial midline. EMBL Mouse Molecular Genetics Meeting. Heidelberg,
Germany. September 28– October 2, 2005.
Laura M Yudt, Elizabeth C Driver and John Klingensmith.
Characterization of cordon-bleu expression and localization in the mouse
axial midline. Society for Developmental Biology Annual Meeting. Calgary,
Canada. July 24-28, 2004.
