Craig Woodworth

Professor Emeritus

Department(s) / Center(s)

Biography

Dr. Woodworth is currently Professor Emeritus in the Department of Biology. He completed a B.A. in Zoology at the University of Vermont (1974), an M.S. in Zoology at North Carolina State University (1978) and a Ph.D. in Cellular Biology at the University of Vermont Medical College (1983). He trained as a postdoctoral fellow in molecular virology at the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine (1983 - 1987) and as a Senior Staff Fellow at the National Cancer Institute (1987 – 1990). Subsequently, Dr. Woodworth worked as an Independent Investigator in the Laboratory of Biology (1990 – 1997) and the Laboratory of Cellular Carcinogenesis and Tumor Promotion (1997 – 2000) at the National Cancer Institute. He joined the Department of Biology at Clarkson University in 2000. He has served as University Radiation Safety Officer (2000 – 2006), Pre-Health Advisor (2006 – 2010), Chair of Biology (2010 – 2014) and Director of the IBB Graduate Program (2014 – 2018). His areas of expertise include molecular virology, cancer biology, human papillomaviruses, and cell culture models.

Education Background

Cell Biology Ph.D. - University of Vermont Medical School
Zoology, M.S. - North Carolina State University
Zoology, B.A. - University of Vermont

Courses Taught

BY214 Genetics
BY419/519 Immunology
BY455/555 Cell and Molecular Biology of Cancer
BY480/580 Advanced Cell Biology

Research Interests

I am interested in how human papillomaviruses (HPV) contribute to cervical cancer. HPVs are small DNA tumor viruses that cause warts on the skin and in the anogenital tract. There are over 100 different types of HPV, however, a subset are termed “high risk” because infection with one of these types is the major risk factor for cervical cancer. My research has used cell culture and animal models to study the interaction between HPVs and their natural target, the cervical epithelial cell. I study two related questions. (1) How does HPV perturb the normal function of epithelial cells in ways that contribute to cancer? (2) How does the host respond to HPV infection? My lab is particularly interested in understanding how epithelial cells contribute to the innate and adaptive immune response to HPV.

Awards

Faculty Teaching Excellence Endowed Fund - in Honor of Dr. Robert John McGill and Dr. Nye Smith, 2016

Faculty Ambassador Award, Office of Student Success, Diversity and Inclusion, 2016

Million Dollar Club, Clarkson University, 2013

Kirsten Craig Memorial Faculty Recognition Award for fostering research development of students in the Clarkson University Honors Program, 2006

Outstanding Teacher Award for Clarkson University presented by the Clarkson University Student Association, 2006-2007

Publications

Complete list of publications on Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=gwSAYlkAAAAJ&hl=en

Qabbus MB, Hunt KS, Dynka J, Woodworth CD, Sur S, Samways DSK. Ivermectin-induced cell death of cervical cancer cells in vitro a consequence of precipitate formation in culture media. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2022, 449:116073 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35605787/
Bukhari M, Deng H, Sipes D, Ruane-Foster M, Purdy K, Woodworth CD, Sur S, Samways DSK. KCa3.1-dependent uptake of the cytotoxic DNA-binding dye Hoechst 33258 into cancerous but not healthy cervical cells. J Biol Chem. 2021, 296:100084. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33199365/
Deng H, Mondal S, Sur S, Woodworth CD. Establishment and optimization of epithelial cell cultures from human ectocervix, transformation zone, and endocervix optimization of epithelial cell cultures. J Cell Physiol. 2019, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30609028/
Deng, H., Hillpot, E., Mondal, S., Khurana, K.K., Woodworth, C.D. HPV16-Immortalized Cells from Human Transformation Zone and Endocervix are More Dysplastic than Ectocervical Cells in Organotypic Culture. Scientific Reports, 2018, 18;8(1):15402. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30337615/
Deng, H., Hillpot, E., Yeboah, P., Mondal, S., Woodworth, C.D. Susceptibility of epithelial cells cultured from different regions of human cervix to HPV16-induced immortalization. PLoS One, 2018, 13(6):e0199761, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29944714/
Bakshi, S.F., Guz, N., Zakharchenko, A., Deng, H., Tumanov, A.V., Woodworth, C.D., Minko, S., Kolpashchikov, D.M., Katz, E. Nanoreactors based on DNAzyme-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles activated by magnetic field. Nanoscale, 2018 10:1356-1365, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29297526/
Bakshi, S.F., Guz, N., Zakharchenko, A., Deng, H., Tumanov, A.V., Woodworth, C.D., Minko, S., Kolpashchikov, D.M., Katz, E. Magnetic Field-Activated Sensing of mRNA in Living Cells. J Am Chem Soc., 2017, 139:12117-12120, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28817270/
Guz, N.V., Dokukin, M.E., Woodworth, C.D., Cardin, A., Sokolov, I. Towards early detection of cervical cancer: Fractal dimension of AFM images of human cervical epithelial cells at different stages of progression to cancer. Nanomedicine,2015, 11:1667-75, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25959926/
Bukhari, M., Deng, H., Jones, N., Towne, Z., Woodworth, C.D., Samways, D.S. Selective permeabilization of cervical cancer cells to an ionic DNA-binding cytotoxin by activation of P2Y receptors. FEBS Lett., 2015, 589:1498-504, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25937122/
Dokukin, M.E., Guz, N.V., Woodworth, C.D., Sokolov, I. Emerging of fractal geometry on surface of human cervical epithelial cells during progression towards cancer. New J Phys., 2015, 17, pii: 033019, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25844044/
Sokolov I, Guz NV, Iyer S, Hewitt A, Sokolov NA, Erlichman JS, Woodworth CD. Recovery of aging-related size increase of skin epithelial cells: in vivo mouse and in vitro human study. PLoS One, 2015, 10:e0122774, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25807526/
Patel, N.G., Kumar, A., Jayawardana, V.N., Woodworth, C.D., Yuya, P.A. Fabrication, nanomechanical characterization, and cytocompatibility of gold-reinforced chitosan bio-nanocomposites. Mater Sci Eng C Mater Biol Appl., 2014, 44:336-44 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25280713/
Palantavida, S., Guz, N.V., Woodworth, C.D., Sokolov, I. Ultrabright fluorescent mesoporous silica nanoparticles for prescreening of cervical cancer. Nanomedicine, 2013 9:1255-62, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23665420/
Iyer, S.K., Gaikwad. R,M,, Woodworth. C.D., Volkov, D.O., Sokolov, I. Physical Labeling of Papillomavirus-Infected, Immortal, and Cancerous Cervical Epithelial Cells Reveal Surface Changes at Immortal Stage. Cell Biochem Biophys. 2012, 63:109-16. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22351422/
Vandermark, E.R., Deluca, K.A., Gardner, C.R., Marker, D.F., Schreiner, C.N., Strickland, D.A., Wilton, K.M., Mondal, S., Woodworth, C.D. Human papillomavirus type 16 E6 and E 7 proteins alter NF-kB in cultured cervical epithelial cells and inhibition of NF-kB promotes cell growth and immortalization. Virology, 2012, 425:53-60. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22284893/