Audrey Hendley, PhD
Associate Specialist
Surgery
School of Medicine

As an Associate Specialist in the Surgery department at UCSF, my focus rests predominantly on the intersection of genetics and molecular biology particularly in relation to pancreatic diseases. Having received a B.S. in Biology from the University of South Carolina Aiken, I pursued a PhD in Human Genetics and Molecular Biology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

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My work, both as a researcher and principal investigator, has centered around exploring ceramide signaling, pancreatic cancer initiation, and the potential of genetic insights in combatting cancer. This has resulted in numerous research contributions and recognition in the form of awards, signifying a career marked by a deep-rooted interest in advancing our understanding of pancreatic cancer biology.

Awards

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• APA Young Investigator Award, American Pancreatic Association Annual Meeting, 2017
• Women in Pancreas travel award, American Pancreatic Association Annual Meeting, 2015
• Travel Award, Gordon Research Conference on Pancreatic Diseases, 2015
• Biology Student of the Year, University of South Carolina Aiken, 2009
• Outstanding Senior Student, University of South Carolina Aiken, 2009
• Magellan Research Scholarship, University of South Carolina, 2008

Education & Training

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• Ph.D. Human Genetics and Molecular Biology McKusick/Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine Johns Hopkins Univeristy School of Medicine 2016
• B.S. Biology (Major), Chemistry (Minor) Department of Biology and Geology University of South Carolina Aiken 2009

Grants and Projects

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• Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms in Cancer, NIH, 2004-2025
• Predoctoral Training Program in Human Genetics, NIH, 1980-2022
• Examination of ceramide signaling in the crosstalk between pancreatic cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment, NIH, 2017-2020
• Understanding sphingolipid metabolism in pancreatic cancer initiation, progression, and chemotherapeutics, Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research, 2016-2017

Publications (13)

Top publication keywords:
Pancreatitis, ChronicPancreatic DuctsPancreatic NeoplasmsEpitheliumGene Expression ProfilingEpithelial CellsCarcinoma in SituGemininCarcinoma, Pancreatic DuctalSingle-Cell AnalysisPancreasTranscriptomeMetaplasiaGenetic HeterogeneityCatenins

• Abstract A046: nSMase2-generated ceramide promotes PDA aggression through exosome reprogramming of the stroma.
  Cancer Research 2024 Audrey M. Hendley, Atsushi Urano, Xianlu L. Peng, Sudipta Ashe, Tuan A. Phu, Martin Ng, Natanya R. Kerper, David I. Berrios, Jonghyun Lee, David Jin, Gun H. Jang, Oghenekevwe M. Gbenedio, Jeroen P. …
• Abstract C051: Ceramide signaling regulates PDA aggression through exosome reprogramming of the stroma.
  Cancer Research 2022 Audrey M. Hendley, Atsushi Urano, Xianlu L. Peng, Sudipta Ashe, Natanya R. Kerper, Tuan A. Phu, Martin Ng, Simone Giacometti, David I. Berrios, Gun H. Jang, Jen J. Yeh, Steven Gallinger, David K. …
• Abstract PR-008: Kdm6 demethylases are critical regulators of pancreatic cancer initiation, progression and subtype specification.
  Cancer Research 2021 Laura Leonhardt, Lucia Y. Li, David I. Berrios, Sudipta Ashe, Audrey M. Hendley, Grace E. Kim, Matthias Hebrok
• Single-cell transcriptome analysis defines heterogeneity of the murine pancreatic ductal tree.
  eLife 2021 Hendley AM, Rao AA, Leonhardt L, Ashe S, Smith JA, Giacometti S, Peng XL, Jiang H, Berrios DI, Pawlak M, Li LY, Lee J, Collisson EA, Anderson MS, Fragiadakis GK, Yeh JJ, Ye CJ, Kim GE, Weaver VM, …
• Abstract C20: Smpd3 augments chemotherapy and thwarts PDA progression.
  Cancer Research 2019 Audrey M. Hendley, Atsushi Urano, Natanya R. Kerper, Phat Duong, Peter Bailey, David K. Chang, Andrew V. Biankin, David W. Dawson, Grace Kim, Robert L. Raffai, Matthias Hebrok

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• Abstract PR03: Mutant p53 promotes adenocarcinoma in pancreatic ductal cells.
  Early Detection 2016 Kishore Polireddy, Audrey Hendley, Melissa A. Pruski, Kelly Lafaro, Mamoun Younes, Anirban Maitra, Florencia McAllister, Christine A. Iacobuzio-Donahue, Wasim A. Dar, John S. Bynon, Steven D. Leach, …
• p120 Catenin Suppresses Basal Epithelial Cell Extrusion in Invasive Pancreatic Neoplasia.
  Cancer research 2016 Hendley AM, Wang YJ, Polireddy K, Alsina J, Ahmed I, Lafaro KJ, Zhang H, Roy N, Savidge SG, Cao Y, Hebrok M, Maitra A, Reynolds AB, Goggins M, Younes M, Iacobuzio-Donahue CA, Leach SD, Bailey JM
• Expression of Activated Ras in Gastric Chief Cells of Mice Leads to the Full Spectrum of Metaplastic Lineage Transitions.
  Gastroenterology 2015 Choi E, Hendley AM, Bailey JM, Leach SD, Goldenring JR
• p53 mutations cooperate with oncogenic Kras to promote adenocarcinoma from pancreatic ductal cells.
  Oncogene 2015 Bailey JM, Hendley AM, Lafaro KJ, Pruski MA, Jones NC, Alsina J, Younes M, Maitra A, McAllister F, Iacobuzio-Donahue CA, Leach SD
• New insights into plasticity of pancreatic cancer: cancer to acinar cell reprogramming by the basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor E47.
  Pancreas 2015 Bailey JM, Hendley AM, Maitra A
• Principles of Stem Cell Biology and Cancer: Future Applications and Therapeutics. Regad T, Sayers TJ, Rees RC, editors
  Chapter 11, Stem Cells and Pancreatic Cancer 2015 Hendley AM, Bailey, JM
• p120 Catenin is required for normal tubulogenesis but not epithelial integrity in developing mouse pancreas.
  Developmental biology 2014 Hendley AM, Provost E, Bailey JM, Wang YJ, Cleveland MH, Blake D, Bittman RW, Roeser JC, Maitra A, Reynolds AB, Leach SD
• Dicer is required for maintenance of adult pancreatic acinar cell identity and plays a role in Kras-driven pancreatic neoplasia.
  PloS one 2014 Wang YJ, McAllister F, Bailey JM, Scott SG, Hendley AM, Leach SD, Ghosh B