Jennifer Shell is a research assistant professor with the University of Tennessee-Oak Ridge Innovation Institute’s Radiopharmaceutical Therapies Convergent Research Initiative.

Shell’s research focuses on utilizing B12 derivatives to target and treat cancer. A variety of cancer types have an increased vitamin B12 demand and overexpression of B12 receptors. We can conjugate drugs to the B12 platform whereby these B12-drug conjugates are recognized as B12 derivatives and are potentially ferried in disguised as vitamin B12. We have shown that these drugs are targeted to tumors and cause an enhanced reduction in tumor margins in conjunction with radiation therapy in comparison to radiation alone in drug resistant pancreatic cancer tumors. 

Research Areas:

• Cancer Chemotherapeutics
• Chemical Synthesis
• Chemical Biology
• Light-activated probes/reagents

Her research goals are to establish a targeted radiopharmaceuticals program with vitamin B12 derivatives, to collaborate on targeted radionpharmaceuticals and other chemotherapuetics and to control cell activity and function with light-activated probes. She is actively welcoming both undergraduate and graduate students into her group.

Education