Catherine St. Hill, DVM, PhD

Catherine A. St. Hill is the Director of Research Advancement for the College of Pharmacy, an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology department, and a graduate faculty member in the Pharmaceutical Care and Health Systems department. 

Her scientific background is the study of the interactions of cancer cells with immune cells and inflammatory cells in the tumor environment that regulate cancer growth and spread. She has used this knowledge to investigate chronic diseases including cancer and the contribution to population health problems and health disparities. 

She is the author of 20 manuscripts and completed 7 grant awards including a NIH-NCI KO8 clinical scientist award. She teaches in several pharmacy courses and is the co-course director for Nurs 8173/SAPh 8173 "Principles and Methods of Implementing Research" and course director for PHAR 6206, "Introduction to Pharmacy Research".

1. Cancer growth, metastasis and immunity
2. Inflammation
3. Chronic diseases, population health, and health disparities
4. Large database analysis using the Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS)
5. Research methods and grantsmanship

2017 CHAAMPS Disparity Scholars Program (CDSP) award (funded by NIH-NIMHD U54MD008620)
2017 elected Chair of the Professional and Administrators Senate
2016 College of Pharmacy Meritorious Service Award
2014-2015 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Academic Research Fellow

American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP)
National Organization of Research Development Professionals (NORDP)
Minnesota Veterinary Medical Association (MVMA)

Her current research focuses on the analysis of associations between chronic diseases (cancer, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, etc.) and population health including health disparities. 

She is currently the PI of a funded Center for Healthy African American Men through Partnerships (CHAAMPS) Disparities Scholars Program award. The major goal of this project is to analyze the impact of rurality on depression in African American men diagnosed with prostate cancer. 

Her research interests are also in research design and methods including the development research programs for junior and clinical faculty and grantsmanship.

Analysis of large health databases (BRFSS, NHANES, NAMCS, NHAMCS, YRBSS, NSH, and SEER) using the Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS); Flow cytometry; Mouse models; Cell culture and cell adhesion assays; Recombinant DNA; ELISA; immuno-blotting; PCR; Surgical implantation procedures

Cancer biology; Immunology; Faculty development of junior and clinical faculty; Research design and methods; Population health and large database analysis

(Selected out of 21 courses taught)

1. ECP 5220, Regulatory Issues in Drug Research, 1 credit, participating instructor, 2015, 2016
2. PHAR 6742, Colloquium I, Scholarly Presentation Skills, 0.8 credits, participating instructor, 2014
3. PHAR 5230, Principles of Clinical Pharmacology Research, 2 credits, participating instructor, 2014 - 2016
4. PHAR 6160, CoP Honors, Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology Seminar, 1 credit, course director, 2014 - 2016
5. PHAR 6206, Introduction to Pharmacy Research, course director, 1 credit, 2014 - 2016
6. ECP 8992, Readings, 1 credit, participating instructor, 2014, 2016
7. Nurs 8173/SAPh 8173, Principles and Methods of Implementing Research, 3 credits, participating instructor 2012 – 2015, co-director 2016
8. ECP Clinical Pharmacology 8900, 2 credits, participating instructor, 2012 - 2016
9. CVM 6448, Veterinary Oncology, Cancer Biology, 2 credits, participating instructor, 2009, 2011
10. CMB 8303, Animal Models of Disease - Animal Models of Cancer, 2 credits, participating instructor, 2009, 2010, 2011
11. CMB 5910, Grantwriting: What Makes a Winning Proposal? 1 credit, participating instructor, 2010
12. CMB 8202, Mechanisms of Animal Health and Disease, 3 credits, participating instructor, 2007, 2008

• Veterinary Medicine

Small animal medicine

I have 16 years of experience as a practicing veterinarian providing medical and surgical care of companion animals and research animals.

1. 2017-2018 Center for Healthy African American Men through Partnerships (CHAAMPS) Disparities Scholars Program, NIH-NIMHD U54MD008620. St. Hill, C.A. (PI) and Lutfiyya M.N. (mentor). The major goal of this project is to analyze the impact of rurality on depression in African American men diagnosed with prostate cancer.
2. 2T32RR018719-06 - T32 training grant – Cathy S. Carlson (PI), St. Hill, C.A. (faculty mentor on grant), 09/01/2008 – 08/31/2013. Comparative Medicine and Pathology Training, National Institutes of Health. The major goal of this project is to provide state-of-the-art research training to veterinarians.
3. U of M OVPR Grant-In-Aid - St. Hill, C.A. (PI), 01/01/2010 – 06/30/2012. Artistry and Scholarship Program - University of Minnesota. The role of glycosyltransferases in colon carcinoma invasion. The major goal of this project is to examine the role of glycosyltransferase enzymes in the regulation of matrix metalloproteinases and the influence on the invasiveness of human colon cancer.
4. K08 CA111829-01A1 – Mentored Clinical Scientist award. St. Hill, C.A. (PI), 09/29/2005 - 08/31/2011. Role of sLeX-modified O-glycans in carcinoma metastasis, National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute. The major goals of this project are to investigate the interactions of human colon carcinoma cells with the selectins and the contribution to metastasis.
5. College of Veterinary Medicine Comparative Medicine Signature Program grant – St. Hill, C.A. (co-PI), 12/01/2009- 11/30/2011. Define the role of macrophage ADAM17 in mammary tumorigenesis. CVM Research Office, University of Minnesota. The major goals of this project are to investigate the role of macrophage-expressed ADAM17 in the regulation of tumor formation and metastasis in mouse mammary cancer and human breast cancer.
6. National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute SBIR – Brian W. Lee (PI), St. Hill, C.A. (Contributor), 09/2009 - 09/2010. New Fluorescent Caspase Detection Probes to Label Apoptotic Tumor Cells in Vivo. Phase II. (subcontract award). The major goal of this study is to investigate the role of fluorescent reagents in detecting tumors in mice.
7. Grant-in-Aid (GIA) grant - St. Hill, C.A. (PI), 01/01/2007 – 06/30/2008. BD FACSCanto Flow Cytometer for Analysis of Cells; Research, Artistry and Scholarship Program - University of Minnesota. The major goal of this project is to provide partial support for a shared piece of equipment that will facilitate experiments and increase the likelihood of external funding.
8. CVM Companion Grant - St. Hill, C.A. (PI), 12/2007 – 12/2008. Expression of carbohydrates in canine gastrointestinal carcinoma, University of Minnesota. The major goal of this project is to investigate the contribution of carbohydrates to the metastasis of canine gastrointestinal cancers.

Publications (Out of 20 total peer-reviewed publications)

1. Chapman, S.A., St. Hill, C.A., Little, M.M., Swanoski, M.T., Scheiner, S.R., and Lutfiyya, M.N. 2017. Adherence to treatment guidelines: The association between stroke risk stratified using CHADS2 score levels and warfarin prescription for adult patients with atrial fibrillation. BMC Health Serv Res. 17(1):127.
2. Little, M.M., St. Hill, C.A., Ware, K.B., Swanoski, M.T., Chapman, S.A., and Lutfiyya, M.N. 2017. Team science as interprofessional collaborative research practice. J Investig. Med. 65(1): 15-22.
3. Hager, K.D., St. Hill, C., Prunuske, J., Swanoski, M., Anderson, G.W., Lutfiyya, M.N. 2016. Development of an interprofessional and interdisciplinary collaborative research practice for clinical faculty. J Interprof. Care. 30(2): 265-7.
4. St. Hill. C.A. and Lutfiyya, M.N. 2015. An epidemiological analysis of potential associations between C-reactive protein, inflammation, and prostate cancer in the male US population using the 2009 – 2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data. Front. Chem. 3:55. DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2015.00055.
5. Prunuske J., St. Hill C.A., Hager K.D., Lemieux, A.M., Swanoski, M., Anderson, G.W., Lutfiyya, M.N. 2014. Opioid prescribing patterns for chronic pain in rural versus non-rural US adults: a population-based study using 2010 NAMCS data. BMC Health Services Res. 14:563-570.
6. St. Hill, C.A., Baharo-Hassan, D., Farooqui, M. 2011. C2-O-sLeX glycoproteins are E-selectin ligands that regulate invasion of human colon and hepatic carcinoma cells. PLoS One. 6(1):e16281.
7. St Hill, C.A., Krieser, K., Farooqui, M. 2011. Neutrophil interactions with sialyl lewis X on human nonsmall cell lung carcinoma cells regulate invasive behavior. 2011. Cancer. 117(19):4493-505.
8. Janke L, Carlson, C.S., and St. Hill, C.A. 2010. The Novel Carbohydrate Tumor Antigen C2-O-sLex is Upregulated in Canine Gastric Carcinomas, Vet. Path., 47(3):455-461.

Book Chapters

1. Modiano, J.F. and St. Hill, C.A. Cell cycle control in hematopoietic cells. In Weiss, D. J. and Wardrop, K. J., editors. Schalm's Veterinary Hematology, 6th ed. Blackwell:Ames, IA. 2009. Section V Chapter 32.

Selected Posters/Presentations (out of 20 total)

1. Anderson G.W., St. Hill C.A., Swanoski M.T., Lutfiyya M.N. 2016. Total Body Iron Stores Correlate with Thyroid Hormone Status in Pregnant Women in NHANES 2007-2008. American Thyroid Association (ATA) 86th Annual Meeting, September 21-25, Denver, CO.
2. St. Hill C.A. 2015. Success in Targeting and Achieving your Research Trajectory (START) Program for Clinical Faculty, AACP Annual Meeting, Washington, DC.
3. St. Hill C.A., Swanoski M.T., Anderson G.W., El-Fakahany E., Hager K.D., Prunuske J., Lemieux A.M., and Lutfiyya M.N. 2015. Implementation of an Interprofessional Faculty Development Research Fellowship, National Organization of Research Development Professionals, 7th Annual Meeting, Bethesda, MD.
4. St. Hill, C.A., Krieser, K., and Farooqui, M. 2011. Stimulation of sialyl Lewis X carbohydrate expression in lung carcinoma cells by neutrophils: implications for metastasis. NIH - Consortium for Functional Glycomics – Principal Investigator’s Meeting, July 27-29, Bethesda, MD.
5. St. Hill, C.A., Krieser, K., and Farooqui, M. 2009. C2-O-sLeX glycans on human carcinoma cells are high-affinity selectin ligands that mediate tumor adhesion to vascular endothelium and invasion. AACR Frontiers in Basic Cancer Research, Abstract #C19, p78 Proceedings, Boston, MA.