Michael Alberti, MD, PhD

Recognitions

• Paul Calabresi K12 Career Development Award in Clinical Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine Clinical Research Training Center (2019)
  (Mentored research grant)
• Abstract Achievement Award, American Society of Hematology (2019)
• Outstanding Citizenship Award, Washington University School of Medicine Clinical Research Training Center (2021)
• EvansMDS Young Investigator Award, Edward P. Evans Foundation (2021)
  (Mentored research grant)
• K08 Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award, NIH/NHLBI (2021)
  (Mentored research grant)
• Career Development Award, Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA (2015)
  (Mentored research grant)
• Paul E. Strandjord Young Investigator Award, Academy of Clinical Laboratory Physicians and Scientists (2015)
• William Boyd Medal for Excellence in Pathology, Alabama Association of Pathologists and UAB Department of Pathology (2013)
• Glenn T. Seaborg Science Award, Swedish Council of America (2005)
  (Attended the 2005 Nobel Prize festivities in Stockholm, Sweden)
• Barry M. Goldwater Foundation Scholar, Barry M. Goldwater Foundation (2004)

Research Interests

As a physician-scientist I am interested in understanding the genetic and molecular basis of splicing factor gene mutations in clonal hematopoiesis and myeloid malignancies, such as myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). My postdoctoral work demonstrated that mutations in the U2AF1 splicing factor gene provide an ideal model for these studies as they occur at one of two hotspot codons (S34 and Q157) in separate zinc finger domains, and each of these mutations are associated with different clinical features, outcomes, alternative splicing, and co-occurring gene mutations in MDS patients. Complimentary experiments using U2af1(S34F/+) and U2af1(Q157R/+) small animal models support these observations and have also revealed differential activation of several key signaling pathways. The goal of our lab's research program is focused on answering the following questions: (1) Why are splicing factor mutations highly enriched in clonal myeloid malignancies (e.g., MDS) compared to other types of cancer? (2) What are the individual and shared mechanisms by which different splicing factor mutations induce MDS? (3) What are the dynamics facilitating acquisition of additional mutations in the context of splicing factor mutant disease?

Publications

• Wadugu BA, Nonavinkere Srivatsan S, Heard A, Alberti MO, Ndonwi M, Liu J, Grieb S, Bradley J, Shao J, Ahmed T, Shirai CL, Khanna A, Fei DL, Miller CA, Graubert TA, Walter MJ. U2af1 is a haplo-essential gene required for hematopoietic cancer cell survival in mice. J Clin Invest. 2021 Nov 1;131(21). PubMed PMID: 34546980
• Kim SP, Srivatsan SN, Chavez M, Shirai CL, White BS, Ahmed T, Alberti MO, Shao J, Nunley R, White LS, Bednarski J, Pehrson JR, Walter MJ. Mutant U2AF1-induced alternative splicing of H2afy (macroH2A1) regulates B-lymphopoiesis in mice. Cell Rep. 2021 Aug 31;36(9):109626. PubMed PMID: 34469727
• Mullegama SV, Alberti MO, Au C, Li Y, Toy T, Tomasian V, Xian RR. Nucleic Acid Extraction from Human Biological Samples. Methods Mol Biol. 2019;1897:359-383. PubMed PMID: 30539458
• Alberti MO, Srivatsan SN, Shao J, McNulty SN, Chang GS, Miller CA, Dunlap JB, Yang F, Press RD, Gao Q, Ding L, Heusel JW, Duncavage EJ, Walter MJ. Discriminating a common somatic ASXL1 mutation (c.1934dup; p.G646Wfs*12) from artifact in myeloid malignancies using NGS. Leukemia. 2018 Aug;32(8):1874-1878. PubMed PMID: 29959414
• Albeiroti S, Alberti MO, Buggs V, Swartz G, Butch AW, Drees JC, Kelly KA. Evaluation of 2 Batched Pretreatment Systems for the Measurement of Whole Blood Tacrolimus on the ARCHITECT Immunoassay Analyzer. Lab Med. 2016 Nov;47(4):268-274. PubMed PMID: 27474776
• Alberti MO, Hindler JA, Humphries RM. Erratum for Alberti et al., Antimicrobial Susceptibilities of Abiotrophia defectiva, Granulicatella adiacens, and Granulicatella elegans. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2016 Jun;60(6):3868. PubMed PMID: 27217443
• Alberti MO, Hindler JA, Humphries RM. Performance of Etest for Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing of Abiotrophia defectiva and Granulicatella Species. J Clin Microbiol. 2016 Aug;54(8):2194-6. PubMed PMID: 27280419
• King JK, Ung NM, Paing MH, Contreras JR, Alberti MO, Fernando TR, Zhang K, Pellegrini M, Rao DS. Regulation of Marginal Zone B-Cell Differentiation by MicroRNA-146a. Front Immunol. 2016;7:670. PubMed PMID: 28138326
• Schreiber AR, Santos J, McMahon B, Buckner TW, Olson C, Alberti MO, Guimarães-Young A, Knoeckel C, Broussard L, Aubrey M, Palmer BE, Weiss E, Connors GR, Brunner S, Wisell JA, Pacheco T, Aisner DL, Gutman JA. A Case of Fetal-Induced Graft-versus-Host Disease. N Engl J Med. 2023 Aug 17;389(7):668-670. PubMed PMID: 37585636
• Schreiber AR, Santos J, McMahon B, Buckner TW, Olson C, Alberti MO, Guimarães-Young A, Knoeckel C, Broussard L, Aubrey M, Palmer BE, Weiss E, Connors GR, Brunner S, Wisell JA, Pacheco T, Aisner DL, Gutman JA. A Case of Fetal-Induced Graft-versus-Host Disease. N Engl J Med. 2023 Aug 17;389(7):668-670. PubMed PMID: 37585636
• Roth JC, Alberti MO, Ismail M, Lingas KT, Reese JS, Gerson SL. MGMT enrichment and second gene co-expression in hematopoietic progenitor cells using separate or dual-gene lentiviral vectors. Virus Res. 2015 Jan 22;196:170-80. PubMed PMID: 25479595
• Alberti MO, Drake TA, Song L. The pH of chemistry assays plays an important role in monoclonal immunoglobulin interferences. Pract Lab Med. 2015 Dec 1;3:8-16. PubMed PMID: 28932804
• Alberti MO, Jones JJ, Miglietta R, Ding H, Bakshi RK, Edmonds TG, Kappes JC, Ochsenbauer C. Optimized Replicating Renilla Luciferase Reporter HIV-1 Utilizing Novel Internal Ribosome Entry Site Elements for Native Nef Expression and Function. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses. 2015 Dec;31(12):1278-96. PubMed PMID: 26101895
• Alberti MO, Fukuchi AM, Kelly KA. Influence of serum separator tubes on mycophenolic acid concentrations determined by HPLC. Ther Drug Monit. 2014 Oct;36(5):686-7. PubMed PMID: 24718269
• Woo JS, Alberti MO, Tirado CA. Childhood B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a genetic update. Exp Hematol Oncol. 2014;3:16. PubMed PMID: 24949228
• Alberti MO, Deshane JS, Chaplin DD, Pereboeva L, Curiel DT, Roth JC. A myeloid cell-binding adenovirus efficiently targets gene transfer to the lung and escapes liver tropism. Gene Ther. 2013 Jul;20(7):733-41. PubMed PMID: 23171918
• Alberti MO, Roth JC, Ismail M, Tsuruta Y, Abraham E, Pereboeva L, Gerson SL, Curiel DT. Derivation of a myeloid cell-binding adenovirus for gene therapy of inflammation. PLoS One. 2012;7(5):e37812. PubMed PMID: 22624065

Professional Memberships

• American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Member
• American Physician Scientists Association (APSA), Member
• Academy of Clinical Laboratory Physicians and Scientists (ACLPS), Member
• Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP), Member
• American Society of Hematology (ASH), Member
• International Society for Experimental Hematology (ISEH), Member

Practice Locations

UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital (UCH)
12605 E. 16th Ave
Aurora, CO 80045
720-848-0000

Hospital Affiliation

• University of Colorado Hospital

Specialty Information

Specialties

• Clinical, Board Certification (2016)
• Molecular Genetic, Board Certification (2017)
• Colorado Medical License, License (2022)
• California Medical License (INACTIVE), License (2015)
• Missouri Medical License (INACTIVE), License (2016)