Janae Sweeney

Dr. Janae Sweeney serves as an Assistant Professor of Biology in the Department of Biological & Physical Sciences at South Carolina State University, where she has taught for four years (three as Visiting Instructor, one as Assistant Professor). She leads the SCSU component of the SC CADRE/U54 Biorepository grant partnership with the Medical University of South Carolina and directs a research laboratory in Leroy Davis Hall focused on prostate cancer mechanisms.

Her educational background includes:

• Ph.D. in Biology (Cellular Biology emphasis), Clark Atlanta University (2021)
• M.S. in Biology (Cellular Molecular Biology & Physiology), Georgia State University (2013)
• B.S. in Biology (Chemistry minor), South Carolina State University (2011)

Dr. Sweeney's research centers on cellular mechanisms in cancer progression, particularly epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), oxidative stress pathways, and therapeutic applications of natural compounds like muscadine grape skin and Larrea tridentata extracts. Her work bridges prostate cancer, triple-negative breast cancer, and neurodegenerative models through molecular and cellular approaches.

Analysis of her publications reveals consistent focus on antioxidant therapies across cancer types, demonstrating how plant-derived compounds modulate EMT, cytotoxicity, and receptor signaling. Her research trajectory shows increasing specialization in translational cancer biology with emphasis on natural product interventions.

She actively manages the SC CADRE/U54 Biorepository grant while mentoring students in her laboratory and teaching core courses including General Zoology (B 150) and its laboratory component (B 154). Her academic service extends to developing the Introduction to University Community course (UNIV 101).

Dr. Sweeney maintains an active research laboratory in Leroy Davis Hall dedicated to advancing prostate cancer cellular models and screening phytochemical interventions, with ongoing projects examining SOD2 polymorphisms and oxidative stress responses.