ORB Opal R. Bunce Associate Professor Dr. Bunce is an Associate Professor of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences. The major focus of her research has been in the area of chemical carcinogenesis.
Carcinogens are agents capable of initiating cancer.
Environmental, genetic and viral factors have been implicated as carcinogens. Her research has emphasized environmental factors such as fat and caloric intake that alter mammary tumor promotion. Chronic energy restriction significantly inhibits mammary tumor promotion in rodents. Dr. Bunce's laboratory has studied the effect of short-term, intermittent energy restriction or energy cycling on mammary tumor promotion since this feeding paradigm mimics the dieting habits of humans. Although energy cycling is a type of energy restriction that lowers overall weight gain and energy intake, it does not inhibit mammary tumor promotion as does chronic energy restriction.