Center for Global Health Faculty

Research Associate

Academic Degrees

• SCD

Departmental Affiliation

• Name:

  International Health

  Affiliation Type:

  Primary

Departmental Address

Contact Information

Email:

jfahey+jhsph.edu

Research and Professional Experience

Dr. Fahey is a nutritional biochemist in whose laboratory at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, plants are being developed as chemoprotective agents. His current work at Johns Hopkins addresses the induction by phytochemicals, of detoxication enzymes in mammalian systems. This work draws on elements of natural product chemistry, enzymology, nutritional epidemiology and clinical research in order to develop nutritional strategies for cancer chemoprotection in humans. Most of these studies have dealt with the glucosinolates and isothiocyanates that are found primarily in cruciferous vegetables. His work led to the discovery that broccoli sprouts are an exceptionally rich source of inducers of the enzymes that detoxify carcinogens (PNAS 94:10367-10372), and to the development of techniques for their detection and for assessing their metabolism in humans. The most recent development has been the determination that one of these inducers (sulforaphane), has potent antibiotic activity against Helicobacter pylori, a causative agent of peptic ulcer disease and stomach cancer (PNAS 99: 7610-7615). Before joining the Hopkins faculty in 1993, he spent 15 years in the biotechnology industry and held senior management positions in agricultural biotechnology research and process development. His work focused primarily on plant cell culture, plant-microbe interactions, seed physiology, and related aspects of the biology of food crops. In that capacity he developed methods for regeneration of elite maize genotypes, for deliberately inoculating grain seeds with beneficial bacteria, and for long term storage of disease-free sugarcane in tissue culture on a commercial scale.

Keywords

Diet, disease prevention, chemoprotection, chemoprevention, cancer, phytochemistry, crucifer, brassica, glucosinolate

Selected Publications

Suganuma H, JW Fahey, KE Bryan, ZR Healy and P Talalay. (2011) Stimulation of phagocytosis by sulforaphane. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 405(1): 146-151.

Egner PA, JG Chen, JB Wang, Y Wu, Y Sun,  JH Lu, J Zhu, YH Zhang, YS Chen, MD Friesen, LP Jacobson, A Muñoz, D Ng, GS Qian, YR Zhu, TY Chen, NP Botting, Q Zhang, JW Fahey, P Talalay, JD Groopman and TW Kensler.  (2011) Bioavailability of sulforaphane from two forms of broccoli sprout beverage: Results of a short term, cross-over clinical trial in Qidong, People’s Republic of China.  Cancer Prevention Research 4(3): 384-395.

Rodriguez-Cantu, L, J Gutierrez-Uribe, J Arreola-Vucovich, R Diaz de la Garza, JW Fahey and S Serna-Saldivar. (2010) Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) sprouts and extracts rich in glucosinolates and isothiocyanates affect cholesterol metabolism and genes involved on lipid homeostasis in hamsters.  Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 59(4): 1095-1103.

Bhattacharya A, Y Li, KL Wade, JD Paonessa, JW Fahey and Y Zhang. (2010) Allyl isothiocyanate-rich mustard seed powder inhibits bladder cancer growth and muscle invasion.  Carcinogenesis 31(12): 2105-2110.

Dinkova-Kostova, AT, JW Fahey, AL Benedict, SN Jenkins, L Ye, SL Wehage and P Talalay. (2010) Dietary glucoraphanin-rich broccoli sprout extracts protect against UV radiation-induced skin carcinogenesis in SKH-1 hairless mice.  Photochemical and Photobiological Sciences 9: 597-600.

Yanaka A, JW Fahey, A Fukumoto, M Nakayama, S Inoue, S Zhang, M Tauchi, H Suzuki, I Hyodo and M Yamamoto. (2009) Dietary sulforaphane-rich broccoli sprouts reduce colonization and attenuate gastritis in Helicobacter pylori-infected mice and humans.  Cancer Prevention Research 2(4): 353-360.

Lee SL, KL Stephenson, JW Fahey, TL Parsons, PL Lietman, AA Andrade, X Lei, H Yun, GH Soon, P Shen, S Danishefsky and C Flexner. (2009) Induction of chemoprotective phase 2 enzymes by ginseng and its components.  Planta Medica 75: 1-5.

Doerr, B, KL Wade, KK Stephenson, SB Reed, and JW Fahey. (2009) Cultivar effect on Moringa oleifera glucosinolate content and taste: A pilot study.  Ecology of Food and Nutrition 48: 199-211.

Thurber, M and JW Fahey. (2009) Adoption of Moringa oleifera to combat under-nutrition viewed through the lens of the 'Diffusion of Innovations' theory. Ecology of Food and Nutrition 48: 212-225.

Healy, ZR, AT Dinkova-Kostova, SL Wehage, RE Thompson, JW Fahey and P Talalay. (2009) Precise determination of the erythema response of human skin to ultraviolet radiation and quantification of effects of protectors.  Photodermatology, Photoimmunology & Photomedicine. 25: 45-50.

Ng, F, H Yun, X Lei, SJ Danishefsky, JW Fahey, KK Stephenson, C Flexner and L Lee.  (2008) (3R,9R,10R)-Panaxytriol: a molecular-based nutraceutical with possible application to cancer prevention and treatment.  Tetrahedron Letters 49: 7178-7179.

Farag, TH, JW Fahey, SS Khalfan and JM Tielsch. (2008) Diet as a factor in unexpectedly low prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection.  Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 102(11): 1164-1165.

Dinkova-Kostova, AT, JW Fahey, SN Jenkins, SL Wehage and P Talalay. (2008) Rapid body weight gain increases the risk of ultraviolet radiation-induced skin carcinogenesis in SKH-1 hairless mice.  Nutrition Research 28(8): 539-543.

Dinkova-Kostova, AT, SN Jenkins, SL Wehage, DL Huso, AL Benedict, KK Stephenson, JW Fahey, H Liu, KT Liby, T Honda, GW Gribble, MB Sporn and P Talalay. (2008) A dicyano-triterpenoid induces cytoprotective enzymes and reduces multiplicity of skin tumors in UV-irradiated mice.  Biochem Biophys Res Commun 367: 859-865.

Munday, R, P Mhawech-Fauceglia, CM Munday, JD Paonessa, L Tang, JS Munday, C Lister, P Wilson, JW Fahey, W Davis and Y Zhang.  (2008) Inhibition of urinary bladder carcinogenesis by broccoli sprouts. Cancer Res. 68(5): 1593-1600.

Fahey JW and KK Stephenson. (2007) Can fresh vegetable sprouts be produced for human consumption in areas with poor water quality? A pilot study. Trees for Life Journal 2:1.

Fahey JW and TW Kensler. (2007) Role of dietary supplements/nutraceuticals in chemoprevention through induction of cytoprotective enzymes. Chemical Research in Toxicology. 20: 572-576.

Dinkova-Kostova AT, JW Fahey, KL Wade, SN Jenkins, TA Shapiro, EJ Fuchs, and P Talalay. (2007) Induction of the phase 2 response in mouse and human skin by sulforaphane-containing broccoli sprout extracts. Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev. 16(4): 847-851.

Cornblatt BS, Ye L, Dinkova-Kostova AT, Erb M, Fahey JW, Singh NK, Chen MS, Stierer T, Garrett-Meyer E, Argani P, Davidson NE, Talalay P, Kensler TW, Visvanathan K. (2007) Preclinical and clinical evaluation of sulforaphane for chemoprevention in the breast. Carcinogenesis. 28(7): 1485-1490.

Wade KL, IJ Garrard, JW Fahey. (2007) Improved hydrophilic interaction chromatography method for the identification and quantification of glucosinolates. J. Chrom. A. 1154: 469-472.

Talalay, P, Fahey, JW, Healy, ZR, Wehage, SL, Benedict, AL, Min, C, Dinkova-Kostova, AT (2007) Sulforaphane mobilizes cellular defenses that protect skin against damage by UV radiation. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 104: 17500-17505.

Dinkova-Kostova AT, SN Jenkins, JW Fahey, L Ye, SL Wehage, KT Liby, KK Stephenson, KL Wade, and P Talalay. (2006) Protection against UV-light-induced skin carcinogenesis in SKH-1 high-risk mice by sulforaphane containing broccoli sprout extracts. Cancer Letters 240: 243-252.

Tang, L, Y Zhang, HE Jobson, J Li, KK Stephenson, KL Wade, and JW Fahey. (2006) Potent activation of mitochondria-mediated apoptosis and arrest in S and M phases of cancer cells by a broccoli sprout extract. Molec. Cancer Therapeutics 5(4): 935-944.

Munday R, Y Zhang, JW Fahey, HE Jobson, CM Munday, J Li, and KK Stephenson. (2006) Evaluation of isothiocyanates as potent inducers of carcinogen-detoxifying enzymes in the urinary bladder: Critical nature of in vivo bioassay. Nutrition Cancer 54(2): 223-231.

Shapiro TA, JW Fahey, AT Dinkova-Kostova, WD Holtzclaw, KK Stephenson, KL Wade, L Ye, and P Talalay (2006) Safety, tolerance, and metabolism of broccoli sprout glucosinolates and isothiocyanates: A clinical phase I study. Nutrition and Cancer 55(1): 53-62.

Zhang Y, R Munday, HE Jobson, CM Munday, C Lister, P Wilson, JW Fahey, and P Mhawech-Fauceglia (2006) Induction of GST and NQO1 in the urinary bladder by an extract of broccoli (Brassica oleracea italica) sprouts. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 54: 9370-9376.

Fahey JW, PJ Ourisson and FH Degnan. (2006) Pathogen detection, testing, and control in fresh broccoli sprouts. Nutrition Journal Apr 21;5(1):13 [Epub ahead of print]

Farnham MW, KK Stephenson, and JW Fahey. (2005) Glucoraphanin level in broccoli seed is largely determined by genotype. HortScience 40(1): 50-53.

Fahey JW, KK Stephenson, AT Dinkova-Kostova, PA Egner, TW Kensler, P Talalay. (2005) Chlorophyll, chlorophyllin and related tetrapyrroles are significant inducers of mammalian phase 2 cytoprotective genes. Carcinogenesis 26: 1247-1255.

Haristoy X, JW Fahey, I Scholtus, and A Lozniewski. (2005) Evaluation of antimicrobial effect of several isothiocyanates on Helicobacter pylori. Planta Medica 71: 326-330.

Fisher D, IJ Garrard, R Van den Heuvel, IA Sutherland, FE Chou and JW Fahey. (2005) Technology transfer and scale-up of a potential cancer-preventive plant [secondary product]: Dynamic extraction of glucoraphanin. J. Liquid Chromatography & Related Technologies 28: 1913-1922.

Kensler, T.W., Chen, J-G., Egner, P.A., Fahey, J.W., Jacobson, L.P., Stephenson, K.K., Ye, X., Coady, J.L.,Wang, J-B., Wu, Y., Sun, Y., Zhang, Q-N., Zhang, B-C., Zhu, Y-R., Qian, G-S., Carmella, S.G., Hecht, S.S., Benning, L., Gange, S.J., Groopman, J.D. and Talalay, P. (2005) Effects of glucosinolate-rich broccoli sprouts on urinary levels of aflatoxin-DNA adducts and phenanthene tetraols in a randomized clinical trial in He Zuo Township, Qidong, PRC. Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev., 14(11): 2605-2613.

Fahey JW. (2005) Moringa oleifera: A review of the medical evidence for its nutritional, therapeutic, and prophylactic properties. Part 1. Trees for Life Journal, 1:5. http://www.tfljournal.org/article.php/20051201124931586.

Dinkova-Kostova AT, SN Jenkins, JW Fahey, L Ye, SL Wehage, KT Liby, KK Stephenson, KL Wade, and P Talalay. (2005) Protection against UV-light-induced skin carcinogenesis in SKH-1 high-risk mice by sulforaphane containing broccoli sprout extracts. Cancer Letters, [available on-line November 3, 2005].

Farnham MW, PE Wilson, KK Stephenson & JW Fahey. (2004) Genetic and environmental effects on glucosinolate content and chemoprotective potency of broccoli. Plant Breeding 123: 60-65.

Fahey JW, AT Dinkova-Kostova, P Talalay (2004) The “Prochaska” microtiter plate bioassay for inducers of NQO1. Chapter 14 in Methods in Enzymology, Vol. 382, Part B, pp. 243-258 (Eds.) H. Sies & L. Packer, Elsevier Science, San Diego, CA.

Dinkova-Kostova AT, JW Fahey, P Talalay (2004) Chemical structures of inducers of nicotinamide quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1). Vol. 382, Part B, pp. 423-448. in Methods in Enzymology, (Eds.) H. Sies & L. Packer, Elsevier Science, San Diego, CA.

Fahey JW, A Munoz, Y Matsuzaki, H Suzuki, P Talalay, M Tauchi, S Zhang, C Hurt, and A Yanaka (2004) Dietary amelioration of Helicobacter pylori infection: Design criteria for a clinical trial. Cancer Epidemiol. Biomark. Prevent. 13(10): 1610-1616.

Stephenson KK, and JW Fahey. (2004) Development of tissue culture methods for the rescue and propagation of endangered Moringa spp. germplasm. Economic Botany 58: s116-s124. Fahey, J.W. (2003) “Brassicas” in Encyclopedia of Food Sciences and Nutrition, Eds. B. Caballero, L.C. Trugo & P.M. Finglas, Academic Press, London. pp. 606-613.

Fahey JW, KL Wade, KK Stephenson, FE Chou. (2003) Separation and purification of glucosinolates from crude plant homogenates by high-speed counter-current chromatography. J. Chromatogr. A. 996: 85-93.

Fahey JW, Haristoy X, Dolan PM, Kensler TW, Scholtus I, Stephenson KK, Talalay P & Lozniewski A. (2002) Sulforaphane inhibits extracellular, intracellular, and antibiotic-resistant strains of Helicobacter pylori and prevents benzo[a]pyrene-induced stomach tumors. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 99: 7610-7615.

Fowke, J.H., J.R. Hebert & J.W. Fahey. (2002) Urinary excretion of dithiocarbamates and self-reported Cruciferous vegetable intake: Application of the ‘Method of Triads’ to a food-specific biomarker. Pub. Health Nutr. 5(6): 791-799.

Fahey JW & Stephenson KK. (2002) Pinostrobin from Honey and Thai Ginger (Boesenbergia pandurata): A Potent Flavonoid Inducer of Mammalian Phase 2 Chemoprotective and Antioxidant Enzymes. J. Agric. Food Chem. 50: 7422-7476.

Fahey JW, AT Zalcmann & P Talalay. (2001) The chemical diversity and distribution of glucosinolates and isothiocyanates among plants. Phytochemistry 56(1):5-51. [corrigendum: Phytochemistry 59, 237.]

Shapiro TA, JW Fahey, KL Wade, KK Stephenson & P Talalay. (2001) Disposition of chemoprotective glucosinolates and isothiocyanates of broccoli sprouts. Cancer Epidemiol. Biomark. Prevent. 10:501-508.

Fahey, J.W. (1998) Underexploited African grain crops: A nutritional resource. Nutrition Reviews 56(9):282-285.

Fahey, J.W., Y. Zhang & P. Talalay (1997) Broccoli sprouts: an exceptionally rich source of inducers of enzymes that protect against chemical carcinogens. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 94:10367-10372.