Primary Appointment

Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment

The goal of my laboratory is to improve the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer and the related disease pancreatitis. One of our major goals is the identification of disease specific molecules useful as biomarkers or therapeutic targets. For this purpose we have utilized gene profiling and proteomics approaches to identify disease specific molecules. These molecules are then verified as being cancer cell specific using real-time quantitative PCR, Western blotting and immunolocalization in tissue arrays. Functional characterization is then conducted  in order to identify molecules with high potential for translational value such as those involved in cancer cell proliferation and survival. Validation of functional roles is conducted  intially in vitro and then in vivo. In vitro experiments are conducted both by over-expression and reduced-expression. Molecules that increase pancreatic cancer aggressiveness when over-expressed and which decrease pancreatic cancer cell growth when silenced may be good targets for therapeutic intervention. Once an important functional molecule is identified we develop experimental therapeutics using reagents developed or identified for manipulation of these molecules. Antibodies, dominant negatives, siRNAs and pharmacological agents capable of manipulating the function of the molecules are tested as potential therapeutic agents in animal models. Currently, we are using orthotopically transplanted pancreatic cancer cells or primary xenografts placed in immune deficient animals as our models. We are also developing genetic animal models for pancreatic cancer. Using these approaches  we have already discovered important biomarkers and exciting candidates for therapeutic intervention. However, there are many more candidate molecules to investigate and much more to discover. This is a very exciting time for research into pancreatic disease with many opportunities for collaborative research.

Endowed Positions

Last updated: 9/21/2009