On any given day, walking through the labs of the Center for Cancer Research, you
might encounter any of the following investigators translating cellular processes
into a potential cure for cancer.
Director
Lawrence M. Pfeffer, PhD - College of Medicine
Dr. Pfeffer researches an anticancer drug called interferon, which is an important
component of the host response to various insults. By understanding the way this compound
works at the cellular and molecular level, he may be able to identify new strategies
to enhance the drug's effectiveness and/or diminishing undesirable side effects. He
is also interested in identifying the role of cancer stem-like cells in the therapeutic
resistance of cancer. His focus is on treating brain cancer, prostate cancer and melanoma.
Faculty
Subash Chauhan, PhD - College of Pharmacy
The primary focus of Dr. Chauhan's lab is to identify and characterize novel diagnostic
and therapeutic targets for cancer. Recently his lab has identified a novel trans-membrane
mucin MUC13 which is highly over-expressed ovarian and pancreatic cancer cells. This
may be potential biomarker for early cancer diagnosis as well as a good target for
antibody guided targeted cancer therapy. His lab is also involved in cancer health
disparity research.
Meiyun Fan, PhD - College of Medicine
Dr. Fan is studying gene transcription regulation in breast cancer cells. She is trying
to identify transcription regulators that drive the progression of breast cancer cells
from a curable estrogen-dependent stage to a life-threatening estrogen-independent
stage.
Meena Jaggi, PhD - College of Pharmacy
Dr. Jaggi's lab is investigating the role of Protein Kinase D and wnt signaling in
cancer progression. Signaling pathway downstream of the E-cadherin/ß-catenin alters
the malignant phenotype of cancer cells. She is studying the regulation of this complex
by Protein Kinase D1 (PKD1). She is also involved in prostate cancer health disparity
research.
Ronald Laribee, PhD - College of Medicine
The Laribee laboratory uses budding yeast and mammalian cell culture models to study
conserved epigenetic pathways that regulate gene expression and DNA repair and are
mutated in human cancers.
Len Lothstein, PhD - College of Medicine
Dr. Lothstein is confronting two major impediments to successful cancer chemotherapy
and long-term patient survival: Cancer cell resistance to drug treatment and the irreversible
damage to the heart caused by current therapies. He is developing a new class of anti-cancer
drugs designed to circumvent drug resistance in cancer cells while protecting the
heart from damage.
Yi Lu, PhD - College of Medicine
Dr. Lu studies how breast cancer cells grow and metastasize, as well as how blood
vessel development to the tumors are inhibited by a gene that suppresses these mechanisms.
He is also researching viral gene therapy for prostate cancer.
Gustavo A. Miranda-Carboni, PhD - Department of Medicine
The focus of the Miranda-Carboni lab is to understand the molecular role of Wnt10b/b-catenin
signaling in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC: Estrogen & Progesterone Receptor
negative and HER2 negative). My lab has developed a novel mouse model—MMTV-Wnt10b-IRES-LacZ—in
which the Wnt10b-driven tumors are phenotypically most similar to human TNBC, compared
to other breast cancer tumor models. Ongoing projects of the lab include: biomarker
characterization for aggressive breast cancer in African-American at high risk for
TNBC, the role of Wnt10b/b-catenin signaling in the tumor microenvironment and metastasis,
epigenetics, developing therapeutics for TNBC patients and addressing cancer health
disparities.
Susan A. Miranda, PhD - Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and BME
The focus of the Miranda lab is to understand the role of estrogens and environmental
estrogens, such as bisphenol A (BPA), in breast cancer and throughout the body, including
bone cells. The lab focuses on gene regulation, genome-wide transcription factor binding
(ChIP-seq) and cellular assays to understand estrogen action.
Ramesh Narayanan, PhD - College of Medicine
Dr. Narayanan's primary focus has been small molecule drug discovery and translational
oncology research. His expertise includes identification of novel therapeutic targets,
discover new chemical entities (NCEs), reposition NCEs and therapeutic targets, and
understand molecular mechanisms of action of therapeutic targets and NCEs with emphasis
on hormone- dependent and -resistant cancers.
Tiffany Seagroves, PhD - College of Medicine
Dr. Seagroves is discovering how the transcription factor HIF-1alpha controls downstream
target gene expression and promotes cancer stem cell self-renewal, tumor-initiation
potential and metastasis in breast cancer. High levels of HIF-1alpha are found in
most solid tumors, corresponding with poor clinical outcome and resistance to radiation
and chemotherapy. She also collaborates with several investigators on campus by using
the mouse as a pre-clinical model to test anticancer activity of novel therapeutics.
Zhaohui Wu, PhD - College of Medicine
The Wu laboratory goal is to improve cancer treatment efficiency and reduce therapeutic
resistance of cancer cells by modulating the genotoxic NF-kB signaling pathway. We
envision the insights into the unique mechanisms of NF-kB genotoxic signaling pathway
will reveal novel drug targets selectively antagonizing the cancer therapeutic resistance
meanwhile keeping physiological functions of NF-kB in regulating immunity, resulting
in efficient cancer therapy and fewer relapse.
Junming Yue, PhD - College of Medicine
Dr. Yue investigates how miRNAs regulate tumor cell proliferation, migration, apoptosis
and metastasis. His lab uses lentiviral, adenoviral and adeno-associated viral vectors
to deliver miRNA genes in vitro and in vivo to study the miRNA-mediated gene regulatory
network in the development and treatment of ovarian cancer.
Administration
Rene' D. Smira - Business Manager
Rene is the Business Manager for the Molecular Resource Center (MRC) and the Center
for Cancer Research Building. She provides Managerial and Fiscal support for both
entities, as well as various self-funded Core Labs. She is involved in the day-to-day
business operation of the Center for Cancer Research and assists the various Directors
and Principal Investigators with administration, personnel, research and training.
Laura Egres - Administrative Specialist II
Laura provides administrative and fiscal support for the Center for Cancer Research
and it’s Director, the Molecular Resource Center (MRC), various self-funded Core Labs
and the Department of Pathology. She is the first point of contact for the Center
for Cancer Research Building and can assist you with arrangement of the auditorium
and conference rooms for meetings or classes, as well as other building related inquiries.
