Cancer Biology

Please note: Words in italics are the official PIBS affiliations of the indicated faculty.

Philip C. Andrews, Ph.D. Bioactive peptides--structure and function; development of new technologies in proteome analysis and functional genomics for identifying gene function and characterizing gene products, including analysis of posttranslational modifications. Biological Chemistry. Bioinformatics.
http://www.proteome.med.umich.edu

James R. Baker Jr., MD Determining why autoantigens are recognized in autoimmune disease; epitope mapping thyroid autoantigens from patients with autoimmune thyroid disease. Immunology. Molecular and Cellular Pathology.

Scott Barolo, Ph.D. Molecular genetics and biochemistry of transcriptional regulation; structure/function analysis of signaling pathway-regulated enhancers, using Drosophila as a model system. Cell & Developmental Biology.

Daniel A. Bochar, Ph.D. Regulation of eukaryotic gene expression through the modulation of chromatin structure and the connection to developmental disorders and cancer. Biological Chemistry.

Dean E. Brenner, MD Pharmacodynamics of anticancer drugs in animal models and humans. Pharmacology.

Kenneth Cadigan, Ph.D.  Genetics of Drosophila Devel and Signal Transduction. Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology. Cellular & Molecular Biology.

Sally A. Camper, Ph.D. Developmental genetics of the neuroendocrine system; transgenic mice; gene targeting; pituitary dwarfism. Human Genetics. Bioinformatics. Cellular & Molecular Biology. Neuroscience.

Christine E. Canman, Ph.D. Understanding how DNA repair and cell cycle checkpoint pathways interact in human cells exposed to chemotherapy or ionizing radiation and how these interactions might collaborate to preserve genomic instability in unchallenged cells. Pharmacology.

Thomas Carey, Ph.D. Genetic mechanisms in head and neck cancer progression; genetic mechanisms affecting response to therapy; and mechanisms of autoimmune hearing loss mediated by antibodies to inner ear antigens. Cellular & Molecular Biology. Pharmacology.

Christin Carter-Su, Ph.D. Signal transduction used by cytokine receptors via JAK tyrosine kinases; regulation of gene transcription by tyrosine kinases; cellular and molecular actions of growth hormone and cytokines. Molecular & Integrative Physiology. Cellular & Molecular Biology. http://www.med.umich.edu/cmb/faculty/directory.htm#cartersu

Raymond Chan , Ph.D. Studies the packaging of chromosome in preparation for cellular division in mitosis and meiosis in the nematode C. elegans.  My primary focus is on the Structural Maintenance of Chromosomes (SMC) protein family and TIM-1, a novel regulator of SMC proteins that I had previously identified. Human Genetics.

Arul M. Chinnaiyan, M.D., Ph.D. Focus on high-throughput genomic and proteomic technologies to analyze human disease. Lab projects include molecular profiling of prostate cancer, profiling cancer with protein microarrays, and molecular signatures of sepsis. Bioinformatics. Molecular and Cellular Pathology.
Lab: http://www.pathology.med.umich.edu/dynamo/chinnaiyan/bioSketch.jsp?uid=arul

Kathleen R. Cho, MD Molecular pathogenesis of the common gynecological tumors (carcinomas of the ovary, enometrium and uterine cervix). Current lab projects include molecular profiling of ovarian and cervical carcinomas and analysis of Wnt signaling pathway defects in ovarian endometrioid adenocarcinomas. Molecular and Cellular Pathology.
Lab: http://www.pathology.med.umich.edu/faculty/Cho/research.htm

Mark Day, Ph.D. Cell-cycle regulation of epithelial programmed cell death. Cellular & Molecular Biology.

Andrzej Dlugosz, M.D. Hedgehog signaling; molecular regulation of skin development and tumorigenesis. Cellular & Molecular Biology.

Steven Domino, M.D., Ph.D. Functions of cell-surface carbohydrates in reproductive and other tissues. Cellular & Molecular Biology.

Yali Dou, Ph.D. Using a combination of biochemical, cellular and genetic analyses, we would like to: analyze the structure, function and regulation of MLL complex; study the cross-talks between MLL and other histone modifying activities such as histone acetyltransferase and histone ubiquitinase; elucidate the mechanism of MLL deregulation (deletion, amplification and translocation) in leukemogenesis. Molecular & Cellular Pathology.

Cumming Duan, Ph.D.  The current research focuses on the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signaling system, including the IGF ligands, IGF binding proteins, IGF receptors, and the downstream signal transduction mechanisms. Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology. Cellular & Molecular Biology.

Colin S. Duckett, Ph.D. Novel roles for IAP proteins in the control of apoptosis, intracellular signaling and metabolism. IAPs as regulators of apoptosis. IAPs in cancer. E3 ubiquitination activities of IAPs. Caspase-independent signaling properties of IAPs. X-linked lymphoproliferative disorder and XIAP. Role of XIAP in copper metabolism and homeostasis. c-IAPs: Key intracellular signaling molecules with diverse roles in inflammation. IAP antagonists: Apoptotic sensitizers and signaling modulators. Immunology, Molecular and Cellular Pathology, Cellular & Molecular Biology.

James T. Elder, M.D., Ph.D. Genetics of psoriasis; regulation of keratinocyte growth and differentiation. Cellular & Molecular Biology.

Xing Fan, M.D., Ph.D. Developing novel therapies for malignant brain tumors based on the depletion of cancer stem cells and studying the molecular mechanism by which developmental signaling pathways (Notch, Sonic Hedgehog, and Wnt, etc,) regulate brain cancer stem cells. Cell & Developmental Biology, Neurosurgery.
Lab: http://www.med.umich.edu/cdb/sub_pages/People/x_fan.html

Eric R. Fearon, MD, Ph.D. Molecular genetics of cancer; tumor suppressor gene function. Cellular & Molecular Biology. Human Genetics. Molecular and Cellular Pathology.
http://www.med.umich.edu/cmb/faculty/directory.htm#fearon

Eva Feldman, MD, Ph.D. Insulin-like growth factors in neuronal development and survival. Cellular & Molecular Biology. Neuroscience.

David Ferguson, M.D., Ph.D. How DNA repair prevents cancer, provides immuno-competence, and ensures proper overall development.  Cellular & Molecular Biology, Molecular and Cellular Pathology.

Carol A. Fierke, Ph.D. RNA Processing. Protein Prenylation. Structure, Mechanism and Inhibition of metalloenzymes and ribozymes. Protein engineering of biosensors and biocatalysts. Biological Chemistry. Biophysics.
http://www.umich.edu/~michchem/faculty/fierke/

Robert S. Fuller, Ph.D. Proteolytic processing, protein localization, and macromolecular transport in the secretory pathway; yeast cell biology; structure, mechanism, and specificity of proteases. Biological Chemistry. Cellular & Molecular Biology.
http://www.med.umich.edu/cmb/faculty/directory.htm#fuller

Debashis Ghosh, Ph.D. Statistical and computational methods for analysis of high-throughput genomic and proteomic expression data, statistical modelling of transcription regulatory systems, protein modelling and cancer biology modelling. Bioinformatics.

Thomas W. Glover, Ph.D. Molecular cytogenetics and the molecular biology of human disease; gene mapping; Menkes syndrome; fragile sites. Human Genetics. Cellular & Molecular Biology.

Jun-Lin Guan, Ph.D. Signal transduction in cell migration. FAK signaling pathways in angiogenesis and metastasis. Role of a putative tumor suppressor FIP200 in development and cancer. Cellular & Developmental Biology. Internal Medicine..

Deborah L. Gumucio, Ph.D. Molecular mechanisms underlying the development of gastric intestinal
metaplasias, lesions associated with later development of adenocarcinoma. Isolation and characterization of gastric progenitor cells. Cell & Developmental Biology. Cellular & Molecular Biology.

Gary D. Hammer, MD, Ph.D. Molecular mechanisms of stress. Adrenal cortical growth and differentiation. Transcriptional regulation by adrenal-specific nuclear receptors-transcription factors. Adrenal cortical carcinogenesis. Transgenic models of adrenal development and disease. Molecular & Integrative Physiology. Cellular & Molecular Biology.

Jay Hess, M.D., Ph.D. Mechanisms of transformation by the mixed lineage leukemia protein and its downstream targets, the clustered (Hox) genes. Molecular and Cellular Pathology. Cellular & Molecular Biology.

Paul F. Hollenberg, Ph.D. Chemical carcinogenesis: metabolic activation and detoxication of carcinogens, mechanisms of carcinogen-activating enzymes, cytochrome P-450 and biological oxidations and peroxidations. Pharmacology.

Patrick Hu, MD, Ph.D. We use the nematode C. elegans to study the biology of conserved signal transduction pathways that are mutated in cancer and diabetes. Cell & Developmental Biology.

Alan Hunt, Ph.D. Among the most fundamental processes of life is the ability to move, at the cellular level these forces are generated by proteins knows as molecular motors. Two broad classes of molecular motors: 1) those that use energy derived from ATP to exert force against filaments, such as myosin, kinesin, and dynein, and 2) those that use energy stored in an electrochemical gradient across a membrane to drive rotational movements, such as the motors that drive bacterial flagella. Biophysics.

Michael J. Imperiale, Ph.D. Posttranscriptional regulation of eukaryotic gene expression; interaction of virus and host cell factors in regulation of gene expression and oncogenic transformation; viral vectors. Microbiology & Immunology. Cellular & Molecular Biology.

Randal J. Kaufman, Ph.D. Regulation of protein synthesis and secretion; molecular biology of factor VIII and gene therapy for hemophilia A. Biological Chemistry.

Tom Kerppola, Ph.D. Regulation of gene expression by proto-oncogene transcription factors; protein interactions in living cells and organisms; and nucleoprotein complex architecture. Biological Chemistry. Biophysics.
http://sitemaker.umich.edu/kerppola.lab

Catherine Krull, Ph.D. Mechanisms that control cell migration and patterning during embryonic development.  Cellular and Developmental Biology.

Roland Kwok, Ph.D. Hormonal regulation of cAMP-activated gene expression. Biological Chemistry. Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Yasmina Laouar, Ph.D. Mechanisms of immunosuppression in the development, homeostasis, and function of innate effector cells in response to pathogens. Immunology, Microbiology & Immunology.

Daniel Lawrence, Ph.D. How basic binary interactions such as protein:protein interactions regulate complex physiologic processes. Studies focus on protease inhibitors and their targets in systems such as vascular cell migration, and in models of stroke and seizure. Internal Medicine. Cellular & Molecular Biology.

Theodore Lawrence, MD, Ph.D. Study of radiosenstiizing agents from the perspectives of translation into clinical trial and mechanism of action. Cellular & Molecular Biology.

Angel W. Lee, M.D., Ph.D. Tyrosine kinase-based signal transduction mechanisms that regulate
cell proliferation and differentiation in myeloid progenitors, embryonic and neural stem cells; identification of novel molecules in neurogenesis. Pharmacology. Cellular & molecular Biology. Bioinformatics.

Ming Lei, Ph.D. Structural and functional studies of the molecular mechanism of human telomere and its regulation. with an emphasis in a multi-subunit complex (telosome) which forms the protective cap of the telomere. Biological Chemistry.

Jun Li, Ph.D. Genetic studies of complex human diseases, including psychiatric disorders, heart disease, and cancer, with emphases on genetic influence of gene expression, population structure, DNA copy number variation (either inherited or somatic), and application of next-generation sequencing methods to related problems. Human Genetics. Cellular & Molecular Biology. Bioinformatics.

Jiandie Lin, Ph.D. - Genome-wide mapping and functional analysis of transcriptional networks in the control metabolism in cells and in vivo. Metabolic basis of diseases including obesity, type 2 diabetes, neurodegeneration and cancer. Cell & Developmental Biology. Life Sciences Institute.

Mats Ljungman, Ph.D. Cellular responses induced by DNA-damaging agents and other cellular stresses. Cellular & Molecular Biology.

David Lubman, Ph.D. The use of proteomics to study cancer biomarkers and the progression of disease. Our methods include protein fractionation techniques, liquid separations, mass spectrometry and spectroscopic methods. Surgery. Bioinformatics. Molecular and Cellular Pathology.

Gary Luker, Ph.D. Understanding how interactions between“invaders”, either DNA viruses or cancer cells, and the environment of a normal host affect disease pathogenesis. Emphasis on non-invasive imaging to analyze signaling pathways and disease outcome in living mice. Microbiology & Immunology. Immunology.

Jill A. Macoska, Ph.D. Genetic and cellular changes associated with early neoplastic transformation. Bioinformatics. Cellular & Molecular Biology. Urology.

Sami Malek, M.D. Hematological malignancies including CLL, Follicular Lymphoma, MDS and AML using a variety of approaches. Many questions intersect with standard immunological problems and are studied accordingly. Internal Medicine. Immunology.

David M. Markovitz, MD Regulation of retroviral gene expression. Cellular & Molecular Biology. Immunology.

Jonathan Maybaum, Ph.D. Gene therapy approaches to protection of host tissues during chemotherapy; role of programmed and non-programmed cell death mechanisms in cancer chemotherapy. Pharmacology. Radiation Oncology.

Juanita L. Merchant, MD, Ph.D. Molecular mechanisms of gastric epithelial cell growth; growth factor regulation of normal and neoplastic growth; transcriptional control of gastrointestinal peptides; posttranslational modifications of transcription factors; transgenic models for stomach development; Helicobacter pylori and peptic ulcer; gastric cancer development. Cellular & Molecular Biology. Molecular & Integrative Physiology.

Richard A. Miller, MD, Ph.D. Signal transduction in T cells; aging and T-cell subsets; immunology of aging; genetics of longevity. Molecular and Cellular Pathology. Cellular & Molecular Biology. Immunology.
http://www.med.umich.edu/cmb/faculty/directory.htm#millerr

Alexey Nesvizhskii, Ph.D. Functional and clinical proteomics, bioinformatics, computational and statistical methods for analysis of high throughput biological data, mass spectrometry data analysis. Molecular and Cellular Pathology. Bioinformatics.

Richard Neubig, MD, Ph.D. Molecular mechanisms of signal transduction; spectroscopic and rapid kinetic studies of receptors, G proteins and their regulators; NMR structure of receptor and G-protein peptides; mechanism of alpha-adrenergic receptors. Bioinformatics. Biophysics. Pharmacology.
Biophysics Lab

Bennett Novitch, Ph.D. Regulation of progenitor and stem cell proliferation and differentiation in the developing vertebrate central nervous system. Cell & Developmental Biology.  Neuroscience.

Gabriel Nuñez, MD Molecular regulation of programmed cell death (apoptosis); identification and characterization of apoptosis regulatory genes. Cellular & Molecular Biology. Molecular and Cellular Pathology. Microbiology & Immunology.

Patrick O'Brien, Ph.D. Biochemical, biophysical, and structural approaches to understanding mechanisms of human DNA repair. Biological Chemistry.

Gilbert Omenn, MD. Ph.D. Proteomics and bioinformatics for development of cancer biomarkers. Human Genetics. Bioinformatics. Internal Medicine.

Elizabeth M. Petty, MD Molecular genetics of solid tumor development; translation of molecular genetic discoveries to clinical applications; medical ethics. Cellular & Molecular Biology. Human Genetics.

James Rae, Ph.D. Regulation of breast cancer growth. Predicting drug response using pharmacogenetics and genomics. Drug metabolism and the cytochrome P450s. Biomarker discovery and clinical correlative studies. Preclinical drug discovery and testing. Internal Medicine. Pharmacology.

Malini Raghavan, Ph.D. Biochemical and molecular interactions underlying immune recognition events: interactions and biochemical mechanisms of function of the transporters associated with antigen processing; mammalian and viral Fc receptors and their interactions with immunoglobulin G. Microbiology & Immunology. Immunology. Biophysics. Cellular & Molecular Biology.

Diane M. Robins, Ph.D. Developmental and hormonal regulation of mammalian gene expression. Human Genetics. Cellular & Molecular Biology.

Gus Rosania, Ph.D. We study the transport of small molecules at the cellular and subcellular levels, and develop chemical, biological, and mathematical/computational tools to understand the transport of nutrients and drugs. Bioinformatics.

Brian D. Ross, Ph.D. Multinuclear NMR spectroscopy and imaging of intact biological systems, with an emphasis in experimental neuro-oncology, oxidative stress, and gene therapy. Biological Chemistry.

Theodora S. Ross, M.D., Ph.D. Genetics and biology of human leukemias by using mouse modeling as well as standard biochemical, molecular biological and cellular techniques. Cellular & Molecular Biology.

Mark A. Saper, Ph.D. Structural biology of components of the type III secretion system essential for bacterial pathogenesis. Other current projects include a novel bacterial tyrosine kinase and phosphatase important for pathogenesis, and a family of aminotransferases essential for plant photorespiration. Protein crystallography is the main technique employed in the lab. Biological Chemistry. Biophysics.

Jessica Schwartz, Ph.D. Cellular and molecular mechanisms of growth factor action; regulation of gene expression. Molecular & Integrative Physiology. Cellular & Molecular Biology.

JoAnn Sekiguchi, Ph.D. Mechanisms of DNA repair and how aberrant repair processes affect genomic stability, predisposition to cancer and immune system development. Human Genetics

Donna S. Shewach, Ph.D. Metabolism and mechanism of action of nucleoside analog anticancer compounds. Pharmacology.

Robert U. Simpson, Ph.D. Receptors: calcium-regulating hormones and drugs. Pharmacology.

Maria S. Soengas, Ph.D. Skin cancer (melanoma) initiation, progression and chemoresistance. Identification of tumor markers and drug response genes. Development of new treatments for aggressive and metastatic melanoma.  Cellular & Molecular Biology. Dermatology.

Lloyd M. Stoolman, MD Lymphocyte recirculation and migration; functional characterization of the lymphocyte and endothelial receptors that mediate migration into lymphoid organs and sites of chronic inflammation; role of lymphocyte homing receptors in the hematogenous dissemination of lymphoid malignancies; role of lymphocyte-extracellular matrix interactions in lymphocyte migration. Immunology. Molecular and Cellular Pathology.

Yi Sun, Ph.D. 1) Mechanism of p53 tumor suppressor and SCF E3 ubiquitin ligase (for protein ubiquitination and degradation) in apoptosis induction and suppression, respectively; 2) Identification and validation of cancer targets in the p53 and E3 ubiquitin ligase signaling pathways for anti-cancer drug discovery. Cellular & Molecular Biology. Radiation Oncology.

Alice Telesnitsky, Ph.D. Retrovirus molecular genetics, reverse transcriptase structure-function studies, HIV-1 and murine leukemia virus genetic recombination and other mechanisms of genetic variation, virus-host interactions on the cellular level. Microbiology & Immunology. Cellular & Molecular Biology.

John Tesmer, Ph.D. Structural studies of heterotrimeric G protein signaling using X-ray crystallography and other biophysical techniques. Life Sciences Institute, Pharmacology.

James Varani, Ph.D. Cell-substrate adhesion and cell motility in normal mammalian cells and their malignant counterparts; biosynthesis and surface expression of extracellular matrix molecules, such as fibronectin, laminin, and thrombospondin and their involvement as endogenous regulators of adhesion, motility, invasion, and metastasis. Molecular and Cellular Pathology.

Anne Vojtek, Ph.D. Regulation of cell growth and differentiation by signal transduction pathways. Biological Chemistry.

Steve J. Weiss, MD Regulation, expression, and function of proteinases in cell movement through the extracellular matrix. Cellular & Molecular Biology.

Michael J. Welsh, Ph.D. Cellular stress response and stress-induced proteins; molecular mechanisms of toxicant action; regulation and function of hsp27 and related small stress proteins in muscle and cancer; cell biology; cell cytoskeleton and cytoskeletal proteins. Cell & Developmental Biology. Cellular & Molecular Biology.

Max S. Wicha, MD Regulation of cell growth and death pathways in mammary cells. Cellular & Molecular Biology.

Thomas E. Wilson, MD, Ph.D. DNA double-strand break repair mechanisms and their contribution to the chromosomal instability of cancer. Molecular and Cellular Pathology. Cellular & Molecular Biology.
Lab: http://tewlab.path.med.umich.edu/

Matthew J. Wishart, Ph.D. Mechanisms of action for protein- and lipid-phosphatases; STYX / dead-phosphatase adapters and phosphorylation-mediated signaling; molecular mechanisms of mammalian reproduction.  Molecular & Integrative Physiology

Yukiko Yamashita Mechanisms of asymmetric stem cell division, control of stem cell behavior in their natural environment (in vivo), cell polarity, spindle orientation. Cell & Developmental Biology.

Yuan Zhu, Ph.D. Molecular genetics of disease, the role of tumor suppressor genes in neural development and tumorigenesis in the nervous system. Cell & Developmental Biology.