Research Abstract
My research goal is to identify novel predictive markers and therapeutic targets in breast cancer and translate these discoveries into clinically useful reagents. To accomplish this goal, I have established an ongoing collaboration with Dr Kornelia Polyak to use SAGE (Serial Analysis of Gene Expression) to identify genes important in the interaction between cancerous breast epithelial cells and tumor associated stromal cells. This technology has yielded a number of potential therapeutic targets including two chemokine receptor/ chemokine ligand pairs as well as several cathepsin family members, the expression of which is markedly dysregulated in either tumor epithelial cells and/or tumor associated stromal cells. We are currently validating these proteins as potential targets through the use of small molecule inhibitors in in vitro and in vivo models of tumor-stromal interaction. In addition to this ongoing project, I am directing or co-directing several clinical trials with the aim of identifying novel molecular predictors of response to conventional chemotherapeutic and molecularly targeted therapies.