Research Abstract
The Kaelin Laboratory studies the functions of tumor suppressor proteins including the retinoblastoma protein (pRB), the von Hippel-Lindau protein (pVHL), and a homolog of the p53 tumor suppressor protein called p73. The laboratory uses a variety of molecular and cellular approaches to understand how, mechanistically, these proteins prevent tumor growth. One long term goal of this work is to lay the foundation for novel anticancer strategies. For example, one could envision the development of drugs that will selectively kill cells that lack a particular tumor suppressor protein or which will mimic a particular biochemical activity normally performed by a tumor suppressor protein.