Research Focus

My research interests have long been focused on the molecular mechanisms that drive tumorigenesis, and have authored numerous papers in cancer biology. My laboratory was among the first to characterize the role of Notch signaling in cancer. My research has had a major impact on our understanding of the Notch pathway and its role in tumorigenesis. My laboratory was first to demonstrate that Notch regulates the cell cycle and that this is critical for cellular transformation. My laboratory established the first mouse model for Notch-induced tumorigenesis. Using this model, we demonstrated that Notch critically controls the levels of p53 and that Ikaros functions as a tumor suppressor for the Notch pathway. My laboratory has made significant contributions in our understanding of the Notch transcription regulatory complex. My laboratory reported the identification of Notch activation complex kinase as an important coactivator of the Notch transcriptional activation complex. My current research interests include exploiting the labs knowledge of Notch signaling to identify small molecule inhibitors of the Notch pathway. In addition, we are investigating the distinct populations of cells driven Wnt and Notch Pathways that make up the Cancer Stem Cell population and evaluating the effect of specifically targeting these cells to inhibit tumor development.