Research

 

LKB1 (STK11)

LKB1 (STK11) is a kinase that plays a role in cell metabolism, cell polarity, and tumor suppression.The laboratory is engaged in defining mechanisms of LKB1 signaling in breast cancer tumorigenesis and metastasis, as well as elucidating downstream targets that suppress the invasive phenotype.

Andy Nguyen:

I study signaling mechanisms important in cancer progression, phenotype, and function. More specifically, my current project focus revolves around identifying how the LKB1 signaling pathway regulates breast cancer stem cells.

Maryl Wright:

My primary research project focuses on developing and utilizing a decellularized tumor scaffold model to define the mechanisms of LKB1 signaling on and cell-matrix interactions in triple negative breast cancer. My goal is to create a 3D matrix model that better recapitulates the tumor microenvironment in vitro and in vivo. I intend to develop a product that can be used by research labs and drug companies to aid in tumor research and drug screening.

PDX

 

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) subtypes are clinically aggressive and have high rates of metastases, chemoresistance and recurrence. Using patient tumor tissues provided by the Biospecimen Core Laboratory of the Louisiana Cancer Research Consortium we are applying Patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models of TNBC to identify novel therapeutic targets.

Maryl Wright:

My secondary research project focuses on utilizing and characterizing patient-derived xenograft models to identify therapeutic targets in triple negative breast cancer. Our lab hopes to create an extensive PDX library of these unique models that represent the diversity of our under-represented TNBC patients and that can be used by other research labs and drug testing companies.

Activated Foods

 

When stressed, plants produce compounds which protect them. We are studying the effects of these compounds and extracts on human health using in vitro cancer cell models.

Understudied Kinases

 

Kinases are enzymes that activate proteins, lipids and nucleic acids, many kinases’ activities are unknown. Our Laboratory attempts to identify kinases involved in breast cancer and analyze the pathways they affect.

 

Adipose Stem cell project

Adipose Stem Cells (ASCs) are components of normal breast tissue that become altered in the context of obesity. This project studies the interactions between ASCs and triple-negative breast cancer cells, and seeks to determine how ASCs contribute to tumorigenesis, drug resistance, and metastasis.

Courtney

I study leptin signalling between obese-imprinted Adipose Stem Cells and TNBC cells. My project involves testing an inhibitor of the leptin receptor, to determine how leptin signalling contributes to ASC’s promotion of cancer stem cell phenotypes and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition.

 

 

Collaborations

 

LSU

Breast Cancer microphysiological sytem

Frank Lau M.D. LSUHSC

 

 

USDA

Activated Foods Promote Health

Steve Boue PH.D. USDA

LSU

Breast Cancer Scaffold

Elizabeth Martin PH.D. LSU

UNTHSC

Adipose Stem Cell Project

Bruce Bunnell PH.D. UNTHSC