Our lab primarily focuses on the identification and characterization of molecular alterations leading to the development of solid cancers, particularly breast cancer. Study of these changes at both the genetic and protein level will lead to the identification of potential diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive markers. Such markers may also prove useful as potential therapeutic targets.

Cancer results from the progressive accumulation of genetic alterations. In some organ systems (i.e. colon and cervix), it has been demonstrated that increasing degrees of genetic perturbation are also accompanied by increasing degrees of histologic dysplasia. Other tissues are less accessible, making definitive establishment of these links more difficult.

In the breast, the appearance of certain pre-neoplastic and pre-invasive lesions has been linked to the development of invasive cancer through an increase in relative risk. However, it has yet to be clearly established whether or not all these lesions have the potential to progress to invasive breast cancer, or are merely markers of increased risk.

Lab Members

(April 2014)

Lab Members

From left to right: Dr. Susan Done (PI), Nisha Kanwar (PhD candidate), Ranju Nair (Technician), Moustafa Abdalla, Carolina Lopez (Sabbatical Fellow), Adewunmi Adeoye (Post Doctoral Fellow), Tian Yu Liu (Undergraduate)

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