Cancer Biology

 

Colon Cancer and inducible heat shock protein 70 (HSP70)

One focus of research in the laboratory is examining how HSP70, which regulates protein biosynthesis and refolding of denatured proteins as part of the recovery process from stress injury interacts with ß-catenin, the Bag-1 nucleotide exchange factor, and MAPK-dependent pathways. Our findings indicate that HSP70 promotes ß-catenin stabilization, activation, and nuclear translocation to initiate tumor proliferation in colon cancers.

Epigenetic Modulation in Colon Cancer

Our group is also examining DNA methylation and hydroxymethylation of host epigenomes, an important process in the development of colon cancer. Here, our interest is in examining how these fundamental processes in mammalian development are influenced by changes in the gut microbiome and how these changes function in the development and progression of colon cancer.