Kinase signaling in cancer. The current focus of research in my laboratory is on the role of nuclear protein kinase signaling in normal and abnormal cell growth and apoptosis.
Cancer cells demonstrate an abnormality of both the proliferation and apoptosis.
Our goal is to define the molecular basis of these alterations in cancer cells. Specifically, we are interested in investigation of the biology of prostate cancer and squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Currently, these studies involve the functional role of protein kinase CK2 signaling in the nuclear matrix and nucleosomes. Our studies have established that CK2 is dysregulated in these neoplasias, and that nuclear matrix and chromatin are the primary sites of its functional signaling in the nucleus. Antisense to CK2 causes cell death while its overexpression protects cells against cell death.