Assistant Professor in the Department of Medical Technology at the University of Delaware.
Malignant melanoma is an aggressive cancer with a great propensity to spread.
Molecular and genetic changes occur during this process. The underlying hypothesis is that specific genes contribute to the ability of tumor cells to invade and metastasize. Identification of the specific genes or gene products which regulate cancer spread and determination of their functions are necessary to fully understand this complex metastatic process. The long term goal of this research is to identify genes involved in controlling the spread of this skin cancer. Although my work focuses on malignant melanoma, other solid tumors, such as breast, prostate, colon and lung cancers may share common pathways of metastatic spread.