The overall goal of the program is to investigate the effects of radiation on human tumor cells at the molecular level.
Research focuses on genes that affect cellular radioresistance.
The involvement and biological effects of growth factors and cytokines on signal transduction and transcriptional activation after radiation are of particular interest. The group is pursuing novel approaches to genetically manipulate radioresistance which show promise in altering cellular radiosensitivity. Through these studies, we anticipate furthering the basic understanding of the biological processes that occur during and after radiation exposure. Eventually, they may be utilized to improve radiotherapy in the treatment of cancer. The studies are being performed with human carcinoma cells.