PU.1 is a member of the ets family of transcriptions factors, which is required for normal development of B cells and monocytes, but causes leukemia when inappropriately regulated in erythrocytes. We use a murine model of virally-induced leukemia to perform genetic and biochemical studies to elucidate oncogenic events associated with leukemic transformation. Jindrich Kopecek - Design, synthesis, and mechanism of action of macromolecular therapeutics. Attachment of anticancer drugs to polymeric carriers results in an increased accumulation in the tumor tissue, decreased non-specific toxicity, and a different mechanism of action when compared to free drugs. The toxicity, gene expression, and signaling pathways in human ovarian carcinoma models exposed to polymeric drugs are being evaluated in vitro and in vivo.
Several conjugates are in clinical trials.
Steve Prescott - My laboratory is interested in the regulation of cellular events by lipid messengers. This is an area of signal transduction that affects multiple processes in cell growth, differentiation, and motility - all of which are normal processes that have been corrupted in cancer. Our experiments typically utilized cultured cell systems in which the cells have been genetically engineered to express different genes, and the analysis of responses includes techniques in biochemistry, molecular biology, and cell biology. We synthesize and develop cellular uses of new biochemical reagents for target identification and active site mapping. The research in our laboratories includes organic synthesis, enzymology, protein isolation and characterization, receptor-ligand binding, radiochemical methods, molecular cloning and protein expression, cell biology, biomaterials preparation and analysis, protein NMR, and fluorescence and plasmon resonance analysis of ligand binding.