Her laboratory studies estrogen-related receptors – orphan members of the nuclear receptor superfamily – in breast and brain cancers. Her group’s long-term mission is to translate their knowledge of the cellular and molecular functions of these proteins in cancer into actionable therapeutic approaches. Dr. Riggins also has a long-standing interest in invasive lobular breast cancer, a special histologic subtype of breast cancer with distinctly different underlying biology, clinical presentation, and treatment response when compared to the more common invasive ductal breast cancer.