Molecular Signaling and Cancer Biology
Research includes:
- Metastasis
- Immunotherapy
- microRNAs
- Metabolism
- Systemic tumor dormancy
- Growth factor signaling
- 3D culture systems
- Apoptosis
- Cell cycle
- Cell differentiation
- Epigenetics
- Transcription factors
Training Group Mission:
Mission: To train the next generation of leaders in cancer research, and develop new knowledge that will translate into improved outcomes for cancer patients. Our cancer biology training program combines rigorous training basic biomedical sciences with translational research experiences in relation to human cancer. The program is in strong affiliation with the Purdue Center for Cancer Research (PCCR). We have been a National Cancer Institute-designated center for over 40 years. The PCCR and the Cancer Biology training program include research labs from numerous departments across campus all focused on graduate education in cancer research. A major goal of our program is to encourage and facilitate the development of integrated, interdisciplinary approaches by promoting collaborations within our training group and with other research areas such as pharmacology, biomedical engineering, and chemical biology.
Faculty Membership
Protein trafficking and membrane transport in relation to the processes of cell polarity establishment and carcinogenic transformation
Epigenetic mechanisms in liver cancer pathogenesis due to chronic infection with the Hepatitis B Virus.
Obesity is associated with an increased risk of and/or mortality from several forms of cancer, including breast and colon cancer. Given that obesity rates in the U.S. are now approaching 40%, the development of mechanism-based interventions for this population could have a significant impact on public health. My research program focuses on investigating the molecular mechanisms linking obesity with increased breast and colon cancer risk and progression, with the goal of developing dietary and pharmaceutical interventions that reduce risk and improve prognoses in the obese patient population.
Chemical Immunology: Cell specific chemical perturbation of immune microenvironments in cancer, neurological and immunological disorders
Our laboratory develops strategies that can leverage the immune system to simultaneously repair bone and control inflammation or cell viability. The overall
therapy goals are to (a) treat tumors and repair bone in tumor models and (b) treat and repair cartilage/bone in arthritis models.
The Hall lab is generally interested in mechanisms cell cycle control that protect genome stability. Our work provides insight into how normal cells maintain genome fidelity during the complex process of cell division and how defects in the regulation of cell division can lead to various forms of genome instability and disease, including cancer.
Immunotherapy, A regulatory mechanism of anti-tumor immunity, A resistance mechanism of target therapy and/or immunotherapy, Antibody engineering
Understanding the regulation of phospholipase C enzymes in cardiovascular disease and cancer through macromolecular structure determination and functional assays.
In the Parkinson lab, we focus on the discovery of novel antibiotic and anticancer natural products from cryptic biosynthetic gene clusters found in soil dwelling
bacteria.
- Training Groups
- Prospective Faculty
- Biomolecular Structure and Biophysics
- Biotechnology
- Chromatin and Regulation of Gene Expression
- Chemical Biology
- Computational and Systems Biology
- Integrative Neuroscience
- Membrane Biology
- Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases
- Molecular Signaling and Cancer Biology
- Plant Biology
