Funda Meric-Bernstam, M.D. 1991, Yale University School of Medicine The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Department of Surgical Oncology Contact Information Biographical Sketch

Research Interests:

• Breast cancer
• Cancer biology
• Molecular oncology
• Gene expression
• Translational regulation
• Signal transduction
• Molecular therapeutics

My laboratory is studying alterations in gene expression that impact the development and progression of breast cancer. One goal of the laboratory is to identify tyrosine kinases that are differentially expressed between malignant and normal breast cells and to determine their role in cancer biology. Another goal is to identify alterations in mRNA translation in breast cancer and to study the effect of translation initiation factor eIF4E overexpression on breast cancer cell growth and the translational profile. We are also studying the role of the mTOR signaling pathway in breast cancer cell growth, cell cycle and translation. We are evaluating the efficacy of mTOR inhibitors for breast cancer therapy, as a single agent and in combination with known breast cancer therapeutics.

A tutorial in my laboratory would provide experience with basic molecular biology techniques, cloning, in vitro and in vivo growth assays, translation assays, signal transduction, cell cycle, and array technology.


Publications

Program Affiliation:

Program in Cancer Biology