Oncogenic Kinases in Cancer

Division Of Basic Sciences - Nci

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

The lab utilizes a multitude of strategies to identify critical pathways required to promote tumorigenesis. These include high-throughput bioinformatics and structural modelling, siRNA screening, and precision genome editing to establish various functional genomic approaches to identify novel drivers. Utilizing bioinformatics we identify novel kinases enriched for copy number alterations to hone in on activated enzymes that can serve as drug targets. We are focused on novel drivers of the 3q amplicon that play a critical role in promoting tumorigenesis in lung squamous cell carcinoma, head and neck cancer, and ovarian cancer (Torres-Ayuso et. al. Cancer Discovery, Edwards et al., Cancer Research). These novel drivers can serve as targets of therapeutic intervention and an intense effort will be focused on the mechanisms by which these amplified kinases promote tumorigenesis. In addition, we are studying a novel kinase target that represent a genetic dependency in KRAS mutant lung adenocarcinomas (Hoang et al., JBC). Lastly we are developing novel antibody-precision drug conjugates (APDCs) to co-target multiple kinase drivers in head and neck, Breast, Esophageal, and colorectal cancer.