One of the main areas of research in our laboratory is to reveal and elucidate the molecular mechanisms of TGF-ß signal transduction in the context of animal model systems of human diseases. We intend to determine the role of Smad proteins, two of which are tumor suppressors mutated in human cancers, in regulating cell proliferation and differentiation.
Using Smad3 deficient mouse as a model system, as well as cultured cells, we are currently investigating the involvement of TGF-ß signaling and Smad3 function in the development of three types of human diseases:
- carcinogenesis in colon and breast;
- bone remodeling; and
- inflammatory immune dysfunction.
The second area of research aims to determine the signaling mechanism of checkpoint control of cell cycle in response to DNA replication block and DNA damage. The main focus is to study the function of Rad17/Rad24 as a key component of the checkpoint pathway in both cultured cells and knock-out animals.
The third area of research aims to determine the mechanism of tumor progression promoted by the activity of a novel protein secreted by many types of human tumors using both cultured cells and transgenic animal model systems.
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