PhD
Kenan Distinguished Professor
UNC-Chapel Hill
Cancer Cell Biology
Area of Interest
My interest is in dysregulated signal transduction associated with cancer. Our work is largely focused on the IKK/NF-kappaB pathway, which occurs in a variety of cancers. We were the first to show that NF-kB is activated downstream of oncogenic Ras mutations and that blocking NF-kB strongly reduces the oncogenic nature of Ras. We are currently studying an IKK-related kinase, TBK1, and its oncogenic role downstream of Ras mutations, focused on pancreatic cancer. We have found that EZH2 interacts with NF-kappaB to drive cancer-associated phenotypes in breast cancer. We collaborate with numerous investigators related to NF-kappaB signaling in cancer.
Awards and Honors
- NCI Outstanding Investigator Award, 2016
- NF-kB and control of cell growth and suppression of differentiation
- Role of oncoprotein Bcl-3 in cell growth and oncogenesis
- Oncoprotein signaling and NF-kB: Ras- and BCR-ABL-induced pathways and NF-kB
- NF-kB and suppression of apoptosis: new therapeutic approaches for cancer therapy
- NF-kB and chromatin: novel findings regarding the involvement of IKK in controlling chromatin/histone modification
