Leaders

William P. Schiemann, PhD Associate Professor, General Medical Sciences-Oncology william.schiemann@case.edu

Summary

The TGFβ focus group brings together a group of basic scientists and physician-scientists with a common interest in exploring the basic biology and biochemistry of TGFβ signaling, and a shared goal to define the complex roles of this pathway in disease pathogenesis and carcinogenesis. During the earliest stages of carcinogenesis TGFβ principally functions as a tumor suppressor. However, during the later stages of malignant progression biologically active TGFβ, often produced by cancer cells, can aid tumor growth and metastasis through the ability to suppress immune cells, enhance angiogenesis, promote matrix production and induce cancer cell migration. By this time, most tumors have become refractory to the growth inhibitory effects of the cytokine, often through mechanisms involving the downregulation of expression of TGFβ receptors at the cell surface.

Principal investigators have expertise in the areas of cancer biology, immunology, tissue repair and regeneration, hematopoiesis and development. Together they are establishing interdisciplinary collaborative efforts along distinct lines of investigation including the following areas: 1) the pathogenesis of colon cancer; 2) inflammation and cancer; 3) microenvironment in cancer 4) cell migration, cancer cell invasion and metastasis; 5) TGFβ signaling and mechanisms of gene regulation, particularly crosstalk with other signaling networks; 6) characterization and development of novel small molecules that target intermediates in TGFβ signaling.

Program Activities

Members

Eben Alsberg, PhD
Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering
eben.alsberg@case.edu

Jill S. Barnholtz-Sloan, PhD
Associate Professor, General Medical Sciences (Oncology)
jsb42@case.edu

Harihara Baskaran, PhD
Associate Professor, Chemical Engineering
hxb35@case.edu

Clemencia Colmenares, PhD
Professor, Cancer Biology
colmenc@ccf.org

David Danielpour, PhD
Professor, General Medical Sciences (Oncology)
dxd49@case.edu

Thomas T. Egelhoff, PhD
Professor, Cell Biology
tte@case.edu

Donna E. Hansel, MD, PhD
Associate Professor, Anatomic Pathology
hanseld@ccf.org

Mark W. Jackson, PhD
Assistant Professor, Pathology
mark.w.jackson@case.edu

Ge Jin, PhD
Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences
ge.jin@case.edu

Ruth A. Keri, PhD
Associate Professor, Pharmacology
rak5@case.edu

Henry B. Koon, MD
Assistant Professor, Medicine-Hematology/Oncology
henry.koon@case.edu

John J. Letterio, MD
Professor, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
john.letterio@UHhospitals.org

Alan D. Levine, PhD
Professor, Medicine-Gastroenterology
adl4@case.edu

Daniel J. Lindner, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor, Cancer Biology
lindned@ccf.org

Sanford D. Markowitz, MD, PhD
Professor, Medicine-Hematology/Oncology
sxm10@case.edu

M. Edward Medof, MD, PhD
Professor, Pathology
mxm16@case.edu

Booki Min, PhD, DVM
Assistant Professor, Immunology
minb@ccf.org

William P. Schiemann, PhD
Associate Professor, General Medical Sciences-Oncology
william.schiemann@case.edu

Saba Valadkhan, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor, RNA Molecular Biology
saba.valadkhan@case.edu

Yu-Chung Yang, PhD
Professor, Biochemistry
yxy36@case.edu