Lab
Jessen Lab
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Statement of Research Interest
The zebrafish system provides many tools to examine how cancer/metastasis proteins regulate normal morphogenetic processes at the cellular level and contribute to tumor formation in any organ of choice. By taking an integrative approach that combines embryology, biochemistry, molecular genetics, and genomics in zebrafish with studies in human cancer cell models, our laboratory is investigating fundamental morphogenetic processes common to vertebrate development, tumor formation, and metastasis.
Our laboratory is focusing on three areas:
1) Investigation of the normal molecular and cellular mechanisms whereby “cancer/metastasis-associated proteins” regulate embryonic morphogenesis
2) Development of zebrafish cancer models for a) uncovering how the abnormal activities of cancer/metastasis proteins influence tumorigenesis and/or sensitivity to carcinogens and b) identifying factors that contribute to the migration and invasiveness of human cancer cells
3) Establishing links between non-canonical Wnt signaling and tumor invasiveness, testing whether molecular mechanisms regulating cell migration behaviors during gastrulation are conserved in human cancer cells
Our laboratory is focusing on three areas:
1) Investigation of the normal molecular and cellular mechanisms whereby “cancer/metastasis-associated proteins” regulate embryonic morphogenesis
2) Development of zebrafish cancer models for a) uncovering how the abnormal activities of cancer/metastasis proteins influence tumorigenesis and/or sensitivity to carcinogens and b) identifying factors that contribute to the migration and invasiveness of human cancer cells
3) Establishing links between non-canonical Wnt signaling and tumor invasiveness, testing whether molecular mechanisms regulating cell migration behaviors during gastrulation are conserved in human cancer cells
Lab Members