Scientific Accomplishments

Scientific Accomplishments

Selected Highlights:

• Dr. Lisa Coussens discovered that T cells regulate metastasis of mammary carcinomas by enhancing pro-tumor properties of macrophages. These observations led to plans for clinical trials using drugs that block macrophage signaling. Cancer Cell 16, 91-102, 2009.


• Dr. Larry Fong’s group showed that an aberrant prostate antigen-specific immune response causes prostatitis in mice and is associated with chronic prostatitis in humans. J Clin Invest 119, 2031-2041, 2009.


• Dr. Zena Werb reported that GATA-3 links tumor differentiation and dissemination in a luminal breast cancer model. Cancer Cell 13, 141-152, 2008.


• Dr. Val Weaver reported that matrix crosslinking forces tumor progression by enhancing integrin signaling. Cell 139, 891-906, 2009.


• The zinc-finger protein A20 negatively regulates inflammation by inhibiting NF-κB. Dr. Averil Ma showed that it does so through disruption of ubiquitin enzyme complexes. Science 327, 1135-1139, 2010.


• Dr. Lewis Lanier discovered adaptive immune features of natural killer cells. Nature 457, 557-561, 2009.