Research Funding

  • September 1, 2020 - August 31, 2027 - Tissue mechanics reprograms the tissue to malignancy and metastasis , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R35CA242447
  • September 16, 2021 - August 31, 2026 - A physical sciences approach to investigate the role of exosomes in metastatic progression , Co-Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: U01CA250044
  • March 1, 2019 - February 29, 2024 - Targeting the Cancer Glycocalyx , Co-Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R01CA227942
  • February 1, 2019 - January 31, 2024 - Reorienting the Glioblastoma Microenvironment to Respond to Immunotherapy , Co-Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R01NS109911

Education

  • University of Waterloo, Canada, B.Sc., 1985, Chemistry/Biochemistry
  • University of Ottawa, Canada, B.Sc. Honors, 1986, Biochemistry (Summa Cum Laude)
  • University of Ottawa, Canada, Ph.D., 1992, Biochemistry
  • Apoptosis Research Group, NRC, Ottawa, Canada, 1992-1994, Postdoctoral Fellow
  • Life Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 1994-1998, Postdoctoral Fellow

Honors & Awards

  • 1986
    University of Ottawa Gold Medal Highest Academic Standing Science
  • 1986
    Society of Chemical Industry Prize
  • 1986
    Alumni & Faculty Plaque Biochemistry
  • 1987
    Mary Eccelstone Research Award Wyeth Canadian Society of Nutrition Sciences
  • 1988
    American Institute of Nutrition Research Award Proctor & Gamble Graduate student award
  • 1996
    Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Achievement Award
  • 2000-01
    ACS-New Investigator Pilot Project Award, UPenn Cancer Center Grant
  • 2001-05
    DOD Career Development Award
  • 2002
    International Society of Differentiation Young Investigator Travel Award
  • 2003
    ASCB Co-Chair Mini Symposium ECM & Cancer
  • 2004
    AACR Co-Chair Major Symposium Reversibility of Tumors
  • 2004
    Co-Organizer HOX and Mammary Gland Workshop
  • 2004-10
    DOD Scholar Award
  • 2005
    Chair Engineering Cell Biology Symposium Model Systems for Complex Behaviors
  • 2006
    Co-Chair AACR Educational Session Organotypic Cancer Models
  • 2007
    Co-organizer, Conference on Engineering and Cell Biology
  • 2007
    Co-organizer TUMIC conference
  • 2007
    Chair and speaker AACR Cancer Therapy Symposium on Tumor Microenvironment
  • 2008
    Plenary Speaker Huntsman Cancer Retreat
  • 2009
    Co-Organizer Institute for Regenerative Medicine Retreat
  • 2010
    Speaker at The National Cancer Institute (NCI) and Tumor Microenvironment Network (TMEN) (2010), Speaker at Joint Metastasis Research Society - AACR Conference
  • 2010
    ASCB Co-Chair Mini Symp 50th Anniversary Meeting

Selected Publications

  1. Ayad NME, Lakins JN, Ghagre A, Ehrlicher AJ, Weaver VM. Tissue tension permits β-catenin phosphorylation to drive mesoderm specification in human embryonic stem cells. bioRxiv. 2023 Jul 15.  View on PubMed
  2. Chan TS, Hsu CC, Pai VC, Liao WY, Huang SS, Tan KT, Yen CJ, Hsu SC, Chen WY, Shan YS, Li CR, Lee MT, Jiang KY, Chu JM, Lien GS, Weaver VM, Tsai KK. Correction: Metronomic chemotherapy prevents therapy-induced stromal activation and induction of tumor-initiating cells. J Exp Med. 2023 Jul 03; 220(7).  View on PubMed
  3. Stashko C, Hayward MK, Northey JJ, Pearson N, Ironside AJ, Lakins JN, Oria R, Goyette MA, Mayo L, Russnes HG, Hwang ES, Kutys ML, Polyak K, Weaver VM. A convolutional neural network STIFMap reveals associations between stromal stiffness and EMT in breast cancer. Nat Commun. 2023 Jun 15; 14(1):3561.  View on PubMed
  4. Kersten K, You R, Liang S, Tharp KM, Pollack J, Weaver VM, Krummel MF, Headley MB. Uptake of tumor-derived microparticles induces metabolic reprogramming of macrophages in the early metastatic lung. Cell Rep. 2023 May 30; 42(6):112582.  View on PubMed
  5. Miroshnikova YA, Mouw JK, Barnes JM, Pickup MW, Lakins JN, Kim Y, Lobo K, Persson AI, Reis GF, McKnight TR, Holland EC, Phillips JJ, Weaver VM. Author Correction: Tissue mechanics promote IDH1-dependent HIF1α-tenascin C feedback to regulate glioblastoma aggression. Nat Cell Biol. 2023 May; 25(5):787-788.  View on PubMed
  6. Salvador F, Martin A, López-Menéndez C, Moreno-Bueno G, Santos V, Vázquez-Naharro A, Santamaría PG, Morales S, Dubus PR, Muinelo-Romay L, López-López R, Tung JC, Weaver VM, Portillo F, Cano A. Correction: Lysyl Oxidase-like Protein LOXL2 Promotes Lung Metastasis of Breast Cancer. Cancer Res. 2023 Mar 15; 83(6):974.  View on PubMed
  7. Wu B, Liu DA, Guan L, Myint PK, Chin L, Dang H, Xu Y, Ren J, Li T, Yu Z, Jabban S, Mills GB, Nukpezah J, Chen YH, Furth EE, Gimotty PA, Wells RG, Weaver VM, Radhakrishnan R, Wang XW, Guo W. Stiff matrix induces exosome secretion to promote tumour growth. Nat Cell Biol. 2023 03; 25(3):415-424.  View on PubMed
  8. Cabral KA, Srivastava V, Graham AJ, Coyle MC, Stashko C, Weaver V, Gartner ZJ. Programming the Self-Organization of Endothelial Cells into Perfusable Microvasculature. Tissue Eng Part A. 2023 02; 29(3-4):80-92.  View on PubMed
  9. Northey JJ, Weaver VM. Extracellular Matrix Glycation and Crosslinking in Mammary Tumor Progression. Methods Mol Biol. 2023; 2614:247-260.  View on PubMed
  10. Gaietta G, Kai F, Swift MF, Weaver VM, Volkmann N, Hanein D. Novel cryo-tomography workflow reveals nanometer-scale responses of epithelial cells to matrix stiffness and dimensionality. Mol Biol Cell. 2022 12 01; 33(14):br28.  View on PubMed
  11. Northey JJ, Weaver VM. Mechanosensitive Steroid Hormone Signaling and Cell Fate. Endocrinology. 2022 08 01; 163(8).  View on PubMed
  12. Bell ES, Shah P, Zuela-Sopilniak N, Kim D, Varlet AA, Morival JLP, McGregor AL, Isermann P, Davidson PM, Elacqua JJ, Lakins JN, Vahdat L, Weaver VM, Smolka MB, Span PN, Lammerding J. Low lamin A levels enhance confined cell migration and metastatic capacity in breast cancer. Oncogene. 2022 09; 41(36):4211-4230.  View on PubMed
  13. Kai F, Ou G, Tourdot RW, Stashko C, Gaietta G, Swift MF, Volkmann N, Long AF, Han Y, Huang HH, Northey JJ, Leidal AM, Viasnoff V, Bryant DM, Guo W, Wiita AP, Guo M, Dumont S, Hanein D, Radhakrishnan R, Weaver VM. ECM dimensionality tunes actin tension to modulate endoplasmic reticulum function and spheroid phenotypes of mammary epithelial cells. EMBO J. 2022 09 01; 41(17):e109205.  View on PubMed
  14. Tsai KK, Huang SS, Northey JJ, Liao WY, Hsu CC, Cheng LH, Werner ME, Chuu CP, Chatterjee C, Lakins JN, Weaver VM. Screening of organoids derived from patients with breast cancer implicates the repressor NCOR2 in cytotoxic stress response and antitumor immunity. Nat Cancer. 2022 06; 3(6):734-752.  View on PubMed
  15. Metcalf KJ, Hayward MK, Berens E, Ironside AJ, Stashko C, Hwang ES, Weaver VM. Immunosuppressive glycoproteins associate with breast tumor fibrosis and aggression. Matrix Biol Plus. 2022 Jun; 14:100105.  View on PubMed
  16. Samson S, Northey JJ, Acerbi I, Goga A, Flink CL, Weaver VM, LaBarge MA. NCI's publication affiliation conundrum: Reframing innovation to incentivize an equitable path for advocate representation. Transl Oncol. 2022 Feb; 16:101325.  View on PubMed
  17. Weaver VM. Mechanobiology: forcing the second act. Mol Biol Cell. 2021 08 19; 32(18):1611-1613.  View on PubMed
  18. Rudnick JA, Monkkonen T, Mar FA, Barnes JM, Starobinets H, Goldsmith J, Roy S, Bustamante Eguiguren S, Weaver VM, Debnath J. Autophagy in stromal fibroblasts promotes tumor desmoplasia and mammary tumorigenesis. Genes Dev. 2021 07 01; 35(13-14):963-975.  View on PubMed
  19. Hayward MK, Muncie JM, Weaver VM. Tissue mechanics in stem cell fate, development, and cancer. Dev Cell. 2021 07 12; 56(13):1833-1847.  View on PubMed
  20. Kindberg AA, Srivastava V, Muncie JM, Weaver VM, Gartner ZJ, Bush JO. EPH/EPHRIN regulates cellular organization by actomyosin contractility effects on cell contacts. J Cell Biol. 2021 06 07; 220(6).  View on PubMed

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