Research Overview

Vision

Death and suffering from breast cancer can be most effectively reduced through focus on 1) prevention, 2) early detection, and 3) cure at earliest stage possible.

Mission

To discover and translate molecular alterations in cancer into new strategies for effective prognosis, prediction, and cure.

An area of special interest is cytokine-regulated signaling networks in human breast cancer, with emphasis on early molecular changes during oncogenesis and tumor progression.

We work to conduct high quality, innovative research with a team-oriented and multi-disciplinary approach. Through core values of integrity, collaboration, continuous learning, and personal development, we strive to meaningfully improve the lives of human beings.

 

Ongoing Work

The Laboratory's current research is focused on mechanistic identification of aberrant Jak-Stat signal transduction during human breast cancer progression that the laboratory has discovered. Recent progress includes recognition of the prolactin-induced Jak2-Stat5 pathway as a pro-differentiation pathway in human breast cancer, which during progression of human breast cancer is replaced by aberrant signaling through a Jak1-Stat3 pathway that may promote invasion and metastasis. Consistent with this notion, new data demonstrate that activation of Stat5 is a highly favorable prognostic marker in node-negative breast cancer. An invasion-suppressive role of Stat5 in human breast cancer may explain the mechanism of the favorable prognosis associated with active Stat5 in early stage breast cancer. A new technology for arraying of cancer tissues, cutting edge matrix assembly (CEMA), has been developed.

 

Past Research

Dr. Rui's research accomplishments include identifying the mechanism of prolactin receptor action at the cell membrane by describing a prolactin receptor-associated tyrosine kinase and identifying the kinase as Jak2. He was involved in cloning of the rat homolog of this enzyme, and his laboratory has contributed significantly to mapping of prolactin signaling downstream of Jak2, including work on the RAS-MAPK pathway and Stat transcription factors.

 

Future Direction

The long-term goal of Dr. Rui's laboratory is to develop new strategies for cancer diagnosis and therapy based on insight into growth signaling pathways. To overcome limitations in current experimental models of human cancer, we also emphasize development of unique technologies and creation of better experimental systems.

 

 

Thomas Jefferson Kimmel Cancer Center

Rui Lab