The RTK-RAS-MAPK pathway is the most frequently altered signaling pathway at the rate of 46% across all cancer types. KRAS alternation is the top common event across all samples at 9%, and particularly predominant in pancreatic cancer (72%), colon cancer (69%) and lung cancer (33%). Oncogenic KRAS not only initiates tumorigenesis, but is also required for tumor maintenance, implying KRAS as an ideal therapeutic target for cancer treatment. Due to great advances of targeting RAS achieved in the past decade, KRAS can be druggable now by various methods. However, drug resistance occurs as expected, emphasizing that to overcome KRAS targeted therapy (KRASi) resistance is the key for favorable disease control. Our current projects include understanding tumor cell autonomous and non-autonomous KRASi resistance mechanisms, developing chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) macrophage cell therapy and creating novel safety switches.
- Title
- Assistant Professor
- ph413@njms.rutgers.edu