Role of Tgf Beta and Wnt Signaling in Liver Tissue Homeostasis, Tumorigenesis, and Cancer
Abstract
My career goal is to become an independent researcher in an academic setting and to continue to research the genetic, molecular, and cellular mechanisms by which cancer develops. To this end, my mentor, Dr. Nusse, and I have carefully conceived a research development plan that will allow me to gain knowledge and expertise that will help me execute research involving the study of the progression of liver cancer. Dr. Nusse is committed to providing all the support and mentoring that I need to succeed as well as to providing laboratory resources and space required for experiments from support from other funding sources. Furthermore, his lab is now heavily focused on studying liver biology and has established collaborations with experts in the field of liver pathology, providing me with ample resources to further develop as a liver cancer researcher. However, I seek fellowship funding to provide me with a sufficient amount of time to perform the proposed experiments and publish my findings. The Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program Horizon Award will be important to me in this regard. In addition, this fellowship will also enable me to travel to scientific conferences hosted by the American Association for Cancer Research, where I will be able to present my results, hear the most current research in the liver cancer field, and foster new collaborations. The scientific objective of the proposed research for this fellowship application is to use mouse model experiments to identify the mechanisms by which normal liver cells become cancerous in a living organism. Liver cancer is one of the most common causes of cancer-related death, and incident rates for these cancers are steadily rising. One of the main reasons for the high mortality rate is the inability to detect cancers early, which leads to late diagnoses when treatments are less effective. Therefore, a better understanding of how liver cancer arises from normal liver cells could lead to strategies to better diagnose and treat liver cancer at an earlier stage. The anticipated results of the proposed research are expected to broaden our understanding of the genetic, cellular, and molecular basis of development of liver cancer, specifically by identifying new genes, cell populations, and proteins that facilitate the transition from normal liver to liver cancer. If successful, the findings of this research will quickly lead, within a few years, to identification of novel biomarkers that will provide earlier detection for liver cancer, as well as new drug targets and cancer therapies. Ultimately, the ability to identify and treat liver cancer in its early stages will lead to a better quality of life for Service members, their families, and the American public.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Aug 07, 2017
- Source ID
- W81XWH1710245
Entities
People
- Abby Sarkar
Organizations
- Stanford University
- United States Army