Cancer and Stem Cell Biology
Overview
The Cancer and Stem Cell Biology Research Program (CSCB) links basic and translational investigators interested in the unique biological processes shared by malignancy and stem cells. It is expected that a detailed understanding of the mechanisms of how normal and aberrant cells self-renew and differentiate will offer novel biological insights into the initiation, progression and recurrence of cancer, and enable researchers to explore novel therapeutic targets and biomarkers.
CSCB members span three UCLA schools and affiliated institution Caltech. Although each CSCB investigator has a dominant interest in either hematopoietic or epithelial stem cells, the shared biology of stem cells and cancer in all tissue types has led to an immensely fertile and interactive environment within the CSCB research program across platforms. These interactions have been further enhanced by the close collaboration between the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and the UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research Center. Nearly every CSCB investigator works on at least two of the program's specific aims, using combinations of animal model systems, human pluripotent stem cells, and primary human tissues to uncover basic biologic processes and reveal new opportunities for cancer treatment.
Specific Aims
The primary objective of the CSCB research program is to link basic and translational investigators interested in the unique biological processes shared by malignancy (de-differentiation) and stem/progenitor cells. Specific aims of the research program are:
- To understand how the biology of epithelial and mesenchymal stem cells is regulated during malignant transformation and normal development
- To define the mechanisms that regulate growth and differentiation of Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells (HSPCs) during malignant transformation, normal development, aging, and after transplantation
- To determine the role of the microenvironment in tumor formation and stem cell regulation
Meetings and Seminars
- Participation in the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center seminar series that features invited outside and local faculty
- Sponsor of the Cell and Developmental Biology weekly seminar series
- Co-sponsor of the annual UCLA Stem Cell Symposium
- Co-sponsors the monthly Hematology Research Meeting “Blood Group” with the ERGR Research Program
- Sponsor for outside invited speakers that focus on research related to cancer and stem cell biology
- Monthly seminars for Pre-doctoral and Postdoctoral students supported on T32 grants associated with the program (Tumor Cell Biology, Vascular Biology, CIRM training grants)
Leadership
Director Dr. Gay Crooks is the Rebecca Smith Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and Pediatrics at UCLA. In 2015, she became director of the CSCB research program, after serving as co-director for three years. In addition to her role as co-director of the UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research Center, Crooks is a physician-scientist who moved to UCLA in 2009 through a joint recruitment by the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and the UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research Center. Her research interests span the hematopoietic themes of the CSCB research program and include human hematopoiesis from adult human hematopoietic stem cells and pluripotent stem cells, T lymphoid differentiation from stem cells, and microenvironmental control of hematopoiesis. Crooks was a scholar of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and received a Stohlman Scholar Award for her work in human lymphoid commitment.
Co-director Dr. Brigitte Gomperts is Full Professor of Pediatrics and Pulmonary Medicine and Vice Chair for Research in the Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology. In 2015, she joined Crooks as co-director of CSCB. Gomperts is a physician-scientist who was recruited to UCLA in 2003 by the David Geffen School of Medicine in collaboration with the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. Her research is in the area of airway epithelial homeostasis and lung carcinogenesis as well as the role of the microenvironment in regulating airway repair after injury. Her work spans the epithelial themes of the CSCB research program, complementing Crook's expertise. Gomperts was a Pediatric Physician Scientist Development Program awardee (1999–2003), and is also member of the UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research Center Working Group.
Upcoming events
Below is a list of upcoming events of interest to the Cancer and Stem Cell Biology Research Program and its members. This calendar is updated automatically.
For a list of all upcoming Cancer Center events, please visit our Events Calendar.
- Vatche G. Agopian, MD *
- Patrick Allard, PhD *
- Jesus A. Araujo, MD, PhD
- Utpal Banerjee, PhD *
- John Belperio, MD
- Aparna Bhaduri, PhD *
- Louis Bouchard, PhD
- James Ch'ng, MD
- Vivian Y. Chang, MD, MS *
- Jennifer J. Chia, MD, PhD
- Amander Clark, PhD *
- Joseph G. Crompton, MD, PhD *
- Robert Damoiseaux, PhD *
- Edward De Robertis, MD, PhD
- Sven De Vos, MD, PhD *
- Ajit Divakaruni, PhD *
- Kenneth Dorshkind, PhD
- Bruce Dunn, PhD
- David Elashoff, PhD *
- Noah Federman, MD *
- Gregory Fishbein, MD
- Tomas Ganz, MD, PhD
- Isla Garraway, MD, PhD *
- Andrew S. Goldstein, PhD *
- Wayne Grody, MD, PhD
- Steven-Huy Han, MD, FAASLD, AGAF *
- Oliver Hankinson, PhD
- Yu Huang, PhD
- Steven Jonas, MD, PhD, FAAP *
- Mo Kang, DDS, PhD
- Reuben Kim, DDS, PhD
- Yong Kim, PhD *
- Carla Koehler, PhD *
- Harley Kornblum, MD, PhD *
- Devesha Kulkarni, PhD
- Shuo Lin, PhD
- Yi-Ling Lin, DDS, DMSc
- Shiqin (Laura) Liu, MD, PhD
- Xin Liu, MD, PhD
- Jennifer Long, MD, PhD
- William Lowry, PhD *
- Karen Lyons, PhD
- Sanjay Mallya, BDS, MDS, PhD
- Sanaz Memarzadeh, MD, PhD *
- Hanna Mikkola, MD, PhD *
- Steven Mittelman, MD, PhD *
- Theodore Moore, MD *
- Vishad Nabili, MD
- Bennett Novitch, PhD
- Sandra Orsulic, PhD *
- Frank Pajonk, MD, PhD *
- Nicolaos J. Palaskas, MD, PhD
- Junyoung Park, PhD
- Shehla Pervin, PhD
- Sheeja T. T. Pullarkat, MD
- April Pyle, PhD
- Dinesh Rao, MD, PhD *
- Dan Ray, PhD
- Matthew Rettig, MD *
- Zulema Romero Garcia, PhD
- Michael Rosove, MD
- Ellen Rothenberg, PhD *
- Enrique Rozengurt, PhD *
- Van Savage, PhD
- Mark Sawicki, MD
- Gary Schiller, MD, FACP *
- Christopher Seet, MD, PhD *
- Brian Shuch, MD *
- Alice Soragni, PhD *
- Eri S. Srivatsan, PhD
- Tanya Stoyanova, PhD *
- Yi Tang, PhD
- Tara TeSlaa, PhD
- James G. Tidball, PhD
- John Timmerman, MD *
- Jorge Torres, PhD *
- Slavica Tudzarova-Trajkovska, PhD
- Alexander van der Bliek, PhD
- Erina Vlashi, PhD *
- Madhuri Wadehra, PhD
- Hanlin L. Wang, MD
- Hua Wang, PhD
- Owen Witte, MD *
- David Wong, DMD, DMSc *
- Jane Yanagawa, MD *
- Todd Yeates, PhD
Upcoming Events
Basic / Population Science Careers in Health Care
UCLA CTSI Distinguished Speaker Series (Cancer Research Theme) Featuring Dr. Fola May
