Targeting the Tumor Microenvironment

Cancer consists of heterogeneous cell populations including cancer cells and infiltrated host cells. Much of cancer research and therapy has been focused on the cancer cells; however, increasing evidence has demonstrated that tumor microenvironment plays the essential roles in the disease progression and in regulating the cancer responses to therapeutic interventions. The overall goal of my lab is to identify the molecular determinants/therapeutic targets in tumor microenvironment that play essential roles in the cancer initiation and progression, therapeutic resistance of cancer cells, and maintenance of cancer stem cell niche; to understand the underlying mechanisms of their effects; and to develop therapeutic agents and combinations that can effectively inhibit the functions/activities of these therapeutic targets. We hope that the knowledge gained and therapeutic agents developed from these studies can be translated into clinic to slow down, stop, and/or reverse a variety of malignant cancers.