 Lymphatics and Cancer
The Skobe laboratory investigates dynamic relationships between the lymphatic system and cancer metastasis. We have proposed that the lymphatic vascular system actively facilitates metastasis, in addition to serving as a pathway for tumor dissemination. Our lab has shed light on many aspects of this interplay, in particular on the role of lymphangiogenesis in metastasis, and the function of lymphatic endothelial cells in regulating tumor invasion, metastasis, and immune response. We are interested in the mechanisms by which lymphatic vasculature supports and promotes malignant cancer behavior and how it modulates response to therapies. Our goal is to better understand how the microenvironment controls cancer progression and therapy and to exploit this knowledge to develop new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.
