Research

Research Projects

The role of TEL/ AML1 fusion in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)
TEL/AML1 is the most frequent genetic abnormality associated with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in children. This fusion gene is the product of a chromosomal translocation (12;21) (p12;q22), involving two transcription factors, TEL and AML1. We are using in vitro (cell lines) and in vivo (mice) assays to determine the pathways in which TEL and AML1 are involved and uncover the mechanisms, through which TEL/AML1 fusion alters their function, by blocking normal hematopoietic differentiation and leading to leukemogenesis.

The role of Osteopontin (OPN) in cancer and tumor metastasis
OPN is a glyco-phosphoprotein involved in cell adhision, chemotaxis, cell signaling and modifies macrophage function. Additionally, there are reports indicating that OPN plays a role in stress-dependent angiogenesis, prevention of apoptosis, and anchorage-independent growth of tumor cells. While constitutive expression of OPN exists in several cell types, induced expression has been detected in T-lymphocytes, epidermal cells, bone cells, macrophages, and tumor cells. Recently, substantial evidence has linked OPN with the regulation of metastatic spread by tumor cells. However, the molecular mechanisms that define the role of OPN in tumor metastasis are incompletely understood. We are generating a mouse with conditional expression of OPN using the Cre/loxP site specific recombination system to adress the role of OPN in cancer and tumor metastasis.