The Siegfried lab investigates the role of growth factors and hormones in the development and growth of human lung cancer. The laboratory focuses on the effects of these cytokines on control of tumor growth, their role in risk for cancer, their signaling pathways, and their exploitation for targeted therapy. Growth factors and their receptors currently under investigation include estrogen and its receptors, gastrin-releasing peptide and the bombesin family of peptides and their receptors, and hepatocyte growth factor and its receptor, c-Met. Dr. Siegfried’s laboratory is interested in the control of gene transcription by these growth factors, the relationship between exposure to tobacco smoke and production of growth factors by cells derived from the human lung, and the role of estrogens in influencing tumor growth and growth factor secretion. These peptides are also being investigated as possible chemotherapeutic targets and diagnostic or prognostic indicators for lung cancer. Hepatocyte growth factor has been found to be a strong negative prognostic indicator for non-small cell lung cancer, while expression of the gastrin-releasing peptide receptor in the human airway has been linked to increased lung cancer risk. Dr. Siegfried has also established a two transgenic mouse model systems to effect of lung-specific expression of the HGF gene and the Gastrin-releasing Peptide Receptor gene on lung carcinogenesis. These studies are directed toward development of new methods to identify high-risk individuals who may have early lung cancer and new chemotherapeutic strategies for lung cancer through increased knowledge of genetic abnormalities and growth-regulatory processes in lung cancer cells. These research efforts are being actively translated through Dr. Siegfried’s on-going multidisciplinary grant, Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) in Lung Cancer. |
