Our lab investigates the fundamental evolutionary mechanisms underlying metastasis using pancreatic cancer as our model tumor type. Metastasis is the result of a series of biological hurdles subject to Darwinian selection including the birth of metastasis-enabled cells within a heterogeneous primary tumor microenvironment, intravasation of these cells into a functional vascular bed, survival in the circulation, extravasation from the vasculature, and establishment of an autonomous cell population within the newly encountered foreign microenvironment.
Christine A. Iacobuzio-Donahue, MD, PhD
Director of Genomics Research, David M. Rubenstein Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research
Research Focus
Physician-scientist Christine Iacobuzio-Donahue studies the genomics and cell biology of pancreatic and other solid tumors as it relates to subclonal evolution, tumor progression, and metastasis.Lab Members
Marc Attiyeh
Research Fellow
Priscilla Baez
Research Study Assistant II
Jun Fan
Research Associate
Akimasa Hayashi
Visiting Investigator
Jinlong Huang
Research Fellow
Rajya Kappagantula
Research Technician
Zachary Kohutek
Assistant Attending Radiation Oncologist
Alicia Maisonet
Administrative Assistant
Jerry Melchor
Lab Manager
Chelsea Michael
Clinical Coordinator
Derwin Pena
Morgue Attendant
Hitomi Sakamoto
Research Fellow
Efsevia Vakiani
Assistant Attending Pathologist
Liguo Zhang
Senior Research Technician
Yi Zhong
Research Associate
Publications
- Heterogeneity of pancreatic cancer metastases in a single patient revealed by quantitative proteomics. Kim MS, Zhong Y, Yachida S, Rajeshkumar NV, Abel ML, Marimuthu A, Mudgal K, Hruban RH, Poling JS, Tyner JW, Maitra A, Iacobuzio-Donahue CA*, Pandey A. Mol Cell Proteomics. 2014 Jun 3. pii: mcp.M114.038547. *co-senior author
- Clinical significance of the genetic landscape of pancreatic cancer and implications for identification of potential long-term survivors. Yachida S, White CM, Naito Y, Zhong Y, Brosnan JA, Macgregor-Das AM, Morgan RA, Saunders T, Laheru DA, Herman JM, Hruban RH, Klein AP, Jones S, Velculescu V, Wolfgang CL, Iacobuzio-Donahue CA. Clin Cancer Res. 2012 Nov 15;18(22):6339-47.
Selected Achievements
- Team Science Award, American Association for Cancer Research (2012)
- Ramzi Cotran Young Investigator Award, United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology (2009)
- AACR-Barletta Foundation Career Development Award in Translational Pancreatic Cancer Research (2005)
- Member, Alpha Omega Alpha (2002)
- American Society of Clinical Investigators (2015)
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