![Pictured: A zebrafish with melanoma that has spread throughout the body. The tumors have been engineered to light up in green, providing a powerful model for research into the biology of metastasis.](/sites/default/files/paragraph/113931/inline_images/metastasis-drug-resistance1200x800.jpeg)
A zebrafish with melanoma that has spread throughout the body. The tumors have been engineered to light up in green, providing a powerful model for research into the biology of metastasis. (Courtesy of the Richard White lab.)
Metastasis is the process that allows some cancer cells to break off from their tumor of origin and take root in a different tissue. It’s the main reason people die from cancer. Today, we have unmatched opportunities to unravel the biology of this problem, and a related one — the fact that some tumors acquire resistance to therapies over time. Our investigators pursue every aspect of research into metastasis and resistance, including cell regulation, tumor microenvironment interactions, cancer stem cells, and more.