School of Medicine
Showing 1-20 of 1,318 Results
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Raya Saab
Lindhard Family Professor of Pediatric Cancer Biology
BioOur laboratory focuses on investigating molecular mechanisms of oncogene-induced tumorigenesis and tumor suppressor pathways, and oncogenic signaling in the pediatric solid tumor rhabdomyosarcoma. Our earlier work identified the tumor suppressors p53 and p18Ink4c as inhibitors of Cyclin D1-driven tumorigenesis in a pineoblastoma model, through senescence induction, and highlighted distinct roles for the the RB and p53 pathways in induction and maintenance of oncogene-induced senescence. We also identified CDK2 as a potential target for inducing senescence in premalignant lesions to inhibit tumor progression.
Our current focus is on studying oncogenic signaling and tumor suppression in the childhood tumor rhabdomyosarcoma, to identify key mediators of invasion and metastasis, which is the most common cause of treatment failure clinically. We use preclinical in vitro and in vivo models, including murine and human cell lines, and mouse models of disease.
We have recently uncovered a paracrine role for rhabdomyosarcoma-secreted exosomes in impacting biology of stromal cells. Rhabdomyosarcoma-derived exosomes carry specific miRNA cargo that imparts an invasive and migratory phenotype on normal recipient fibroblasts, and proteomic analysis revealed specific and unique pathways relevant to the two different molecular rhabdomyosarcoma subtypes that are driven by distinct oncogenic pathways. We identified that the driver oncogene in fusion-positive rhabdomyosarcoma, PAX3-FOXO1, modulates exosome cargo to promote invasion, migration, and angiogenic properties, and identified specific microRNA and protein cargo acting as effectors of PAX3-FOXO1 exosome-mediated signaling, including modulation of oxidative stress response and cell survival signaling.
Our ongoing work is focused on interrogating specific paracrine signaling pathways and molecular mechanisms of metastatic disease progression in rhabdomyosarcoma, for potential therapeutic targeting. -
Chiara Sabatti
Professor of Biomedical Data Science and of Statistics
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsStatistical models and reasoning are key to our understanding of the genetic basis of human traits. Modern high-throughput technology presents us with new opportunities and challenges. We develop statistical approaches for high dimensional data in the attempt of improving our understanding of the molecular basis of health related traits.
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Suzanne Michelle Sachsman, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor, Dermatology
BioSuzanne Sachsman, M.D., is Clinical Assistant Professor of Dermatology. Dr. Sachsman received her Bachelor of Science degree in engineering from Brown University in 2000. She received her medical degree from the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California in 2008 where she spent one year doing dedicated basic science research studying cancer immunotherapy. She trained in radiation oncology, completing residency at USC and fellowship at the University of Florida Health Proton Therapy Institute, prior to completing her dermatology residency at the University of California, Los Angeles in 2018. Dr. Sachsman is a board certified dermatologist and Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology. Her clinical interests are general dermatology and complex medical dermatology including acne, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, high risk non-melanoma skin cancer, pigmented lesions, supportive dermato-oncology, and cutaneous lymphoma.
