Rachel Schiff, PhD
Associate Professor, Dept of Medicine, Breast Center
Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
2009-2010 BCRF Project:
Co-Investigator: C. Kent Osborne, MD, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston
Currently approved targeted treatments against the HER2 membrane receptor protein in aggressive HER2+ breast cancers include the monoclonal antibody trastuzumab (Herceptin), and the orally active small molecule inhibitor lapatinib (Tykerb). While these therapies are very effective in some patients, many HER2+ tumors have or will develop resistance resulting in tumor progression and eventual patient death. Drs. Schiff and Osborne have developed multiple HER2+ resistant models and have demonstrated that different mechanisms are responsible for tumor resistance to trastuzumab (T), lapatinib (L), or the combined therapy of T+L. Investigating new therapeutic approaches to overcome or prevent resistance to HER2-targeted therapy is the goal of this proposal, with a particular focus on the role of the PI3K pathway and strategies to inhibit it.
Bio:
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