Department
School
Expertise
Teaching Interests
Introductory Biology
Cell Structure and Function
Research Interests
The major focus of my laboratory is to elucidate novel functions of keratins in cancer cells. Intermediate filament proteins are the most diverse cytoskeleton proteins, and keratin family of intermediate filament proteins are abundantly expressed in all epithelial cells. Keratins, like all intermediate filament proteins, form ~10 nm wide filaments and provide crucial structural support upon mechanical and non-mechanical stresses. Interestingly, recent studies have revealed several non-mechanical support functions for keratins including cell migration and proliferation.
In cancer, an aberrant expression of keratins is frequently observed, and keratin expression has diagnostic and even prognostic value. We previously demonstrated that keratins contribute towards cancer cell proliferation and invasion by regulating gene expression through their interacting proteins. My laboratory investigates the cellular roles, regulation and mechanisms of actions of keratins in the context of cancer.