RESEARCH PROGRAM
Develop the Next Generation Therapeutics for Lethal Prostate and Breast Cancers
One of a major goals of my research laboratory is to characterize epigenetic regulators promoting survival, adaptability and metastasis of lethal cancers, particularly hormone refractory prostate cancers and characterize novel small molecule inhibitors that we have identified as having potent anti-tumor activity against metastatic prostate cancers. We are interested in dissecting epigenetic regulators driving castration resistance and drug resistance. Our lab is focused on WD40 repeat containing proteins, bromodomain proteins and ubiquitin ligases as epigenetic regulators of disease specific targets. The overall idea is to develop a robust pharmacogenomics pipeline to advance novel inhibitors as cancer therapeutics.
A second interest of our lab which cuts into the existing interest in prostate cancer, is the epigenetic regulation of DNA damage signaling pathways. Based on the notion that genome instability drives tumor heterogeneity, clonal adaptation and drug resistance, and intact DNA repair pathways are critical to maintain the integrity of the genomes, we are characterizing novel regulators of genome stability and how these may be compromised as prostate cancer progresses to castration resistant stage. We are characterizing non-coding RNAs regulating the tumor suppressor gene p53 and how they epigentically regulate the DNA damage signaling pathways.
Kiran Mahajan Ph.D
Department of Surgery Faculty Profile
Assistant Professor of Surgery, Urology Department
Siteman Cancer Center
Washington University
St. Louis, MO 63110-1093
Tel: 314-273-7728
Email: kiranm@wustl.edu
Twitter: KMahajanLab