Leslie M. Shaw, PhD

The research interests of the Shaw lab are aimed at studying the mechanisms of growth factor-mediated signaling in cancer cells.  In particular, a major emphasis of the Shaw laboratory is to dissect the cellular and molecular requirements of IGF signaling and downstream responses associated with cell survival, cell migration and potential invasiveness in the extracellular matrix.  Dr. Shaw is also continuing her work on mechanisms of integrin signaling in the crosstalk between extracellular matrix and tumor cell responses, and in particular on the role of the ?6?4 integrin in tumor cell function and maintenance.

Current Research Projects

National Institutes of Health - National Cancer Institute

• R01-CA90583: Insulin Receptor Substrate Function in Breast Cancer
  
  The aims of this project are to: 1) Establish the requirement for IRS-1 and IRS-2 in mammary tumor initiation and progression; 2) Determine the mechanism of the cooperative regulation of the IRS proteins by integrin and growth factor signaling receptors that have been implicated in breast cancer progression; 3) Examine the hypothesis that IRS-1 and IRS-2 differ in their involvement in breast carcinoma progression. 

Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation

• PDF0503775:  The Role of Shp2 in the alpha6/beta4 Integrin-Dependent Metastasis
  
  The aims of this project are to: 1) Determine the role of src kinase in the phosphorylation of Y1494 in the  4 cytoplasmic domain and the imprtance of this kinase for  6 4-dependent invasion and survival; 2) Investigate the contribution of SHP-2 to  6 4-dependent invasion and survival; 3) Establish the contribution of Y1494 in the  4 integrin subunit to the  6 4-dependent metastasis of breast carcinoma cells.

American Cancer Society

• RGS-05-223: Mechanism of alpha6/beta4 integrin-dependent metastasis
  
  The aims of this project are to: 1.) Establish the involvement os SHP-2 in the  6 4-dependent invasion and survival; 2.) Examine the role of SHP-2 in the  6 4-dependent activation of Src family kinases; 3.) Determine the contribution of Y1494 in the  4-integrin subunit to the  6 4-dependent metastasis of breast carcinoma cells.

U.S. Army DAMD

• W81XWH-07-1-0599:  The IRS proteins and Herceptin Resistance
  
  The aims of this project are to: 1.) Investigate the novel hypothesis that two intracellular proteins that bind to the IGF-1R, insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) and IRS-2, regulate a tumor's response to Herceptin; 2.) To investigate the predictive value of IRS-1 and IRS-2 for evaluating Herceptin response, we propose to utilize himan breast carcinoma cell lines, mouse models and human patient samples to examine rigorously the contribution of the IRS proteins to the biology of HER2 positive tumors.