Carlos Caulin, PhD
Cancer Biology Program
Biography
Dr. Caulin received his PhD from the Universidad Autonoma of Madrid, studying alterations in epidermal differentiation during skin carcinogenesis. He did a post-doctoral training at The Burnham Institute focused on cellular processes involved in epithelial cell apoptosis. He then moved to Baylor College of Medicine where he became Assistant Professor of Dermatology-Research, specialized in oncogenic activities that promote squamous cell carcinoma progression. In 2010 he moved to MD Anderson Cancer Center to continue his work on head and neck cancer development. In 2018 he joined the Department of Otolaryngology at the University of Arizona as Associate Professor and Director of Translational Head/Neck Cancer Research.
Cancer Focus
Our lab investigates biological mechanisms involved in head and neck cancer. We are interested in studying how mutations that accumulate in tumor epithelial cells contribute to cancer development, modulate the immune microenvironment of the tumors, and promote resistance to therapy, including immunotherapies. We generate mouse models tailored to study these processes, and use these mice to conduct relevant preclinical studies and to identify mechanisms of resistance to therapy. We perform cross-species analyses of the tumors generated in these mice and human head and neck cancers to identify new cancer drivers and to refine therapeutic strategies.
Selected Publications
Hu, Y., Z. Song, J. Chen, and C. Caulin, "Overexpression of MYB in the Skin Induces Alopecia and Epidermal Hyperplasia.", J Invest Dermatol, vol. 140, issue 6, pp. 1204-1213.e5, 2020 06. PMCID: PMC7239756 PMID: 31758945
Amit, M., H. Takahashi, M. Paul Dragomir, A. Lindemann, F. O. Gleber-Netto, C. R. Pickering, S. Anfossi, A. A. Osman, Y. Cai, R. Wang, et al., "Loss of p53 drives neuron reprogramming in head and neck cancer.", Nature, vol. 578, issue 7795, pp. 449-454, 2020 02. PMID: 32051587
Wang, J., T. Xie, B. Wang, W. N. William, J. V. Heymach, A. K. El-Naggar, J. N. Myers, and C. Caulin, "PD-1 Blockade Prevents the Development and Progression of Carcinogen-Induced Oral Premalignant Lesions.", Cancer Prev Res (Phila), vol. 10, issue 12, pp. 684-693, 2017 Dec. PMCID: PMC5716880 PMID: 29018057
Li, Z., C. L. Gonzalez, B. Wang, Y. Zhang, O. Mejia, P. Katsonis, O. Lichtarge, J. N. Myers, A. K. El-Naggar, and C. Caulin, "Cdkn2a suppresses metastasis in squamous cell carcinomas induced by the gain-of-function mutant p53(R172H).", J Pathol, vol. 240, issue 2, pp. 224-34, 2016 10. PMID: 27447534
Mitani, Y., B. Liu, P. H. Rao, V. J. Borra, M. Zafereo, R. S. Weber, M. Kies, G. Lozano, A. P Futreal, C. Caulin, et al., "Novel MYBL1 Gene Rearrangements with Recurrent MYBL1-NFIB Fusions in Salivary Adenoid Cystic Carcinomas Lacking t(6;9) Translocations.", Clin Cancer Res, vol. 22, issue 3, pp. 725-33, 2016 Feb 01. PMCID: PMC4807116 PMID: 26631609
Savar, A., S. Acin, C. L. Gonzalez, T. El-Sawy, O. Mejia, Z. Li, B. Esmaeli, A. Lacy-Hulbert, A. K. El-Naggar, J. H. McCarty, et al., "Loss of epithelial p53 and αv integrin cooperate through Akt to induce squamous cell carcinoma yet prevent remodeling of the tumor microenvironment.", Oncogene, vol. 34, issue 4, pp. 516-24, 2015 Jan 22. PMCID: PMC4303549 PMID: 24469034
Acin, S., Z. Li, O. Mejia, D. R. Roop, A. K. El-Naggar, and C. Caulin, "Gain-of-function mutant p53 but not p53 deletion promotes head and neck cancer progression in response to oncogenic K-ras.", J Pathol, vol. 225, issue 4, pp. 479-89, 2011 Dec. PMCID: PMC4302750 PMID: 21952947