1998: UNC-CH, Microbiology and Immunology, PhD
2001: Postdoct, Mayo Clinic Scottsdale
2002: Assistant Professor, MCB
2003-2007: Director, Experimental Mouse Shared Service
2002: Comprehensive Member, Arizona Cancer Center
2004: Member, BIO5 Institute
2008: Associate Professor, MCB
2010-2013: Co-Leader, Program in Cancer Biology and Genetics,
2011-present: Chief Scientific Officer, Arizona Cancer Therapeutics, LLC.
2013: Professor, MCB
2016: Director, Metastatic Breast Cancer Initiative
2017: Department Head, MCB

Cancer Focus

My laboratory investigates the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor in transformation and metastasis. We focus on the alterations in receptor trafficking, signal transduction and non-canonical activities such as nuclear translocation and gene regulation that occur during cancer progression. Based on these studies, we have developed peptide-based therapeutics for cancer that block protein-protein interactions between EGFR and MUC1, as well as peptides that promote the multimerization of inactive ErbB receptors. We are now focused on the development of these peptide-based therapeutics for clinical applications, as well as investigating the mechanisms of alternative trafficking of ErbB receptors as a driver of transformation and metastasis.