Our research focuses on how the conserved signaling pathways that underlie normal skin development are altered during the development of non-melanoma skin cancers and inflammatory skin disease. We study these questions in cell culture, mouse models, and patient samples. Specific areas of interest include:
- The regulation of glucose transport and metabolism in normal skin and how it is altered in inflammatory and hyperproliferative skin diseases.
- The contribution of human papillomaviruses (HPVs) and cutaneous polyomaviruses (MCPyV, TSPyV, HPyV6, and HPyV7) to infectious and neoplastic skin diseases.
Glucose is a preferred bioenergetic and synthetic substrate for many cells, especially cancers. Despite decades of study, how cells coordinately regulate glucose transport and metabolism to influence cell phenotypes is still not completely understood. We use a wide range of techniques including molecular biology, mouse genetics, and metabolomics to address these fundamental and clinically relevant questions.
Human Papillomaviruses (HPVs) and Human Polyomaviruses (HPyVs) mediate some of the most prevalent and persistent infections worldwide. These viruses can also give rise to deadly cancers including Cervical Cancer, Head and Neck Squamous Cell Cancers, and Merkel Cell Carcinoma. We are interested in understanding how HPVs and HPyVs interact with their hosts to cause both infectious and neoplastic diseases.
