Adaptive stress signaling networks directly influence tumor development and progression. These pathways mediate responses that allow cancer cells to cope with both tumor cell-intrinsic and cell-extrinsic insults and develop acquired resistance to therapeutic interventions. This is mediated in part by constant oncogenic rewiring at the transcriptional level by integration of extracellular cues that promote cell survival and malignant transformation.

My lab applies an interdisciplinary approach to understand the mechanisms underlying the development and progression of oral, head, and neck cancers. To this end, we use bioinformatics, animal models, and molecular genetic analyses combined with novel optical reporter tools to investigate the role that these adaptive response signaling pathways play in driving these cancers.