Overview
Our laboratory is interested in understanding the molecular and genetic events underlying cancer progression and metastasis. The focus of our work is a series of genetically engineered mouse models that faithfully recapitulate human disease. Using a combination of mouse genetics, omics technologies, cross-species analyses and in vitro approaches, we aim to identify cancer cell–intrinsic and –extrinsic mechanisms driving metastatic cancer progression, with a long–term goal of developing new therapeutic strategies for preventing and treating metastatic disease.
Current Duke Appointments & Affiliations
Associate Professor of Pathology
·
2025 - Present
Pathology,
Clinical Science Departments
Associate Research Professor of Cell Biology
·
2022 - Present
Cell Biology,
Basic Science Departments
Member of the Duke Cancer Institute
·
2018 - Present
Duke Cancer Institute,
Institutes and Centers
Recent News Items
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Recent Scholarly Works
Near-infrared photochromic miniprotein enables photoacoustic molecular imaging of acute inflammation and intracellular antigens.
Journal article Nat Methods · October 13, 2026 Using near-infrared photoswitchable photochromic genetically encoded probes, differential photoacoustic tomography (PAT) enables deep-tissue imaging with high resolution and sensitivity; however, current bacteriophytochrome-based probes are bulky multidoma ... Full text Open Access Link to item CiteProgrammable mRNA 3'UTR engineering restores MHC-I and overcomes immune evasion in prostate cancer.
Journal article Nat Biomed Eng · June 16, 2026 Immune-cold tumours such as prostate cancer often resist immune checkpoint therapies (ICT) due to impaired antigen presentation via major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I). While MHC-I downregulation is a common immune evasion mechanism, no approv ... Full text Link to item CiteSpecial collection on novel targeted therapies for advanced prostate cancer.
Journal article J Pharmacol Exp Ther · January 2026 Full text Link to item CiteRecent Grants
Cell and Molecular Biology Training Program
Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institute of General Medical Sciences · 2026 - 2031Innovative Single-Cell Multi-Omics 3D Genome Technology for Cancer Research
ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2026 - 2029Targeting NUAK2 in neuroendocrine prostate cancer
ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by Department of Defense · 2023 - 2027View All Grants
Education
University of Rochester ·
2009
Ph.D.