Advising & Mentoring Summary
Past graduate students:
Andrea Sherk (2001-2007)
Thesis project: Elucidation of the molecular mechanisms underlying androgen-mediated regulation of prostate cancer growth and progression
Tianyu Li (2001-2007)
Thesis Project: Molecular mechanisms underlying the estrogen regulated lipid homeostasis in the liver
Niharika Bansal Mettu (1001-2007)
Thesis Project: Targeting the coactivator interaction surface as a mechanism of regulating nuclear receptor transcriptional activity
Rebecca Stein (2004-2008)
Thesis Project: Defining the functional significance of estrogen-related receptor alpha in breast cancer
Hilary Wade (2005-2009)
Thesis Project: Multimodal regulation of gene transcription by progestins
Junfei Liu (2009-2013)
Thesis Project: Molecular dissection and functional definition of estrogen-related receptor alpha
Abby Brunner (2009-2015)
Thesis Project: Targeting Histone Deacetylase in Advanced Prostate Cancer
Kim Cocce (2014-2017)
Thesis Project: Molecular mechanisms governing the untoward tumor growth promoting effects of Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators
Kaitlyn Andreano (2015-2020):
Thesis Project: Definition of the mechanisms involved in the anti-inflammatory actions of steroid hormones
Taylor Krebs (2016-2021)
Thesis project: Identification of endocrine therapy induced targetable vulnerabilities in cancer
Felicia Lim (2017-2023)
Thesis project: The roles of estrogens in immune functions and breast cancer pathogenesis
Patrick Juras (2016-2023)
Thesis project: The role of CaMKK2 in natural killer cell anti-tumor immunity
Jovita Byemerwa (2018-2023)
Thesis project: Elucidation of the Role(s) of Estrogens in Regulating Natural Killer Cell Biology in Breast Cancer Metastasis
Past postdoctoral fellows:
Dmitri Kazmin (2002-2007): (1) Linking ligand-induced alterations in androgen receptor structure to gene expression and (2) Define the clinical significance of estrogen-related receptor alpha using gene expression signature.
Sakiko Kobayashi (2006-2010): Define the mechanisms involved in the anti-inflammatory actions of progestins in breast cancer
Mary Dwyer (2005-2011): Define WNT11 as a direct target of ERRα and beta-catenin pathway and its involvement in breast cancer migration
Scott Lawrence (2011-2015): Identification of the structural determinants of ERRα degrader
James Stice (2009-2016): RIP140 as a mediator of the anti-inflammatory actions of progestins in breast cancer
Mahmoud Alfaqih (2010-2013): Regulation of cholesterol homeostasis by CYP27A1 and its metabolite, 27-hydroxycholesterol, in Prostate Cancer
Sunghee Park (2011-2017): ERRα-regulated mitochondria metabolism in breast cancer pathogenesis
Wen Liu (2014-2020): CYP27A1 and 27-hydroxycholesterol in immune modulation and breast cancer progression
Debarati Mukherjee (2016-2022): The cancer cell intrinsic and extrinsic actions of CaMKK2
Binita Chakraborty (2015-2021): The effects of estrogen and estrogen-receptor modulators in immune function and breast cancer progression
Corine Haines (2019-2022): Regulation of cancer associated fibroblasts by estrogens
Sandeep Artham (2018-2024): The impact of estrogen signaling in tumor-associated tissue eosinophilia and breast cancer pathogenesis
Current graduate students:
Min-Yu Ko (2021-present): Elucidating the mechanisms by which androgens induce mTOR activation
Caleb McIver (2023-present): The impact of estrogens on dendritic cells function and hematopoiesis
Christopher Shields (2023-present): The CaMKK2/PDE1 signaling axis in breast cancer metastasis
Jill Caiazzi (2024-present): Estrogen signaling in the brain and its impact on peripheral tumor growth
Sarah Giorgi (2025-present): Estrogen signaling in NK cells and its impact on breast cancer metastasis
Chloe Gulbronson (2025-present): Mechanisms of endocrine therapy resistance
Elizabeth Florida (2025-present): Nutrient transporter as therapeutic targets in prostate cancer