Mapping The Future

Research in the Hamon Center for Basic Cancer Research and the Department of Molecular Biology focuses on understanding mechanisms that control normal and abnormal cell growth and differentiation during development and disease. It has become clear in recent years that basic molecular mechanisms that control cell growth and differentiation are evolutionarily conserved in widely divergent organisms. Thus, elucidation of biochemical pathways in simple, genetically tractable organisms can have direct relevance to comparable processes in humans.

In our department, investigators are using a variety of model organisms including mice, frogs, chick, fruit flies, nematodes and yeast to uncover and characterize fundamental cellular pathways that control proliferation, differentiation and oncogenesis. Our goal is to establish an integrated research effort among investigators with expertise in different research areas relating to this common theme. A major goal of our department is to create an environment that challenges and motivates students and postdoctoral trainees.