Peter Siegel

Biography

Dr. Siegel received his B.Sc. degree (1988 – 1992) from the Department of Biology at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. He subsequently pursued his Ph.D. degree (1992-1999) at the same institute under the supervision of Dr. William J. Muller, where he studied mechanisms controlling the oncogenic activation of the ErbB2 receptor using transgenic mouse models. Dr. Siegel conducted his post-doctoral training (1999-2003) in Dr. Joan Massague’s laboratory at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centre in New York City. During this time, he investigated the interplay between the ErbB2 receptor and TGFβ signaling pathways during tumor progression and metastasis. He also began to investigate the molecular determinants of breast cancer metastasis to specific organs and tissues. Dr. Siegel joined the Department of Medicine at McGill University as an Assistant Professor in 2004 and he is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine at McGill University and a full member of the Goodman Cancer Research Centre. He served as Interim Director for the Goodman Cancer Research Centre (2012-2013) and currently acts as Associate Director for the Centre. His laboratory focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms and mediators that control breast cancer metastasis. Dr. Siegel is the past recipient of a research scientist award from the Canadian Cancer Society (Harold E. Johns Award, 2004 – 2010), he was a Research Scholar of the FRSQ (2010-2012) and is currently a William Dawson Scholar (2014 – present).

Research Interest

Dr. Siegel’s research program focuses on elucidating the mechanisms that promote breast cancer metastasis, which represents the most deadly aspect of this disease. Indeed, metastatic breast cancer remains an incurable disease. Our knowledge of the molecular determinants that govern breast cancer metastasis is limited and represents an important and intensive area of investigation to better understand this process. The Siegel laboratory is focused on the identification of molecular mediators of breast cancer metastasis to distinct sites. Using breast cancer cell models, researchers in the Siegel laboratory have isolated subpopulations of highly metastatic breast cancer cells that colonize and grow in distinct organs and tissues, including the bone, lung and liver. This approach has been highly successful in identifying molecules that can promote widespread breast cancer metastasis (GPNMB), or that are associated with metastasis to the bone (CCN3) or the liver (Claudin-2). These targets are now the focus if in depth characterization for 1) their clinical relevance to breast cancer, 2) the molecular mechanisms that they employ to promote general or organ-specific metastasis and 3) how these proteins can be targeted therapeutically.