Shafaat Rabbani

Biography

Basic Cancer Research   

Research Interest

The focus of research in my laboratory is to investigate the progression of hormone dependent malignancies (breast and prostate cancer). Toward these objectives, I am examining the role of urokinase (uPA) in the process of tumor invasion, growth and metastasis. The change in the methylation status of uPA promoter is being evaluated as the epigenetic mechanism regulating uPA gene transcription in normal, early, and late stage breast and prostate cancer. We are developing novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies to block uPA production and its interaction with cell surface uPAR to block tumor growth and metastasis. Using our well established models of breast and prostate cancer which closely mimics the behavior of these cancers including their propensity to develop skeletal metastasis, we are examining the efficacy of small molecules, peptides, monoclonal antibodies, oligonucleotides, and gene therapy for further evaluation in patients with these common cancers. Additionally we are developing highly sensitive and reliable molecular approaches to determine the levels of uPA expression including methylation specific PCR which can predict the methylation status of uPA, invasive potential of tumor cells and response to therapy. These results will help design an effective therapeutic strategy to block uPA/uPAR interaction.