Victor Tron

Biography

Victor Tron MD, FRCPC Professor Contact information Department of Laboratory Medicine St. Michael's Hospital 30 Bond St., Rm 2-040b CC Wing Toronto Ontario M5B 1W8 Phone: 416-864-5835 Fax: 416-864-5914 Email: tronv@smh.ca Research location: St. Michael's Hospital/Research Institute Primary Research Area: Cancer Secondary Research Area: Molecular & Cell Biology                 Victor Tron MD, FRCPC Professor Contact information Department of Laboratory Medicine St. Michael's Hospital 30 Bond St., Rm 2-040b CC Wing Toronto Ontario M5B 1W8 Phone: 416-864-5835 Fax: 416-864-5914 Email: tronv@smh.ca Research location: St. Michael's Hospital/Research Institute Primary Research Area: Cancer Secondary Research Area: Molecular & Cell Biology                

Research Interest

The Tron Laboratory has focused on molecular mechanisms involved in skin cancer.  Recently, we have been examining a role for miRNAs in skin cancer.  A number of years ago, we were able to demonstrate that FFPE tissues are very suitable for miRNA profiling, using both array and RT-PCR approaches. We then discovered a number of candidate miRNAs in melanoma.  In particular, we validated a role for miR-193b as a tumor suppression miRNA by demonstrating a direct role in regulating cyclin D1.  We also demonstrated that miR-193b regulates Mcl-1. Indeed, we were able to demonstrate that a synthetic version of miR-193b was able to sensitize melanoma cells treated with ABT-737.  Finally, our melanoma work with miR-193b has unearthed a novel melanoma oncogene.  STMN1 is a little known oncogene that may be involved in microtubule destabilization. We have now turned our attention to Merkel Cell Carcinoma, a rare but fascinating skin tumor.  We have shown that miRNA 375 is markedly overexpressed in this cancer, and now have exciting preliminary data showing that this miRNA can regulate important cancer related pathways.