Dr.Cai M. Roberts, Ph.D.
(He/Him/His)
Associate Professor
Pharmacology
Orcid identifier0000-0001-6545-5792 (opens in a new tab)
- Associate ProfessorPharmacology
- 630-960-3907
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Project 1: Linking DNA repair, angiogenesis, and EMT in ovarian cancer
Our laboratory is building on our prior work in epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) to understand how EMT governs changes in DNA repair and angiogenic signaling in ovarian cancer. By understanding these mechanisms, we can design new treatment schemes and validate new therapeutic targets for this highly deadly form of cancer.
Project 2: Exploring EMT effects on drug responses across cancers
Existing literature supports a link between EMT and acquired therapeutic resistance across many cancer types. However, our work leading into Project 1 above has shown that in some circumstances, particularly in ovarian cancer, the opposite can be true. We are actively studying cell line models from additional cancers to determine how EMT influences responses to a variety of cytotoxic and targeted therapies.
Collaborations:
In addition to the above projects, our group is involved in a number of collaborations across MWU, investigating additional DNA repair factors, studying effects of differenctial oxygen exposure in the tumor environment, and applying our expertise in CRISPR knockout and generation of plasmid vectors to build novel model systems.
Cancer Pharmacology
DNA Repair
Epithelial to mesenchymal transition
Our laboratory is building on our prior work in epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) to understand how EMT governs changes in DNA repair and angiogenic signaling in ovarian cancer. By understanding these mechanisms, we can design new treatment schemes and validate new therapeutic targets for this highly deadly form of cancer.
Project 2: Exploring EMT effects on drug responses across cancers
Existing literature supports a link between EMT and acquired therapeutic resistance across many cancer types. However, our work leading into Project 1 above has shown that in some circumstances, particularly in ovarian cancer, the opposite can be true. We are actively studying cell line models from additional cancers to determine how EMT influences responses to a variety of cytotoxic and targeted therapies.
Collaborations:
In addition to the above projects, our group is involved in a number of collaborations across MWU, investigating additional DNA repair factors, studying effects of differenctial oxygen exposure in the tumor environment, and applying our expertise in CRISPR knockout and generation of plasmid vectors to build novel model systems.
Cancer Pharmacology
DNA Repair
Epithelial to mesenchymal transition