2013 Free to Breathe Young Investigator Research Grant
Dingcheng Gao, PhD
Weill Medical College of Cornell University
Research Project:
Stopping Tumors from Getting Fuel to Grow
Summary:
One key way tumors grow and spread is by building new blood vessels, which feed the tumor oxygen and nutrients. Although this new blood vessel formation is controlled by many factors, healthy cells called neutrophils play important an important role. Dr. Dingcheng Gao is working to understand how neutrophils produce and use a protein called Cathepsin-G, which can help drive the growth of tumor-feeding blood vessels. Because drugs that block Cathepsin-G are already used for other purposes, he believes his work could help lung cancer patients.