2012 UALC
Xiaoling Song, PhD
Yale University
Research Project:
The Role of ERBB2 and ERBB3 in Resistance to Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors in EGFR Mutant Lung Cancer
Summary:
Dr. Song’s research is focused on improving treatment for a subset of non-small cell lung cancer patients with tumors harboring EGFR mutations, representing approximately 15% of patients. Seventy percent of tumors with EGFR mutations respond to treatment with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) such as erlotinib and gefitinib. However it is unclear why some of these patients do not respond to treatment, and all patients eventually become resistant on average within a year. Dr. Song is investigating how the other members of the EGFR family (ERBB2 and ERBB3) can impact EGFR signaling using both pre-clinical models and drugs to block their function. Knowledge gained from this study will help to improve EGFR-directed therapies and guide more effective strategies to treat mutant EGFR-mediated lung adenocarcinomas.