2007 UALC
Raffaella Sordella, PhD
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Research Project:
Role of Estrogen in Regulating the Activity of EGFR in NSCLC
Summary:
Dr. Raffaella Sordella is investigating the connection between estrogen and lung cancer because more women develop lung cancer than men and post-menopausal women are particularly susceptible to it. She is investigating whether normal estrogen levels protect cells from becoming cancerous in the lungs, and whether this protection is lost with declining estrogen production after menopause.
More Content:
Final Report
Dr. Sordella has thus far classified 50 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) derived cell lines in terms of their sensitivity to the EGFR inhibitor drug, Tarceva, the antiestrogen, Faslodex, or both. In the upcoming months, these sensitivity profiles will be correlated with a genetic analysis of DNA and gene expression patterns in these lines. Early evidence also indicates that other identified proteins may mediate the crosstalk between EGFR and estrogen, and play a role in resistance of cells to Tarceva.