Cancer treatment

Research in my lab spans a range of topics centering on how genes are turned on or off, and the role that certain genes play in various human diseases, in particular cancer. Towards this goal, my lab has been performing a series of large-scale genetic screens in which RNA interference (RNAi) technology is used to systematically turn off every gene in the genome, and then the resulting effect on the cell is determined using a biological assay. We have used such screens to identify new genes that either promote cancer (oncogenes) or protect cells from cancer (tumor suppressor genes), as well as new genes that promote or inhibit metastasis. My lab is also using genome-wide RNAi screens to uncover the mechanisms by which individual oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes are turned on or off, and the mechanisms by which certain chemotherapeutic drugs kill cancer cells. The genes and cellular pathways revealed by these screens represent potentially powerful new targets for the development of drugs to treat cancer.

Dr. Michael Green

For more information, please visit Dr. Michael Green Faculty Profile.