Breadcrumb

null Morag Park, PhD

Investigator, RI-MUHC

Cancer Research Program

Professor, Gerald Bronfman Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University

 

Keywords


breast cancer • animal models • gene microarrays • invasion • laser capture dissection • receptor trafficking • receptor tyrosine kinase • signal transduction • tumorigenesis • tumor stromal interaction

Research Focus


My research focuses on the molecular mechanisms of oncogenic activation of receptor tyrosine kinases and mechanisms for cell transformation using the Met, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and oncoprotein as a model. My research goals have now developed into a broader interest in understanding how multiple genetic alterations and epigenetic events synergize to promote tumorigenesis and progression in human breast cancer. This has involved both the generation of murine models of breast cancer involving the Met receptor as well as studies in human breast cancer with particular attention to changes within breast tumour associated stroma and how changes in the tumour microenvironment contributes to outcome.

Selected Publications


Click on Pubmed to see my current publications list

  • Knight JF, Lesurf R, Zhao H, Pinnaduwage D, Davis RR, Saleh SM, Zuo D,Naujokas MA, Chughtai N, Herschkowitz JI, Prat A, Mulligan AM, Muller WJ, Cardiff RD, Gregg JP, Andrulis IL, Hallett MT, Park M. Met synergizes with p53 loss to induce mammary tumors that possess features of claudin-low breast cancer. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2013 Apr 2;110(14):E1301-10

  • Lu KV, Chang JP, Parachoniak CA, Pandika MM, Aghi MK, Meyronet D, Isachenko N, Fouse SD, Phillips JJ, Cheresh DA, Park M, Bergers G. VEGF Inhibits Tumor Cell Invasion and Mesenchymal Transition through a MET/VEGFR2 Complex. Cancer Cell. 2012 Jul 10;22(1):21-35.

  • Rajadurai CV, Havrylov S, Zaoui K, Vaillancourt R, Stuible M, Naujokas M, Zuo D, Tremblay ML, Park M. Met receptor tyrosine kinase signals through a cortactin-Gab1 scaffold complex, to mediate invadopodia. J Cell Sci. 2012 Feb 24. J Cell Sci. 2012 Jun 15;125(Pt 12):2940-53.

  • Fathers K, Bell E, Rajadurai CV, Cory S, Zhao H, Mourskaia A, Zuo D, Madore J, Monast A, Mes-Masson AM, Grosset AA, Gaboury L, Hallett M, Siegel P, Park M. Crk adaptor proteins act as key signaling integrators for breast cancer growth and metastasis. Breast Cancer Research Breast Cancer Res. 2012 May 8;14(3):R74.

  • Parachoniak CA, Lui Y, Abella JV, Keen JH and Park M. GGA3 Functions as a Switch to Promote Met Receptor Recycling, Essential for Sustained ERK and Cell Migration. Developmental Cell. 2011 Jun 14; 20(6):751-63.