Mark A. Watson, MD, PhD

Associate Professor

Pathology and Immunology
Laboratory and Genomic Medicine

Molecular Genetics and Genomics Program
Human and Statistical Genetics Program
DBBS

Keywords:

Cancer, functional genomics, gene expression, pathogenesis, breast cancer

Research:

In collaboration with other clinical and basic science investigators, we are using biospecimen resources, microarrays, and other ‘whole genome’ technologies to identify genomic signatures that can predict outcome and therapeutic responsiveness in solid organ tumors such as breast and lung cancer. For example, we are developing and validating a gene expression signature to predict malignant potential and clinical consequence of occult tumor cells that are identified in the bone marrow of breast cancer patients. We are also defining differences in the genomes of primary and metastatic lung cancers in order to target therapies specific for patients who have treatment refractory, recurrent disease. Using a technique called Laser Capture Microdissection, we are isolating subpopulations of cells from complex human tissues to address how patterns of gene expression differ between cells within a single tumor and between patients with histologically similar tumors. The long-term goal of these efforts is to use state-of-the-art technology to define and further characterize unique tumor genome signatures that may be applied to the rationale design of new cancer diagnostics and therapeutics.

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