Ronald S. Hirshberg Chair in Translational Pancreatic Cancer Research
Enrique Rozengurt, DVM, Ph.D., FRC Path (UK), AGAF, Distinguished Professor of Medicine, UCLA Division of Digestive Diseases, and Director of CURE: Digestive Diseases Research Center was named the inaugural Ronald S. Hirshberg Chair in Translational Pancreatic Cancer Research in 2000. This distinguished position helps guide basic science in developing new therapies and finding a cure for this deadly disease, the third leading cause of cancer death in America.
Fundamental discoveries in the field of regulation of cell growth have produced a dramatic improvement in our understanding of malignant transformation, tumor progression and invasiveness and provide the best hope for developing novel therapeutic approaches for this a disease. These include the identification of the intracellular signaling pathways that regulate cell proliferation, differentiation, and death. These novel concepts, some of which pioneered by the research of Dr. Rozengurt, are now been applied to pancreatic cancer.
Recognizing the importance of fundamental discoveries as the first step in the process of translational research, the Hirshberg Foundation created the Ronald S. Hirshberg Chair in Translational Pancreatic Cancer Research. The major goals of the research are:
- Identify the cause(s) of pancreatic cancer
- Facilitate the early detection of pancreatic cancer
- Extend the lives of those diagnosed with pancreatic cancer
- Find a cure for pancreatic cancer
Current Research Projects
- G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) in pancreatic cancer
- Targeting crosstalk between insulin/IGF-1 and GPCR signaling in pancreatic cancer
- The role of AMPK in pancreatic cancer
- Antidiabetic strategies in pancreatic cancer: Metformin
- Development of rational approaches to combined therapy
- Targeting the AMPK/mTOR axis
- Characterization of PKD signaling in pancreatic cancer cells
- Identifying PKD as a novel target in pancreatic cancer
Laboratory Director:
J. Enrique Rozengurt, DVM, PhD, FRC Path, AGAF, Distinguished Professor of Medicine
- Ronald S. Hirshberg Chair of Pancreatic Cancer Director
- Director, CURE: Digestive Diseases Research Center
Laboratory fellows and staff:
| James Sinnett-Smith | BSc, Specialist |
| Steven Young | PhD, Assistant Researcher |
| Tarique Anwar | PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow |
| Osvaldo Rey | PhD, Visiting Professor |