The Shaw lab uses both transgenic and orthotopic mouse models to investigate the mechanisms by which carcinoma cells develop more aggressive behavior and acquire the ability to metastasize to secondary organs. From a translational perspective, the goal of this work is to develop novel targets to predict or to treat metastatic cancer. The research of the Shaw lab focuses on the IGF-1/insulin signaling pathway, with an emphasis on the Insulin Receptor Substrate proteins and the mechanism by which these essential signaling adaptors regulate tumor cell function to promote progression.