The Mercurio group is interested in the initiation and progression of epithelial-derived tumors (carcinomas), especially aggressive, poorly differentiated tumors.  Their research projects emphasize molecular cell biology but they derive from the analysis and clinical behavior of carcinomas.  Researchers in this group are identifying mechanisms that account for the loss of differentiation and the highly aggressive behavior of these tumors, and exploiting these mechanisms to improve prognosis and therapy.   A major focus of this work is to define mechanisms that control the genesis and function of cancer stem cells with an emphasis on the role of integrin and VEGF signaling.

• Goel HL, Chang C, Pursell B, Leav I, Lyle SR, Xi HS, Hsieh CC, Adisetiyo H, Roy-Burman P, Coleman IM, Nelson PS, Vessella RL, Davis R, Plymate SR, Mercurio AM.  VEGF/Neuropilin-2 regulation of Bmi-1 and repression of IGF-1R define a novel mechanism of aggressive prostate cancer. (2012) Cancer Discovery, 2012, 2:906-921.
• Goel HL, Gritsko T, Pursell B, Chang C, Shultz LD, Greiner DL, Norum JH, Toftgard R, Shaw LM, Mercurio AM. (2014) Regulated splicing of the a6 integrin cytoplasmic domain determines the fate of breast cancer stem cells and tumor initiation.  Cell Reports 2014, 7:747-761.
• Chang C, Goel HL, Gao H, Pursell B, Shultz LD, Greiner DL, Pattaryo M, Mao J, McKee KK, Yurchenco PD, Mercurio AM. (2015)  A laminin 511 matrix is regulated by TAZ and functions as the ligand for the a6Bb1 integrin to sustain breast cancer stem cells.   Genes and Development, 29:1-6.