Lai Man (Natalie) Wu, PhD, of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, is first author on the recently published Cancer Cell article, Programming of Schwann Cells by Lats1/2-TAZ/YAP Signaling Drives Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumorigenesis. This study, funded in part by a 2017 Young Investigator Award from the Children’s Tumor Foundation, suggests ways to attack MPNSTs.
Building on a previous study that showed a pathway (called Hippo) goes awry in MPNST tumors, this most recent research advances understanding of how abnormal Hippo signaling drives Schwann cells to become cancer cells and aids the discovery of promising drug targets against MPNSTs. Using state-of-the art genome-wide target screening to identify molecules and pathways directly regulated by the Hippo pathway during tumor formation, Dr. Wu devised treatment strategies to modulate the activity in Hippo.
Click here to read the announcement from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.
Click here to read the full text in Cancer Cell.
