Shane Stecklein

G4-P6
Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Research Focus

Role of BRCA1 in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition and breast cancer stem cell fate

sstecklein@kumc.edu

I graduated from the University of Kansas with a B.S. in Cell Biology in 2006.  While at KU, I studied the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) tumor suppressor gene and its role in colorectal carcinogenesis in Dr. Kristi Neufeld's laboratory in the Department of Molecular Biosciences.  It was this experience and the wonderful mentorship that I received that ignited my passion for cancer biology and fueled my interest in pursuing the dual MD/PhD degrees.

My clinical and research interests remain in tumor biology and cancer medicine. I am now in the laboratory of Dr. Roy Jensen, with co-mentorship from Dr. Fariba Behbod, in the Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine and The University of Kansas Cancer Center. Our laboratory aims to understand the functions of the BRCA1 tumor suppressor gene, mutations in which have been identified as the causative genetic lesion in a large proportion of hereditary breast and ovarian cancers. While the significance of BRCA1 mutation in hereditary malignancies has been extensively studied, its dysfunction in the pathogenesis of sporadic breast cancers is well supported, but poorly characterized. 

My project aims to characterize the role of BRCA1 dysfunction in the pathogenesis of basal-like breast cancers (BLBCs), a particularly aggressive form of breast cancer with limited therapeutic options and poor prognosis.  Specifically, I am addressing the role of BRCA1 in three distinct processes related to BLBC pathogenesis: (1) the interplay between BRCA1 and the Notch morphogenetic pathway in specification of the luminal ductolobular epithelium, (2) the role of BRCA1 in regulation of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and (3) the role of BRCA1 overexpression in promoting resistance to chemotherapy and ionizing radiation.

In addition to breast cancer, my other long-term clinical and research interests include lymphoma and myeloma and the design and delivery of retroviral and transposon-based cancer gene therapy.

I hope to pursue a career in either hematology/oncology or radiation oncology at an academic medical center where I can combine my training in medicine and molecular biology to study the underlying causes of human cancers and translate this knowledge into novel therapies.

Mentor & Department:

Dr. Roy Jensen
Pathology and Laboratory Medicine