Lisa M. Harlan-Williams, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Education, Department of Cell Biology and Physiology
Assistant Director for Administration and Education, The University of Kansas Cancer Center
Director, Accelerate Cancer Education Program, The University of Kansas Cancer Center

PhD – University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, 2003
BS – Henderson State University, Arkadelphia, AR, 1996 

Office: 2019B Wahl Hall East
Email: lharlan-williams@kumc.edu
Phone: (913) 588-5443 

Research Focus: My research focuses on the role of BRCA1 in breast cancer cell metabolism. It has been demonstrated that BRCA1 modulates cellular metabolic pathways in breast cancer cell lines and mutations in BRCA1 disrupt its ability to influence these pathways resulting in enhanced fatty acid synthesis and an increased rate of energy-consuming anabolic processes that drive synthesis of lipids, proteins and DNA. Preliminary data from our lab indicates loss of BRCA1 results in decreased cellular respiration and modulation of many proteins involved in the regulation of cellular metabolic pathways. 

Administrative Duties: I also serve as the Assistant Director for Administration and Education for the University of Kansas Cancer Center (KUCC). I work closely with the Vice Chancellor and Director of KUCC, Roy Jensen, MD, and the Associate Director for Administration, Teresa Christenson, on all matters related to the Cancer Center Support Grant (P30 CA168524). Specifically, I assist the program leaders with program development, assist the Associate Director for Shared Resources (Matthew Mayo, PhD, MBA, FASA) with shared resource development, coordinate the data and information for the Cancer Center Support Grant renewal and annual progress reports and coordinate the External Advisory Board meeting and presentations.

Easwari Kumaraswamy, Ph.D.

Research Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Office: 2020A Wahl Hall East
Email: ekumaraswamy@kumc.edu
Phone: (913) 588-5332

Research Focus: My research is focused on understanding the role of microRNAs and growth factor signaling in the development of BRCA1-deficient Basal-like Breast Cancer (BLBC). It has been shown that BLBCs preferentially use the EGFR-RAS-MEK pathway and aberrant activation of this pathway is correlated with the basal phenotype. We recently reported a novel mechanism by which BRCA1 regulates EGFR through transcriptional activation of miR-146a. Further studies are aimed to understand the role of BRCA1-miR-146a-EGFR regulatory network in BLBC pathogenesis and examine its important implications in prognosis and chemoresistance that will help uncover potential targets for therapeutic intervention.

Stacey Hembruff, M.S.

Senior Research Associate, The University of Kansas Cancer Center
MS – Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, Canada 

Lab: 2020 Wahl Hall East
Email: shembruff@kumc.edu
Phone: (913) 945-7956

Research Focus: The role of  BRCA1 in breast cancer cell metabolism.

Raeann Koren Shimak, M.S.

Research Associate, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
MS – Washington University in St. Louis, MO, 2015
BS – Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 2013 

Lab: 2020 Wahl Hall East
Email: rshimak@kumc.edu
Phone: (913) 945-7956 

Research Focus: Role of miRNAs in growth factor signaling, cell polarity, EMT, and progression of BRCA1-associated breast cancer.

Jingjing Chen, Ph.D.

Senior Scientist, The University of Kansas Cancer Center

PhD – Biochemistry and molecular biology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, P.R. China, 2010
MS – Hubei University, Wuhan, P. R. China, 2007
BS – Yangtze University, Jingzhou, P. R. China, 2004    

Lab: 2020 Wahl Hall East
Email: jchen8@kumc.edu
Phone: (913) 945-7956 

Research Focus: The role of germline BRCA1 pathogenic mutations in breast tumorigenesis.

Former Trainees:

Wenjia Wang, M.D., Ph.D.
Shane R. Stecklein, M.D., Ph.D.