Research / Clinical Summary

Richard Klemke, PhD Professor, Pathology Tumor Growth, Invasion & Metastasis Program Contact by Email Visit the Website

The Klemke laboratory is investigating signaling mechanisms that regulate cell migration, cancer metastasis, angiogenesis, and neuritogenesis. Using large-scale proteomics, computational biology, cell and animal models they have identified many key signaling proteins that regulate cell movement and growth cone guidance. These proteins regulate the cell’s cytoskeleton and mediate membrane protrusion so that cells can sense and alter their shape in response to directional cues present in the extracellular environment. To study the function of these proteins in vivo researchers in the Klemke laboratory have also developed a novel zebrafish xenograft model of human cancer progression and immune modulation. This system enables direct intravital visualization of the dynamic processes of leukocyte movement, human tumor formation, angiogenesis, and cell invasion at high resolution and in real-time using confocal and multi-photon microscopy. Reconstructive imaging analyses are being done in collaboration with UCSD’s Moores Cancer Imaging Network (CIN), which provides clinical and basic science cancer researchers with state-of-the-art graphics software tools. With these programs, researchers can generate detailed 3-D reconstructions of developing tumors and their supporting vascular network, track invasive migratory and immune cells, and perform interactive 3-D and 4-D (3-D in real time) cell measurements in live animals.