Peter A. Greer, Ph.D

Peter A. Greer

Faculty Bio

Our research explores several potential therapeutic targets, but it considers these in the context of the larger picture of mitogenic and survival signalling pathways available to the cancer cell.We reason that targeted inhibition of one pathway will select for cancer cells that have evolved to bypass that first pathway, perhaps by engaging alternative parallel or interacting pathways.It follows that we must anticipate this plasticity in the signalling apparatus of the surviving cancer cells and use an appropriate combination of targeted small molecule inhibitors which collectively prevent survival of all cancer cells. Current projects in the lab explore the functions of Fps/Fes and Fer protein-tyrosine kinases and the calpain protease system in cellular signalling.We also investigate the effects of single or combinations of small molecule kinase inhibitors on the signalling apparatus of cancer cells. This work involves biochemistry, molecular biology, cell biology, transgenic and gene knock-out mice and animal physiology, and translational cancer research using clinical materials.

Last Modified: 2016-10-31