Desgrosellier Lab Research Projects

Exploring Breast Cancer Stem Cell Signaling

We are interested in signaling pathways that control stem-like cells important for metastasis and recurrence in aggressive breast cancers.

We use a diverse range of in vitro and in vivo model systems to examine tumor cell signaling and function. New team members and collaborators are always welcome!

Current Interests

• Deciphering the contribution of "stem-like" cells to breast cancer recurrence and metastasis.
• Exploring how clinical subtype impacts CSC behavior using patient-derived tumors (PDX).
• Investigating how specific cell death/survival pathways impact stem cells and may be regulated by epigenetics.
• Unraveling new signaling pathways that control stem cell self-renewal/differentiation.
• Profiling the transcriptome in our unique CSC population using single-cell RNA-Seq on cells from patient samples.
• Designing new models to examine mechanisms of disease progression from pre-malignant ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) to invasive breast cancer.