Dr. Peter M. Siegel

Dr. Siegel’s laboratory is focused on elucidating the cellular and molecular mechanisms that promote cancer metastasis, which represents the deadliest aspect of the disease. His research program can be divided into three broad themes: the first is the identification of key tumor cell intrinsic molecules, signalling pathways and metabolic strategies that enable cancer cells to migrate, invade and metastasize. The second theme investigates the interactions between cancer cells and the primary and metastatic microenvironments in which they grow. The immediate tumor microenvironment includes the extracellular matrix components, resident parenchymal cells that comprise different organs/tissues and the infiltrating innate and adaptive immune cells, all of which influence the growth and spread of cancer cells. The third theme focuses on how these key molecules; pathways or tumor/stromal interactions can be targeted therapeutically.