Rachel J. Buchsbaum, MD Principal Investigator rbuchsbaum@tuftsmedicalcenter.org AB, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA MD, Cornell University Medical College, New York, NY Residency in Internal Medicine, Beth Israel Hospital, Boston, MA Fellowship in Hematology and Oncology, Tufts-New England Medical Center, Boston, MA Post-doctoral Training, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA I became interested in cancer research during medical school and residency. During my early fellowship training in Hematology and Oncology I explored the biology of B and T lymphocytes and the role of cytotoxic T lymphocytes in murine models of EBV-associated lymphoproliferative disease. I subsequently became interested in using the molecular biology of signal transduction to investigate pathways underlying cancer cell invasion and metastasis. My laboratory joined the Molecular Oncology Research Institute in the fall of 2003.

Yuxin Ji, DDS/DMD Visiting Scientist Yji1@tuftsmedicalcenter.org DDS/DMD, School of Dental and Medicine, Beijing University, China MS, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Institute of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Tongji Hospital, China   I am studying the effect of scaffold proteins on Tiam1 activation of Rac pathways and their role in cell growth, survival, and motility.  To do this I use biochemical, cellular, immune-fluorescence, and FRET-based assays to determine how each part of the Tiam1-scaffold protein signaling network contributes to cell behavior.   Kun Xu, PhD Research Associate Kun Xu@tuftsmedicalcenter.org BS, Genetics, Heilongjiang Agricultural University, China, MS, Veterinary Medicine, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, Canada, PhD, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Maine, Orono, Maine  I am studying a novel model of breast cancer invasion that we have identified involving Tiam1.  This involves using recombinant DNA techniques to determine how each part of the Tiam1-scaffold protein pathway network contributes to this model.   I use multiple assay systems to evaluate this, including three-dimensional tissue culture of human mammary cells, an organotypic culture model of human skin, and a mouse model of human breast cancer.

Jiewei Liu, MD Visiting Scholar Jliu1@tuftsmedicalcenter.org  MD, Medicine, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, China MS, Oncology, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, China PhD student, Oncology, West China Medical School, Sichuan University   I am interested in studying the effect of cellular senescence on Tiam1.  I have found that Tiam1 expression is affected by the senescent state of the cell.  I am using molecular and cellular techniques to determine the pathways involved in this novel mechanism of Tiam1 regulation, and how this pathway affects senescent cell behavior.