Lab Members

Leslie

Leslie working.

Leslie Kennedy

Lab Manager Extraordinaire

Shufen

Shufen working.

Shufen at work.

Shufen Chen

MD, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow

Caroline

Caroline in the lab.

Caroline Martz

MD/PhD Student, Genetics & Molecular Biology

Tricia

Tricia Wright

Graduate Student, Genetics & Molecular Biology

Rose

Rose likes purple.

Looking for something?

Rose Brannon

Graduate Student, Genetics & Molecular Biology

Kate

Kate Hacker

MD/PhD student

Alex

Alex Arreola

Graduate student, Genetics & Molecular Biology

Neal

You cant trust Neal.

Neal Rasmussen

Graduate student, Genetics

Michelle

Michelle DeSimone

Graduate student, Toxicology

Alumni

Lance

Courtney

Micah

Eric

Natalie

Ray

Christie

Lab

The new meaner Rathmell Lab

Work

Some of the questions we plan to approach are:

  1. What molecular pathways are important to developing renal cell carcinoma?
  2. Can we develop models that accurately mimic attributes of renal cell carcinoma?
  3. Can blockade of pathways involved in renal cell carcinoma be used to treat patients with this disease?

In our lab, we are investigating the molecular pathways affected by subtle missense mutations in the gene VHL (von Hippel-Lindau gene), which is mutated in most clear cell renal cell carcinomas. We are also using these mutations to mimic attributes of VHL disease, which causes a heritable form of renal cell carcinoma, in cell culture systems and in vivo animal model systems. Although VHL mutations are the most prevalent mutation in renal cell carcinoma, other mutations are required for tumorigenesis. Therefore, we are investigating the importance of other putative genes which may play a role in this disease.
Additionally, one of the pathways clearly activated by VHL mutation is the promotion of blood vessel formation through angiogenesis. We are investigating the effects of various angiogenesis inhibitors in our model systems as well as investigating these agents in clinical trials in patients.
Welcome! Please explore our website and see what exciting things our investigators are doing to advance the prognosis and treatment of renal cell carcinoma.