Anil Rustgi, MD
T. Grier Miller Professorship of Medicine Chief, Division of Gastroenterology Director, Center for Molecular Studies in Digestive and Liver Diseases Co-Director, Tumor Biology Program, Abramson Cancer Center

Cancer Biology Program

Address

600 CRB, GI Division
Department of Medicine
415 Curie Blvd.
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6069

Office tel.: 215 898-0154
Lab tel.: 215 573-1870, or 215 573-7314
Fax: Office: 215 573-5412
Fax: Lab:215-573-2024
E-mail: anil2@mail.med.upenn.edu

Link(s)

Research Interests

• Oncogenes, tumor suppressor genes, moleculat genetics of GI cancers (colon, pancreatic, upper GI)

Key words: Cancers: esophageal, pancreatic, colon. Oncogenes: EGFR, cyclin D1, Ki-Ras. Organotypic culture

Description of Research

Our laboratory has had long-standing thematic interests in the cell-type and tissue-type specific actions of certain oncogenes (cyclin D1, Ki-Ras, EGFR) and tumor suppressor genes (p53, p16INK4a) in modulating the initiation, progression and invasion of gastrointestinal cancers, especially upper GI, pancreatic and colon. To that end, we employ novel three-dimensional cell culture systems (mouse and human origins) and geneticaly-engineered mouse models to investigate molecular mechanisms. These projects are translated into the objectives of improving molecular diagnostics and experimental therapeutics in patients

Our research is funded through an NCI program project entitled "Mechanisms of Esophageal Carcinogenesis", NIH R01 grant on pancreatic cancer, and NIH R01 grant on colon cancer. Students and postdoctoral fellows are supported in didactic venues and conferences, present at national meetings, and have obtained national grant fellowships when applicable. There is attention to mentorship, as well as career and professional development.

Selected Publications

Opitz, O. G., Suliman, Y., Hahn, W.C., Harada, H., Blum, H.E., Rustgi, A.K. (2001). Cyclin D1 overexpression and p53 inactivation immortalize primary oral keratinocytes by a telomerase independent mechanism. Journal of Clinical Investigation. 108:725-732. (Commentary in Journal of Clinical Investigation and Nature Cancer Reviews).

Opitz O.G., Harada H., Suliman Y., Rhoades B., Sharpless N.E., Kent R., Kopelovich L., Nakagawa H., Rustgi A.K. (2002). A mouse genetic model of human oral-esophageal cancer. Journal of Clinical Investigation 110, 761-769.

Andl C.D., Mizushima T., Nakagawa H., Oyama K., Harada H., Chruma K., Herlyn M., Rustgi, A.K. (2003). Epidermal growth factor receptor mediates increased cell proliferation, migration, and aggregation in esophageal keratinocytes in vitro and in vivo. J. Biol. Chem. 278(3):1824-30.

Deramaudt TB, Takaoka M, Upadhyay R, Bowser MJ, Porter J, Lee A, Rhoades B, Johnstone CN, Weissleder R, Hingorani SR, Mahmood U, Rustgi AK. (2006) N-cadherin and keratinocyte growth factor receptor mediate the functional interplay between Ki-RASG12V and p53V143A in promoting pancreatic cell migration, invasion, and tissue architecture disruption. Mol Cell Biol. Jun;26(11), 4185-200

Okawa, T., Michaylira, C.Z., Kalabis, J., Stair, D., Nakagawa, H., Andl, C., Claudia, D., Johnstone, C.N., Andres, J., Klein-Szanto, A.J., El-Deiry, W.S., Cukierman, E., Herlyn, M., Rustgi, A.K. (2007). The functional interplay between EGFR overexpression, hTERT activation and p53 mutation in esophageal epithelial cells with activation of stromal fibroblasts induce tumor development, invasion and differentiation. Genes & Development 2007; 21:2788-803.

Kalabis J, Oyama K, Okawa T, Nakagawa H, Michaylira CZ, Stairs DB, Figueiredo JL, Mahmood U, Diehl JA, Herlyn M, Rustgi AK. (2008) A subpopulation of mouse esophageal basal cells has properties of stem cells with the capacity for self-renewal and lineage specification. J Clin Invest. 2008 Dec;118(12):3860-9. (Cover Figure)

Search PubMed for more articles

Lab

Rotation Projects

1. To understand the role of oncogenes (EGFR, cyclin D1, Ras) and tumor suppressor genes (p53, p120catenin) in the tumor microenvironment as they relate to tumor cell migration and invasion in GI cancers, using organotypic culture and mouse models.
2. To define mechanisms underlying cell lineage during pancreatic development and cancer.
3. To functionally characterize novel suppressor genes in colon and breast cancers.
4. To functionally characterize stem cells in the upper GI tract.

Lab Personnel:

Katharine D. Grugan, PhD, Postdoctoral fellow (recipient of NIH NRSA fellowship)

Jiri Kalabis, MD, PhD Postdoctoral fellow

Catrina King, Combined DVM PhD student in CAMB (thesis project; recipient of NIH fellowship)

Charles Miller, University of Pennsylvania, Undergraduate student

Perry Mongroo, PhD, Posdoctoral fellow

Hiroshi Nakagawa, MD, PhD, Research Associate Professor (recipient of NIH K01 and R01 grants and AGA Research Scholar Award)

M. Natsuizaka, MD, Postdoctoral fellow

Shinya Ohashi, MD, Postdoctoral fellow

Ben Rhoades, M.B., Research specialist and lab manager

Max Reichert, MD, Postdoctoral fellow

Doug Stairs, PhD, Research Associate (recipient of NIH NRSA fellowship)

Elisa Singer, University of Pennsylvania, medical student

Johannes von Burstin, MD, Postdoctoral fellow

Melanie P. Wescott, PhD, Postdoctoral fellow (recipient of National Pancreas Foundation fellowship)

Gabrielle Wong, PhD student in CAMB (thesis project; recipient of T32 training grant, pre doc slot)

Maria Vega, PhD student in CAMB ( lab rotation)

RECENTLY IN LAB:

Claudia Andl, PhD, Research Associate (recipient of NIH K01 grant and AGA Research Scholar Award). Now faculty at Vanderbilt University.

Daniel Abravanel, University of Pennsylvania, Rotating MD, PhD Student

Carmen Z. Michaylira, PhD, Postdoctoral fellow (recipient of NIH NRSA fellowship)

Cameron Johnstone, PhD, Research Investigator (recipient of American Association for Cancer Research fellowship and Department of Defense grant). Now at Peter McCallum Cancer Institute, Melbourne, Australia

Anna-Sophie Rich, University of Pennsylvania, Medical Student (recipient of NIH/NIDDK fellowship)

Christie Gutierrez, University of Pennsylvania undergraduate student (AGA student fellowship)

Jonathan Toung, University of Pennsylvania, Undergraduate Student (Vagelos Scholar)