Rachel Buchsbaum

Research/Areas of Interest

My laboratory focuses on studying signal transduction pathways underlying cancer cell growth and metastasis. In particular, we are interested in pathways involving the Rac protein, a member of the Ras superfamily that is a central player in multiple signaling pathways affecting malignant cell behavior. We have found that Rac signaling can be directed through a network of distinct pathways, involving cell survival and apoptosis, cell cycling and growth, and migration and invasion, by a major regulator protein, Tiam1. A major interest is the regulation of this Tiam1/Rac signaling network in normal and malignant cells. We are also exploring the role of this network in governing interactions between tumor cells and their microenvironment.