Gordan Lab

Targeting Hippo Pathway Dysregulation
Hippo is a tumor suppressor signaling pathway that regulates proliferation in many cancers by regulating the transcriptional coactivator YAP. YAP is upregulated in normal bile ducts, shown here in green in a section from a cirrhotic liver. Nuclei are shown in blue and CTNNB1 in red, marking hepatocytes. We are working to counteract the effects of YAP in liver and other cancers by discovering small molecules that activate Hippo.
Translational Proteomics
Targeted kinase inhibition is a key approach in cancer treatment. We use a variety of proteomic methods to map the response and resistance to these agents, including activity based proteomic profiling with multiplex inhibitor beads (shown here). In this method, Type 1 ATP-competitive kinase inhibitors are affixed to sepharose and stacked in chromatography columns to enrich for active kinases.
Role of Hepatitis B in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Given the genetic complexity of advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC), we study the viruses that contribute to its initiation to identify potential cancer drivers. Collaborating with Nevan Krogan, we have developed a protein-protein interaction map between HBV and host proteins. Host proteins are not currently labeled, but will be shown once this data set is completed and confirmed.

The Gordan Lab is an interdisciplinary research group based in the Quantitative Biosciences Institute (QBI) at UCSF. Our research focuses on basic and translational questions in the treatment of liver cancers, combining innovative proteomic methods with unique patient-derived models to identify new therapeutic targets and markers of drug response.  We have three major areas of investigation:

1. Characterizing the impact of hepatitis viruses on liver cancer behavior and response to treatment
2. Developing small molecule strategies to target Hippo pathway dysregulation
3. Mapping oncogenic kinase signaling and its response to targeted therapeutics