The long term goal of our research is to understand the biology of SUMO proteins, to dissect their functions in health and pathology, and to explore their potential for targeted therapies.
The human genome contains more than twenty thousand genes. Cells need to tightly control when, where, and how much these genes are expressed during the development and functioning of organisms. Various environmental influences can disrupt the normal gene expression programs through genetic and epigenetic changes. Such disruptions are known to play central roles in disease processes like cancer.
Studies in Molecular Toxicology and Cancer Research Laboratory (MTCRL) focus on the toxic and carcinogenic effects of food-born or other natural chemical agents. Among these agents, mycotoxins which are secondary metabolites produced by fungi pose great risks and hazards to human and animal health. The most important chronic effect of many mycotoxins is the induction and/or promotion of cancer, especially in the liver and kidney.
