The Allen-Petersen Lab aims to understand the impact of phosphatase dysregulation on tumor initiation and progression, with a focus on pancreatic and lung cancer. Phosphatases provide a critical balance to kinase signaling in order to maintain normal cell function. During cancer progression, several mechanisms have been identified that lead to the inhibition of phosphatase activity. However, the consequence of this inhibition on cancer cell phenotypes is not fully understood. Protein Phosphatase 2A (PP2A) is a heterotrimeric serine/threonine phosphatase that negatively regulates several key oncogenic pathways known to drive aggressive cancer phenotypes. Our research focuses on identifying the molecular and epigenetic pathways that are impacted with the loss of specific PP2A subunits, and therapeutic potential of PP2A activating compounds.

To this end, the Allen-Petersen Lab uses genetic mouse models of pancreatic and non-small cell lung cancer, three-dimensional cell culture systems, and molecular and cellular biology techniques to explore these fundamental and translational questions.