Mammary Development
Development of the mammary gland occurs in defined stages that are
governed by the hormones that regulate reproductive events. Our
hypothesis is that the genes that control normal mammary development
can become mutated or dysregulated in breast cancer, altering or
subverting their normal function and so contributing to the disease
process. We must understand how genes program normal development if we
are to understand how the program goes awry in cancer. Key genes in
these processes may provide targets for future therapies. Our current
focus is on discovering the genes that respond to prolactin - a hormone
that plays an important role in normal mammary cell proliferation,
differentiation and lactation, but when in excess can increase the risk
of developing breast cancer.
Staff
| Senior Research Officer Dr Wendy Au |
Dr Prue Stanford |
| Research Assistant Cara Evans |
PhD Student Heather Lee |
Heidi Hilton |
Maria Kalyuga |
