Lab Members

Sendurai A. Mani is an Associate Professor in the Department of Translational Molecular Pathology at MD Anderson Cancer Center. He is also the co-director of the Metastasis Research Center as well as the Center for Stem Cell and Developmental Biology at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Mani earned a Ph.D. from The Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India and then did postdoctoral work with Dr. Robert A. Weinberg at the Whitehead Institute/Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. He then joined the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas as an Assistant Professor in December of 2007 and has been promoted to Associate Professor with tenure in 2013. Dr. Mani has received numerous prizes and awards for his research, including a Jimmy V foundation’s V-Scholar Award and The American Cancer Society Research Scholar award. Dr. Mani’s original finding demonstrating the cancer cells acquire stem cell properties by activating latent embryonic epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) program provided the foundation and explanation for the presence of plasticity within the tumor as well as the development of resistance to various treatments.

Provides support to the Co-Director by planning the Immunology Initiative Meeting & Stem Cells Cancer and EMT Meetings.

Rama’s research interests can be broadly divided into 3 major categories –
1) understanding the context-dependent role of pleiotropic signaling cascades in the progression of variant/neuroendocrine prostate cancers;
2) investigating the molecular links between hypertension and cancer, and
3) identifying determinants of metastatic competence in breast and prostate carcinoma cells.
Our recent efforts have led to the discovery of a novel embryonic gene expression signature that predicts metastatic proficiency in tumor cells. We are currently refining this signature for better prediction of clinical outcome. We have also demonstrated that aggressive carcinoma cells that are insensitive to therapy, are characterized by elevated epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) signaling, and that targeting these cascades using well-tolerated small molecule therapeutics (impacting pleiotropic kinase signaling) restores epithelial attributes and drug-sensitivity, and also reduces the shedding of circulating tumor cells in vivo, with significant shrinkage in the tumor mass (using a variety of models, including human-in-mouse xenografts). Validation of direct targets of EMT signaling has permitted the exploration of FDA-approved signaling inhibitors as novel treatment strategies for targeting cancer stem-cell (CSC) functions.
GSBS Faculty Profile

Petra’s research focus is on understanding the aggressiveness of triple-negative breast cancers, and to identify targets and agents to treat this disease. During her graduate training she worked on the identification of protein complexes that were important in breast cancer growth and estrogen hypersensitivity. For her postdoctoral training she collaborated with the Bioinformatics Research Lab, and the Genome Sequencing Center at Baylor College of Medicine, in the development of a new high-throughput sequencing technique to aid in the discovery of genetic alterations in cancer. During Petra’s stay in the Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention at MD Anderson, she used preclinical animal models for the development of new strategies in triple-negative breast cancer prevention and treatment. Her current research is focused on the underlying mechanisms of cancer stem cells and metastasis in triple-negative (claudin-low) breast cancer, with the goal to identify targets and agents to treat these highly resistant breast cancers.

In her spare time Petra enjoys riding her horse, and hiking in the mountains of Colorado.

Robiya earned Bachelors in ‘Biotechnology, Chemistry and Botany’ (Triple Main) from St. Aloysius College, University of Mangalore and Masters in Biotechnology form SIAS institute, University of Calicut. During her Ph.D. in Immunology from the University of Münster, Germany [Cells in Motion (CiM) Graduate School and the International Max Planck Research School – Molecular Biomedicine (IMPRS-MBM)], she investigated the role of S100 proteins in the cellular dynamics of phagocytes. Currently she is a Postdoctoral Fellow in Dr. Sendurai Mani’s laboratory at the department of Translational Molecular Pathology at MD Anderson Cancer Center and my primary research interest is in Cancer Immunology, more precisely on the role of T lymphocytes in facilitating metastatic competence in breast cancer.

Suhas received his Ph.D. in Systems Biology, from Indian Institute of Technology Delhi. He worked in Karolinska Institute, Sweden as a post-doctoral fellow. He worked on multiomics analysis at Baylor College of Medicine under Dr. Bing Zhang. He developed various online tools, among LinkedOmics (http://www.linkedomics.org/) a multi-cancer analysis platform widely used around globe. Currently he is working on integrative bioinformatics methods to stratify clinical cohorts undergoing clinical trials and identify suitable biomarkers for treating chemoresistant patients.
 

Advances in the field of Biology interests and intrigues Sridevi. Along this line, Sridevi pursued her B.S in Biology and Biochemistry and M.S. in Biotechnology from Osmania University, India. She briefly worked as a research assistant at California State University Fullerton and conducted research in developing C. elegans as a model system for pathogenic bacteria resistant to amikacin. For her predoctoral training, she investigated the antiproliferative effects of LXR agonists in the malignancy of the pancreas. To further her passion and uncover novel biomarkers and treatment strategies for breast cancer, she joined the laboratory of Dr. Sendurai Mani at the department of Translational Molecular Pathology, MDACC, where she is co-mentored by Dr. Mani as well as clinical oncologist Dr. Stacy Moulder. Unfortunately, while a number of drugs are approved for the treatment of breast cancer, biomarkers to identify the patients for personalized medicine are lacking. This is true in case of highly aggressive Triple Negative Breast Cancers (TNBCs). Her career goal is to embark on her scientific career and identify predictive markers for precision medicine for TNBCs, an unmet clinical need.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=sridevi+addanki
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sridevi_Addanki

Abhijeet received his M.S. degree in Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine from University of Sheffield, UK and Ph.D. in Chemo-Sensitization/ Epigenetics and Metabolism of Cancer Stem Cells from Curtin University, Australia. In the Mani Lab, Abhijeet research interest is focused on demonstrating the different stages of EMT and its role in tumor metastasis. He joined Mani lab in 2018 as a postdoctoral fellow following his completion of Ph.D. and taking forward his interest in understanding the cancer stem-like cells and its therapy-resistance.

Nick received Ph.D. in Microbiology, Molecular Genetics, and Cell biology from Oklahoma State University, where he worked in Dr. Hadwiger's lab. He studied cellular signaling of the model organism Dictyostelium. His research focused on characterizing post-translational modifications of a phosphodiesterase and on characterizing the functionality and regulation of an atypical MAPK. In Dr. Mani’s lab, Nick work on breast cancer development and metastasis to identify and characterize inhibitors of epithelial to mesenchymal transition through targeting the FOXC2 transcription factor. His end goal is to develop targeted therapies that will be given with standard chemotherapies to treat TNBC.

Maria received her Ph.D in chemistry from The University of Texas at Dallas, where she worked in Dr. Jiyong Lee’s lab. There she discovered the first small molecule inhibitor of the transcription factor FOXC2, aiming to target cancer metastasis. Currently, in Dr. Mani’s lab Maria works on elucidating the role of FOXC2 in regulating the cell cycle of cancer stem cells. As well as deciphering the role of FOXC2 in mitotic bookmarking and in the maintenance of cancer stem cell identity. Her end goal is to identify druggable targets involved in cancer stem propagation, leading to the development of cancer therapeutics.

Sriya’s research focuses on identifying existing chemotherapeutics which can work in combination with the p38 inhibitor to shrink the primary tumor in breast cancer patients. She is also investigating potential biological pathways which may work in conjunction with the p38 inhibitor.

Ryan is an undergraduate student at Rice University majoring in Biochemistry & Cell Biology. He is interested in the biology of EMT, and the clinical significance of the hybrid E/M state. He is currently investigating the role of hybrid E/M plasticity in metastasis.