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Michael DiGiovanna, MD, PhD

Professor of Internal Medicine (Medical Oncology); Chair, Breast Cancer Tumor Board, Yale Cancer Center; Curriculum Director, Office of Education; Thread Leader, Pharmacology, Office of Education; Master Course Co-Leader, Office of Education

Contact Information

Michael DiGiovanna, MD, PhD

Research Summary

We study signal transduction by growth factor receptor tyrosine kinases, focusing on the EGFR/HER2/ErbB family, including the impact of signaling by these receptors on clinical outcomes and response to targeted therapies for cancer, and their potential as therapeutic targets in novel combination therapies. A major focus in our laboratory has been the interaction of HER2 signaling with estrogen receptor (ER) signaling in breast cancer, and with IGF-I receptor signaling, and the effects of inhibitors of these receptors in combination targeted therapies. We have also found that in breast cancer patients, tumors harboring activated HER2 have adverse prognosis, and these tumors have co-overexpression of EGFR. We continue to study how signaling by these receptors impacts responses to different types of therapies and explore targeting these receptors in combination with other novel targeted therapeutics.

Specialized Terms: Breast cancer; HER-2/neu/ErbB-2; IGF1 receptor; EGF receptor; Growth factor receptor tyrosine protein kinases in malignancy; Estrogen receptor; Signal transduction; Breast cancer clinical trials

Extensive Research Description

We study signal transduction by growth factor receptor tyrosine
kinases, focusing on the EGFR/HER2/ErbB family, including the impact of
signaling by these receptors on clinical outcomes and response to
targeted therapies for cancer, and their potential as therapeutic
targets in novel combination therapies. A major focus in our laboratory
has been the interaction of HER2 signaling with estrogen receptor (ER)
signaling in breast cancer, and with IGF-I receptor
signaling, and the effects of inhibitors of these receptors in
combination targeted therapies. We have also found that in breast
cancer patients, tumors harboring activated HER2 have adverse
prognosis, and these tumors have co-overexpression of EGFR. We continue
to study how signaling by these receptors impacts responses to
different types of therapies and explore targeting these receptors in
combination with other novel targeted therapeutics.

Coauthors

Research Interests

Breast Neoplasms; Medical Oncology; Pharmacology; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; Signal Transduction; Clinical Trial

Selected Publications

Clinical Trials