Mayumi Fujita, MD, PhD
Specialty
Melanoma Research, Dermatology
Location
University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Department of Dermatology
Program Objective
To investigate the 1) biology of cancer stem cells in tumorigenesis, progression and therapeutic resistance of melanoma, 2) biological roles of inflammasome and autoinflammation in the tumor microenvironment, 3) melanoma biomarkers for the diagnosis, prediction of disease activity and treatment response.
Program Description
The main focus of our current research is:
- To characterize melanoma stem cells from human melanoma cells
- To study biological roles of several inflammatory molecules (particularly IL-1, IL-37 and AAT) in the progression of human malignant melanoma
- To analyze inflammasome components in human melanoma cells
- To identify melanoma-related and host response-related biomarker profiling from blood of melanoma patients
- To study biological roles of several inflammatory molecules in skin immunology.
- We also study the effects of EGCG (green tea polyphenol) on melanoma stem cells and inflammasomes.
The experiments utilize in vitro methodologies (cellular and molecular biology, immunology and histopathology) and in vivo animal models (xenotransplantation, direct in vivo xenograft and genetically-engineered mouse models).
Contact Info
Phone: (303) 724-4045