Research Focus

Dr. Messersmith’s lab is mainly focused on using a personalized approach in developing new anticancer drugs for GI cancers. In particular, the lab uses a novel colorectal and pancreatic explant model whereby tumor tissue is obtained from the operating room and then placed directly into mice. Tumors are treated with new drugs and predictive biomarkers of sensitivity are discovered. These predictive markers are used in the clinic to pre-select patients that would most likely derive benefit from these new drugs. Additionally, these tumors are evaluated in orthotopic and metastatic models. Current anticancer drugs in the lab target Notch (g-secretase), Src, and hedgehog pathways.

Selected Publications

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Arcaroli J, Touban B, Tan AC, Garcia M, Powell RW, Eckhardt SG, Elvin P, Messersmith WM. Gene Array and FISH Biomarkers of Activity of Saracatinib (AZD0530), a Src Inhibitor, in a Preclinical Model of Colorectal Cancer. Accepted- Clinical Cancer Research.

Dasari A, Messersmith WA. New Strategies in Colorectal Cancer: Biomarkers of Response to Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Monoclonal Antibodies and Potential Therapeutic Targets in PI3K and MAPK Pathways. Clin Cancer Res. 2010 Jun 16. 

Franklin WA, Haney J, Sugita M, Bemis L, Jimeno A, Messersmith WA. KRAS mutation: comparison of testing methods and tissue sampling techniques in colon cancer. J Mol Diagn. 2010 Jan;12(1):43-50. Epub 2009 Dec 10. 

Messersmith WA, Rajeshkumar NV, Tan AC, Wang XF, Diesl V, Choe SE, Follettie M, Coughlin C, Boschelli F, Garcia-Garcia E, Lopez-Rios F, Jimeno A, Hidalgo M. Efficacy and pharmacodynamic effects of bosutinib (SKI-606), a Src/Abl inhibitor, in freshly generated human pancreas cancer xenografts. Mol Cancer Ther. 2009 Jun;8(6):1484-93. Epub 2009 Jun 9. 

Rajeshkumar NV, Tan AC, De Oliveira E, Womack C, Wombwell H, Morgan S, Warren MV, Walker J, Green TP, Jimeno A, Messersmith WA, Hidalgo M. Antitumor effects and biomarkers of activity of AZD0530, a Src inhibitor, in pancreatic cancer. Clin Cancer Res. 2009 Jun 15;15(12):4138-46. Epub 2009 Jun 9. 

Arcaroli J, Quackenbush KS, Purkey A, Powell RW, Pitts TM, Bagby S, Tan AC, Cross B, McPhillips K, Song EK, Tai WM, Winn RA, Bikkavilli K, Vanscoyk M, Eckhardt SG, Messersmith WA. Tumours with elevated levels of the Notch and Wnt pathways exhibit efficacy to PF-03084014, a γ-secretase inhibitor, in a preclinical colorectal explant model. Br J Cancer. 2013 Aug 6;109(3):667-75. Epub 2013 Jul 18. 

Arcaroli J, Quackenbush K, Dasari A, Powell R, McManus M, Tan AC, Foster NR, Picus J, Wright J, Nallapareddy S, Erlichman C, Hidalgo M, Messersmith WA. Biomarker-driven trial in metastatic pancreas cancer: feasibility in a multicenter study of saracatinib, an oral Src inhibitor, in previously treated pancreatic cancer. Cancer Med. 2012 Oct;1(2):207-17. Epub 2012 Aug 16 

Infante JR, Fecher LA, Falchook GS, Nallapareddy S, Gordon MS, Becerra C, Demarini DJ, Cox DS, Xu Y, Morris SR, Peddareddigari VG, Le NT, Hart L, Bendell JC, Eckhardt G, Kurzrock R, Flaherty K, Burris HA 3rd, Messersmith WA. Safety, pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and efficacy data for the oral MEK inhibitor trametinib: a phase 1 dose-escalation trial. Lancet Oncol. 2012 Aug;13(8):773-81. Epub 2012 Jul 16.

Messersmith WA, Ahnen DJ. Targeting EGFR in colorectal cancer. N Engl J Med. 2008 Oct 23;359(17):1834-6. 

Lab Personnel

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Wells Messersmith, MD
Professor with Tenure
Principal Investigator